The American Spectator

Reader Mail

(Page 4 of 14)

Ben's statement, "Knowledge of history is context and context is everything" caught my attention. Not only do I agree whole heartedly with that statement but I would even go further in saying that being "educated" in worldly matters is essential to understanding anything about what has transpired throughout human history. In today's climate, "schooling" and "education" are considered one in the same and nothing is further from the truth. In general, the American population is well schooled at enormous cost to the taxpayers but uneducated in some of the most basic skill sets needed for life.

Take any hot button issue off the front page of any 8th grade reading level news paper and you would be hard pressed to find enough factual information presented to provide its readers any hope of making an informed choice about the matter at hand.

Take the price of gas? You don't need an advanced degree in economics to understand the basis of Supply and Demand but you would have difficulty finding anyone in the MSN or Congress that can demonstrate any understanding of what is involved in the running of a capital intensive business like the energy, airline or automotive industries. All of these can go from large profits to loss in a single quarter. Even when a member of the MSN or Congress reads the right words prepared for them by a paid staff member, you don't get the feeling they actually understand what the words mean.

Take Social Security and its pending meltdown. The moment Ida May Fuller received her first SS check, the system was on a collision course with financial ruin. Ida paid $24.74 into the system over the three years she paid into it and received $22,888.92 in income over the 35 years she received benefits. No mathematical equation will sustain a system that rewards tens of millions with more than they paid into the system (with compound interest included) and yet you can't find a single MSM person or member of Congress willing to go on record as to why Social Security is failing and will continue to do so as structured. The truth is ugly and protected by political correctness it seems. No one wants to put the system in its proper "context" I suppose out of respect for the "good intentions" of the dead. Even the President of the United States will not spell it out even though he knows the train wreck is coming and why it is. Robin Hood would be proud.

p>Context is often the difference between the truth and a lie. Much of what passes as News today is simply not the truth and the public is badly served by that and remains uneducated in the most fundamental truths of life. A well-rounded person needs a good understanding of history and all the lessons there and has to be well founded in economic truths. These aren't things you get in our public institutions of learning as core requirements any more. The generations that follow my generation, the Baby Boomers, are going to learn some hard economic truths regardless of their schooling and apparent education level. Respect for history's lessons would have made this unnecessary. Being an individual and not part of a "group" as Ben suggest is the first step in the right direction. The signers of the Declaration of Independence would understand because they were "individuals" first and foremost and very well educated in historical context. br> -- Thom Bateman br> Newport News, Virginia /p> p> I'm confused. Why does Ben Stein -- one of the most level-headed columnists whom I regularly read -- have any need to employ a psychiatrist? (I am assuming that's what he means when he uses the word "shrink.") Perhaps this is a legal requirement for obtaining residence in Malibu? That would explain a lot... br> -- Todd Stoffer br> Cleveland, Ohio /p> p> Richard Nixon ended the Cold War?????

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