Dumbing down is the deliberate over simplification of intellectual content in order to relate to those unable to assimilate more sophisticated information.

The term “dumbing down” originated in 1933 as movie-business slang used by motion picture screenplay writers, meaning thus making knowledge trivial mainly to reach a broader audience or  the popular culture. It also assumes that people are stupid, talking down to them in a patronizing way.  It doesn’t speak well of people, and I hope that changes.   We as curious seekers are learning “how to think” and not operate under the major premise of we should be told “what to think“.  Frankly it is a very lazy  of the whoever passes out the information as a form of pablum, when fine cuisine could be served!  We could be “stepping up” the game, rather than playing down to people assuming they are stupid.  It it keeps both sides of the table stupid all for money or political gain.  Giving people a chance to learn new ideas, and  educate themselves by exposing them. and challenging them intellectually and learning to think for themselves.  It caters to a lack of dignity on both sides of this process.

Philosophically, the term “dumbing down” is a relative definition, because what is considered dumbing down depends on the individual taste and level of our critical thinking.  The results in a dumbing down is often economic to market concepts to the mainstream that maybe not well educated, well travelled,  or well read. If you think about it is kind of sad, and doesn’t speak well of the evolution of consciousness.  It is actually kind of a cultural de-evolution.  The terms, “homogenized, white bread, and others, come to mind as I explore the dumbing down.   The real nutritional juice is taken out as in the milk and bread, the food we eat, is taken out of the collective intellect and cultural soul food.   What do you think?

Robert McEwen, H.W. M.
robbystarman@aol.com
503-706-0396