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A lot of people in these comments seem to think that “today’s kids” are illiterate. I have to say, that’s not true. If anything, most kids like to read more than their parents, and the emergence of ebooks has allowed people to get into new books even when libraries are closed down. You might be surprised how many teenagers are reading when they’re staring at their phones!
Although public libraries are currently closed, across the nation, they’ve been doing a great job at continuing services through remote access. Some are even using their bookmobiles as wifi hotspots in communities without a great deal of connectivity.
What is an intelligent book? When I was in high school in the early ‘80s in Tampa it was determined by our English/literature teacher to be selected books on our reading list that she deemed relevant and probably was allowed to put it in the curriculum by the Hillsborough County School Board . A few were Camus “The Stranger”, Twain “Huck Finn”, Verne “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”, Jack London “Call of the Wild”, Hawthorne “The Scarlet Letter”, Fitzgerald “The Great Gatsby”, Huxley “Brave New World” and Orwell “1984” but others like “Catcher in the Rye” by Salinger, “Howl” by Ginsberg, Ralph Ellison’s “Invisible Man”, Kurt Vonnegut, Naked Lunch by Bill Burroughs among numerous others were not allowed. I had the opportunity to read a lot of these in college along with many other class masterpieces in college. Yet, what I consider to be a great novel, someone else who say ’Mehh" or call it drivel. To each his own….
Yeh from Rat’s experiences it seems to work fine for alcohol, but I’m not sure that being surrounded by intelligent books is enough to make us more intelligent. I mean, I could study sculpture at Saint Martin’s College, but wouldn’t expect to leave as the next Michelangelo :)
If that many books because horded, I would worry they were being collected to be burned. At some point the censors learned the best way to get a book removed from the library was to check it out and not return it.
If IQ is the mean (the normal type of average as we see it) of all test scores, when the average person gets smarter the IQ rises by definition: and the average is now higher. In other words you can’t change a collective IQ because it moves up as our collective intelligence moves up. Badly phrased, I know, but the question is: can you raise a collective IQ? You can raise individual scores in comparison to the average…
Come to my house Goat, you’ll find plenty of books on science, history, nature, art, and music. There are also books on mythology/religions and fiction, mostly science fiction. Plenty of poetry, short stories and even some biographies. If you are looking for “train trash” though, I can’t help you.
There was a 1989 TV-movie in which the villain was manipulating the world’s weather in order to keep people trapped indoors and force them to read books, so they’d become smarter. Fittingly, the movie was titled, Get Smart, Again!
BE THIS GUY almost 5 years ago
To sleep, perchance to dream — ay, there’s the rub…
B UTTONS almost 5 years ago
With today’s language skills corrupted by social media, most individuals would have problems reading and understanding a half intelligent book.
DennisinSeattle almost 5 years ago
In Goat’s nightmare, everyone is hoarding comic books!
Notaspy almost 5 years ago
A lot of people in these comments seem to think that “today’s kids” are illiterate. I have to say, that’s not true. If anything, most kids like to read more than their parents, and the emergence of ebooks has allowed people to get into new books even when libraries are closed down. You might be surprised how many teenagers are reading when they’re staring at their phones!
Concretionist almost 5 years ago
That’s why I love fiction… and insist that there be at least a neutral ending if not actually happy.
ChristopherHeckman almost 5 years ago
Jorge Luis Borges — “I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.”
harkherp almost 5 years ago
The library stacks in Newark New Jersey’s Main library on Broad Street, used to smell like urine all the time!
Major Matt Mason Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Yes. Yes, they are.
Need coffee almost 5 years ago
Books? People won’t read a half page email. If it can’t be tweeted, it’s too long.
The Old Wolf almost 5 years ago
This is like Randall Munroe’s “shibboleet” dream…
Say What Now‽ Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Apparently jigsaw puzzles are being sold out now.
Breadboard almost 5 years ago
Nothing wrong with the 3 R’s of education … Now to apply it ! … Croc Power !
Caldonia almost 5 years ago
Sorry, Goat, I prefer fiction.
LEOKEV almost 5 years ago
Herd intelligence
tripwire45 almost 5 years ago
Although public libraries are currently closed, across the nation, they’ve been doing a great job at continuing services through remote access. Some are even using their bookmobiles as wifi hotspots in communities without a great deal of connectivity.
Ellis97 almost 5 years ago
I feel so bad for Goat.
