Which is the greater threat to America, a mushroom cloud or a mushroom crowd?

I think a vital thing is improving education in critical thinking, a skill that all too many people lack. Critical thinking needs to be taught, starting at a young age. In this age of budget cuts, “teaching to the test” and pared-down classrooms I am not sure of the best way to do this, unfortunately.

Americans aren’t exactly putting up a fight to be an informed and watchful electorate and citizenry either. I don’t think the Mushroom Managers are too blame in this case, I think the mushrooms are.

I agree with @lillycoyote. I think the populace has to show an interest in the issues.

And what can Americans do? They can give a shit, that’s what can do. People are fighting and dying in the streets of The MIddle East and North Africa for the things that Americans have like freedom of speech, democracy, freedom of movement, economic opportunity and many of my fellow citizens can’t haul their big fat American asses off their couches long enough read a book or a magazine or a newspaper and, god forbid, vote. Less than 50% of eligible voters, on average, vote in elections. It’s disgusting, really. We don’t have to fight in the streets to secure our freedoms, we simply have to care enough, just put in the minimal, effort to protect and maintain them.

Americans get the leadership they deserve and that they demand. We demand more; we get more. We start demanding better leaders, we will get better leaders. What do you think would happen if people running for office knew they were going to be held accountable by an informed electorate who fully participated in their own democracy. It would be something to see.

How do you get Americans to give a shit about preserving the precious legacy we have inherited from the generations that have come before? In understanding what their part in all this is, what their civic responsibilities are? I have no clue. Wish I did. Democracy and liberty are both use it or lose it kind of things. I can’t make people care about these things if they don’t.

And why don’t they want to invest in the infrastructure? That also is something most Americans alive today inherited fully formed. The cities, bridges, railroads, water and sewer systems, dams, the interstates, almost all built before most people were born or came of age. They didn’t appear by magic. Americans have stop doing nothing more than chanting “We’re number 1” “We’re the greatest nation on earth!” People have hypnotized themselves with that kind of shit. We inherited the place, ready to go, right out of box unlike the generations before us who built this country with their blood, sweat and tears and we’re all perfectly happy to the let place fall apart and go to hell. That’s a terrible shame.

End of screed.

GQ. I go back and forth.

Thanks everyone. I didn’t really expect a magic bullet, but you all know what I’m talking about. THe omre people know what the problem is, and start talking about it, the more likely that magic bullet will become clear to us. I won’t give up hope for this country. We’ve dug our way out of deeper holes than this. We just have to roll up our sleeves and do it again.

Shit-ake happens, I guess ;¬}

I guess that’s morel or less it. Here’s agaricus bisporus for you for your fun-gi loving answer.