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Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: thames_sider who wrote (38774)	11/26/2001 12:54:48 PM
From: Neocon	Respond to of 82486

The majority of the population may have dwelt in "bucolic idiocy", to borrow Marx's phrase, but that was mostly true until the late 19th century, or perhaps later in some countries. Literacy grew as the printing press made cheaper editions available, but was probably about 30% (in England) when Bunyan published the "Pilgrim's Progress". And even many of the literate had little schooling, and mainly read their Bibles and religious tracts. Even now, the average high school graduate is spotty in his knowledge. He knows a few names, like Einstein, Picasso, and Shakespeare, but he does not know Heisenberg, Matisse, or Ibsen. In any event, it is always the intelligentsia, large or small, which primarily determines reputations and keeps the flame of learning burning......