TampaFanatic1 almost 5 years ago
What is an intelligent book? When I was in high school in the early ‘80s in Tampa it was determined by our English/literature teacher to be selected books on our reading list that she deemed relevant and probably was allowed to put it in the curriculum by the Hillsborough County School Board . A few were Camus “The Stranger”, Twain “Huck Finn”, Verne “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”, Jack London “Call of the Wild”, Hawthorne “The Scarlet Letter”, Fitzgerald “The Great Gatsby”, Huxley “Brave New World” and Orwell “1984” but others like “Catcher in the Rye” by Salinger, “Howl” by Ginsberg, Ralph Ellison’s “Invisible Man”, Kurt Vonnegut, Naked Lunch by Bill Burroughs among numerous others were not allowed. I had the opportunity to read a lot of these in college along with many other class masterpieces in college. Yet, what I consider to be a great novel, someone else who say ’Mehh" or call it drivel. To each his own….
Geophyzz almost 5 years ago
I collect memoirs of WWII pilots & aircrew, but I’ve had to stop since the pandemic, as the prices have gone up.
Masterskrain almost 5 years ago
Oh, Paris, you should have KNOWN it was nothing but a dream!
Radish... almost 5 years ago
You don’t see the Trump admin calling for the opening of book stores.
theincrediblebulk almost 5 years ago
It’s not the despair. I can handle the despair. It’s the hope that is killing me.
Blaidd Drwg Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Sadly, ‘Run Spot Run’ would raise the IQ of a lot of people.
jackthomasmueller almost 5 years ago
Hear hear
caffeinebuzzdsgn almost 5 years ago
PERFECTION!
Mac almost 5 years ago
Yeh from Rat’s experiences it seems to work fine for alcohol, but I’m not sure that being surrounded by intelligent books is enough to make us more intelligent. I mean, I could study sculpture at Saint Martin’s College, but wouldn’t expect to leave as the next Michelangelo :)
Ermine Notyours almost 5 years ago
If that many books because horded, I would worry they were being collected to be burned. At some point the censors learned the best way to get a book removed from the library was to check it out and not return it.
CaveCat87 almost 5 years ago
Now that’s a Hope Spot right there if I ever saw one.
rstove428 Premium Member almost 5 years ago
If IQ is the mean (the normal type of average as we see it) of all test scores, when the average person gets smarter the IQ rises by definition: and the average is now higher. In other words you can’t change a collective IQ because it moves up as our collective intelligence moves up. Badly phrased, I know, but the question is: can you raise a collective IQ? You can raise individual scores in comparison to the average…
zeexenon almost 5 years ago
No big city riots, who woulda thought.
DCBakerEsq almost 5 years ago
I average 2 books a week. And, no, I am not counting comic books.
asrialfeeple almost 5 years ago
https://i2.wp.com/nothingbutgeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/LEGOStarWars.jpg?fit=2048%2C2048&ssl=1
Another Take almost 5 years ago
…they changed their party voting preferences forever!
57BelAir almost 5 years ago
Very true.
Clare Kelm Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Yay for reading! Cartoonist’s 9th grade English teacher
TennesseeFran almost 5 years ago
Ever notice those idiotic armed protestors aren’t demanding that book stores, libraries, and museums open up?
pchemcat almost 5 years ago
Come to my house Goat, you’ll find plenty of books on science, history, nature, art, and music. There are also books on mythology/religions and fiction, mostly science fiction. Plenty of poetry, short stories and even some biographies. If you are looking for “train trash” though, I can’t help you.
Treehggr87 Premium Member almost 5 years ago
I don’t think folks are thinking kids are the target of this comic….
Sherlock Watson almost 5 years ago
There was a 1989 TV-movie in which the villain was manipulating the world’s weather in order to keep people trapped indoors and force them to read books, so they’d become smarter. Fittingly, the movie was titled, Get Smart, Again!
AceBlade almost 5 years ago
since when did goats care about IQ levels?
Sisyphos almost 5 years ago
Dreams that are “too good” are the real nightmares….
SukieCrandall Premium Member almost 5 years ago
We heard about two timely t-shirts in the last two days which somewhat reflect this topic:
1. Hell hath no fury like a mildly inconvenienced white man
2. U.S. leading causes of death: Trump’s ego, intellectual laziness
I have not seen them anywhere so they must have been custom pieces. If any of you find where they are being sold, please…
all.flesh.is.temporary almost 5 years ago
Scratchy panels