The next generation is smarter than we give them credit

[The emperor has no clothes]

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/03/08/519224169/at-5-girl-becomes-youngest-to-qualify-for-national-spelling-bee

I've never even heard some of those words.  Much less, can spell them

[hairyteeth]

I worry about kids growing up too fast, but I have a feeling she's going be just fine.  HT

[Atl-Jerry]

These are the exceptions, the vast majority give me cause for concern.

[Gavin_Sons]

That's pretty good. There are some grown men here that can't distinguish there and their or wether and whether.  I'm probably guilty of this 

[Wizzard]

A wether is a ram or billy goat that was castrated at a young age. Wethers can be housed with the female sheep or goats, but intact bucks and rams usually are kept separately. ... Wether comes from an Old English word for – surprise!— a castrated ram.

Lol  did you mean Weather?

[art]

Some people just can't spell. 

[Bighead]

That's pretty good. There are some grown men here that can't distinguish there and their or wether and whether.  I'm probably guilty of this 

The biggest I see is Then and Than.

[John Schmidt]

Or....the difference between your and you're, or the misuse of bring and take. Stuff you learned in grade school, or should have if you weren't so busy pulling the pigtails of the little honey sitting in front of you. Even though little miss A. Steen caused me to miss a lot of recesses, I still learned. Mom was a 5th & 6th grade teacher, dad was School Superintendent. Like I had a choice!   

[RP#62]

Or....the difference between your and you're, or the misuse of bring and take. Stuff you learned in grade school, or should have if you weren't so busy pulling the pigtails of the little honey sitting in front of you. Even though little miss A. Steen caused me to miss a lot of recesses, I still learned. Mom was a 5th & 6th grade teacher, dad was School Superintendent. Like I had a choice!   

A lot of folks have trouble with that one.
A sign outside of Hope AZ:
-RP

[Gavin_Sons]

A wether is a ram or billy goat that was castrated at a young age. Wethers can be housed with the female sheep or goats, but intact bucks and rams usually are kept separately. ... Wether comes from an Old English word for – surprise!— a castrated ram.

Lol  did you mean Weather?

Your quick 

[cookiedough]

worst stupidest thing I did is get on the warehouse loud speaker and inform Jesus to come to my window   when it was spelled JESUS (god pronouncing it for all to hear) but Spanish name pronounced HEYSUS.

I will never live that one down.  My Spanish is totally lacking for sure.    

[Romeo]

These are the exceptions, the vast majority give me cause for concern.

exactly

[solo1]

When I was an Xray tech I learned to spell sodium-tetraiodophenolphtalien.

It was used as an injection for defining the gall bladder in xRays.  My spell checker gave up. It said it couldn't help me.

Other words like acetabulum, epicondyle, sella tursica, etc were much simpler.

[Bighead]

When I was an Xray tech I learned to spell sodium-tetraiodophenolphtalien.

It was used as an injection for defining the gall bladder in xRays.  My spell checker gave up. It said it couldn't help me.

Other words like acetabulum, epicondyle, sella tursica, etc were much simpler.

Wayne what about the Fibia and tibula? Or Rotary cup? I hear these waaaaaay too often
Or I had Laproscpic surgery on my knee

[Jess from VA]

My personal favorite is.... prostrate disease.

(that's the one where you can't get out of your recliner)

[da prez]

  I break for animals , or do I take a brake to have a coffee.

                                     da prez

[cookiedough]

I think most kids overall have WORSE spelling than when us older generations went to grade school.  They teach these kids differently nowadays and spelling and grammar are not held to the highest degrees over 1st thru 4th graders having ipads or laptops to use for each kid taking over the 3 Rs of Reading, Righting, and rythimitic   (did I spell those wrong -    )

Now this spelling bee movie with jason bateman was worth watching was BAD WORDS:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2170299/videoplayer/vi3718425369?ref_=tt_ov_vi

[Bighead]

I think most kids overall have WORSE spelling than when us older generations went to grade school.  They teach these kids differently nowadays and spelling and grammar are not held to the highest degrees over 1st thru 4th graders having ipads or laptops to use for each kid taking over the 3 Rs of Reading, Righting, and rythimitic   (did I spell those wrong -    )

Now this spelling bee movie with jason bateman was worth watching was BAD WORDS:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2170299/videoplayer/vi3718425369?ref_=tt_ov_vi

That is because they don't teach kids to learn they teach them to accept and not think about why!

[The emperor has no clothes]

Who would have figured a post about an exceptional young girl would turn into a "We were smarter than they were" thread ?  ???

[Bighead]

I don't think  any recent generation is any smarter than another, just the times and Technology has changed so they are learning in different ways.

[Pete]

Congratulations to the spelling bee winner. Job well done.

Are they smarter?

Perhaps in their ABC's etc. One would expect so given the advantages of growing up today.
After all they have the benefits of improved nutrition, healthier life stile, better educated parents, more and better educational opportunities and an improved civilization (at least in the 1st world countries).

Personally I think that is great.

I am sometimes concerned that the "common sense" intelligence quotient may have taken a hit with this latest generation. I suspect only time will tell if that is true.

[Rams]

Who would have figured a post about an exceptional young girl would turn into a "We were smarter than they were" thread ?  ???

Seriously?   You question that with the thread title you put out there?   Come on Rob, you know better than that..........   

Had you titled this thread something like, Exceptional Young Girl is an amazing speller or something like that, this thread may have gone a whole different direction.   I'm thinking you got precisely what you wanted.   That's OK.   BTW, I hope the next generation is smarter than us.    There are times, I don't feel all that bright and no, I don't need any help having that pointed out to me.   

[The emperor has no clothes]

Who would have figured a post about an exceptional young girl would turn into a "We were smarter than they were" thread ?  ???

Seriously?   You question that with the thread title you put out there?   Come on Rob, you know better than that..........   

Had you titled this thread something like, Exceptional Young Girl is an amazing speller or something like that, this thread may have gone a whole different direction.   I'm thinking you got precisely what you wanted.   That's OK.   BTW, I hope the next generation is smarter than us.    There are times, I don't feel all that bright and no, I don't need any help having that pointed out to me.   

I titled it as such because of the prevalence here to talk about how the next generation is lazy, dumb, and self centered. I had hoped showing differently would awaken some. Sadly, I was mistaken again.

[3fan4life]

the next generation is lazy, dumb, and self centered.

You pointed out an exception, maybe.

But, For the most part they are. 

Sadly, I was mistaken again.

No, I'd say that you hit the nail on the head for once.   

[3fan4life]

My personal favorite is.... prostrate disease.

(that's the one where you can't get out of your recliner)

Dang, I think that I may be suffering from that one.