Enemy of the State - the Great Uninformed Mass #7

"More than anything else, we need in this society the opportunity for people to tell us what they think without being told that they're either dumb, or stupid, or uninformed."


Often we have heard via ASTV, the PAD stage and other outlets that the “Kwai” are ignorant. stupid, uneducated and uninformed. I’ll have to give them that a vast majority of the country is indeed under educated. Being undereducated doesn’t mean you are stupid, ignorant or uninformed. Being under educated means that you have not had the opportunity that others have had.. Often situations cause students to leave school early, family need is a major culprit.

We need decent consistent free education nationwide where every school is equal and not the selection process that we have now where often that selection also includes a “gift” to the school. You can read that as “bribe” because that is exactly what it is. The poor fall through the cracks and end up in schools that are the dredges overcrowded, in poor repair, understaffed and with little or no resources. No wonder these people are under educated. I’ve often argued that I know more stupid people with PHD’s, if you are reading this I’ll excuse you, than farmers with a grade 4-5 education. At least the farmer has the smarts to grow enough food. The educated could eat their diplomas but wouldn’t gain a lot of sustenance from it. It’s real world knowledge against book learning and theoretical knowledge. It’s a toss up but I like to eat.

As for uninformed. That’s pure PR and spin to make the rural poor appear to fit into the “ignorant. stupid, uneducated and uninformed” mold. All you have to do is drive around the North and, if you are observant, you will notice Satellite dishes sprouting up like oyster mushrooms attached to some very strange structures. Some you may even wonder if they even have power. Even if you can’t afford Sat Cable you can get all the government stations plus ASTV and PTV (when it was on the air). There is a huge abundance of Community radio stations now, some Red, some Yellow, some specialty and some neutral. When you walk around anywhere in the North, just listen. You will hear all types of radio and TV coming from the strangest places. The rural poor listen when they are working, eating or playing. They now have information in abundance and they can pick and choose which stations or information they wish to digest. It may even be fair to say they have an information overload now with the internet as well

Therefore, if you are one of those that think the Kwai are ignorant, stupid, uneducated and uninformed remember they are watching the same TV, listening to the same radio and reading the same papers as you are. Provided you can read and understand Thai, otherwise, they have a huge advantage over you and you may be the one that is in effect ignorant. stupid, uneducated and uninformed.

“Nothing in the world is more dangerous than a sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”