What makes us stupid?

At talk I gave at the University of Ottawa last week, one audience member vigorously asked the very serious question: "What makes us stupid?"

It was a talk about freedom of speech.

The presumption is that we (middle and professional-class Canadians and Americans) are far more stupid than we should be. I accept the presumption.

My answer was:

"Well... I don't think it's the fluorine in the water or chemtrails, and many folks will be quite angry that I said that."

(I also don't think it's vaccines but I do think that uncritical acceptance of corporate propaganda about vaccines, and about establishment medicine in general, is part of the said stupidity.)

I continued as follows:

"I think it's the always-increasing and progressive infringements of the institutions that run our lives, which remove more and more independence from us and regulate our every thought and attitude... the schools, the government, corporate employers, the medical establishment... everything to make us more and more dependent, controlled, predictable, and, well, stupid."

The context of my answer is the social theory of dominance hierarchy, its maintenance and growth... along the lines of this recent article, and references therein: "Cause of USA Meltdown and Collapse of Civil Rights".