Gia Darling needs to study some more...

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Originally Posted by sucka4chix

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There's a multitude of excellent reasons to read good literature.

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This is a perfect example of the failure of our education system.The quoting of Shakespeare is not going to solve ANY of the problems that we will face in the future.
The biggest benefit of having such knowledge is to impress a boss or the bosses wife or to become a champion on Jeopardy.
We spend 2 years in college learning useless nonsense in the name of creating a "thinking mind" when we should be teaching people strong math and science skills AND showing them ways to turn those skills into a profitable career.
Here's another example of the failure of our education: you study spanish for 10 years-- yeah you can conjugate the hell out of a verb, but can't understand anything on Univision! Useless!

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I couldn't disagree more. If all we need are math and science skills and the mechanics of transforming those skills into profit, we might as well be Cylons. No other writer in history has so deeply explored so many aspects of the human psyche as Shakespeare--and he did so hundreds of years before the dawn of psychology as a science. Shakespeare and other writers hold mirrors to our minds and hearts and society, reflecting all the dimensions of the human and penetrating into the nature and character of our being, our relationships, our history, and our possible futures. Without art there would be no science.

Why is it that to us Brits there's something cute about Yanks attempting Shakespeare?

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Well seeing as Americans invented the Microsoft Windows and/or the Linux operating system you're using...

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I thought Torvalds was Norwegian. :shrug

You've listed acheivements of people that actually made an effort in their fields of programming, engineering, intellectual property, etc. What I was ranting about (And I should do my ranting earlier in the day so the concept is clearer) is the overall attitude that this country has taken towards education and basic day to day skills such as simple arithmatic, problem solving, and communication.

A simple and common example: Making change for a purchase. Counting money and making change is something I learned at such a young age that I honestly can't remember when it was. I'm guessing around first grade level (I'm also the product of a municipal school system that ranked so high in state scores that the United States Navy bussed their kids across two counties to attend there, rather than enroll them in the city schools that were within walking distance of the base because the latter didn't come near the quality of education the USN required). Yet this very simple task, something that you'd think most people could do on automatic, almost without thinking about it, is becoming more and more troublesome as the student factories push people onto the streets without much of the schooling embedded in their brains.

On days when I am feeling especially cruel, I play a game I call "In The Headlights". At the store or restaurant, as my purchase is rung up and totaled, I'll hand the clerk/cashier the money and then place my hand over the display that shows the change amount. I explain that I'm doing a little experiment and that we're imagining that the power failed right as the cash drawer opened and they have to count out the change without benefit of the display. More often than not, a look of fear seeps into their eyes as they stare at the back of my hand, hoping to somehow psychicly read the display behind it. :shock: Ergo: "In The Headlights".

About half the time they will give me the incorrect change, most often in my favor. Some will resist with an arrogant "Ha, ha, very funny! Now move your hand!" because they've been caught out and don't want to reveal that they =can't= count the change. If you really want to see a look of terror, pay the lesser portion in coin so that the change comes in even dollar amounts (If the purchase is $4.15 pay with $5.15). The most common error in this scenario is the overpayment of a full dollar and there are still others that will dig through the coin slots even though no coin is needed for the transaction.

These were generally not stupid people (Stupid is sticking your tongue in a light socket because you heard you could get free cable that way), just too lazy to learn and use some very basic skills. The demographics vary widely as well, so age, region, and level of education can't always be the excuse.

I agree that making fun of someone because they don't know Shakespeare is rather pointless. Hell, I don't know Shakespeare and I've gotten on pretty well anyway. However, I do know a smattering of references ('Slings and arrows', 'whether 'tis nobler', 'kill all the lawyers' - A particular favorite :) - 'curse on both your houses', etc.) and it helps in conversations from time to time.

I know what a Montague is and a Capulet is that thing I took for my cold last nite, right? :wink:

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Originally Posted by Smog Boy

Why is it that to us Brits there's something cute about Yanks attempting Shakespeare?

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Maybe it's the same as our bemusement at watching Hugh Grant try to wrap his mouth around 'fuggedaboudit' in Mickey Blue Eyes. :lol:

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Originally Posted by BeardedOne

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Originally Posted by Smog Boy

Why is it that to us Brits there's something cute about Yanks attempting Shakespeare?

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Maybe it's the same as our bemusement at watching Hugh Grant try to wrap his mouth around 'fuggedaboudit' in Mickey Blue Eyes. :lol:

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I liked it in Scary Movie when a chick refers to Shakespeare as "Shake-a-spear". :lol:

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Originally Posted by Smog Boy

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Originally Posted by BeardedOne

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Originally Posted by Smog Boy

Why is it that to us Brits there's something cute about Yanks attempting Shakespeare?

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Maybe it's the same as our bemusement at watching Hugh Grant try to wrap his mouth around 'fuggedaboudit' in Mickey Blue Eyes. :lol:

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I liked it in Scary Movie when a chick refers to Shakespeare as "Shake-a-spear". :lol:

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Heh. I've done that. :lol:

Shakespeare is a tool used by the upper class to separate the nobility from the peasants. A good knowledge of the bard shows CULTURE not intellect.And just because you don't know Shakespeare doesn't mean you can't write a play or a sonnet or don't know what iambic pentameter is... it just means you don't know Shakespeare.

I wonder how much Shakespear Einstein read? I imagine not allot. I wonder how much Einstein all the geniuses who know Shakespear have read and understood. Again, I imagine, not much.

As Dr. Einstein said "There is an art to science....Beyond certain basic skills creativity is more important than knowledge." (or something like that).

I wonder how many people really need to know any of that crap for what they do anyway. I basically agree with Bearded one.

Obviously this was done for a comedic effect. How about a more pertinent test of acting ability? I would like to have seen any of those ladies act out a scene from "Training day." You know the monologue where Denzel says "King Kong aint got shit on me!". But you know put their own spin on it.

I kind of agree with cheez.

Americans might've invented the computer, but most parts and all are made somewhere else. So you can't really say the computer is ours.

And good literature never hurt anyone.

Willie knew what he was doing when he wrote his plays.

And for a pornstar who stars in movies all the time, Gia could be a little less--"wooden".

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Originally Posted by sucka4chix

Shakespeare is a tool used by the upper class to separate the nobility from the peasants. A good knowledge of the bard shows CULTURE not intellect.And just because you don't know Shakespeare doesn't mean you can't write a play or a sonnet or don't know what iambic pentameter is... it just means you don't know Shakespeare.

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I totally disagree. I'm a professional actor and understanding Shakespeare and being able to speak verse isn't something your average american is capable of. And it does show a level of intelligence. Because you have to understand what your saying. For some this could take years.