Short Attention Span Nation

We Americans have much to be proud of. We landed men on the moon, split the atom, and won World War 2. It is no small feat that very few nations in existence can lay claim too. Frackingly, we just gained a new one. America is now a world leader in our population of dubyas.
Today fewer and fewer Americans are reading. Thanks again Youtube. One recent 2007 study found that 80% of American families didn’t read a book in 2006. Reading is also down across the board in newspapers and magazines. While we are on the subject, our attention spans have continued to spiral down. Between the years of 1968 and 1988, the average news sound bite fell from 42 seconds to 8 seconds. On top of that, general knowledge is out the door. It turns out that 1/5 of Americans believe that the sun orbits the Earth.
Now I know that I mentioned in earlier entries like Ignorance is Bliss and All Along The Watchtower that knowledge is overrated. That is not to be confused with the view that all knowledge is worthless. Con men and politicians much more easily manipulate the foolish than the wise. In no time you awaken to find your country bankrupt and fighting an unjust war in some god-forsaken hellhole. Plus you are about to lose your home after being sold what at the time looked like a good loan. Do I need to continue?