The Dumbing-Down of America
The One Rule
The Rule
There is a common rule in both the writing and the marketing communities that is prevalent: The average American has the reading and comprehension level of an 8th grader. As a writer, one of the first rules is to “keep it simple, Stupid”, write as if you are writing for an 8th-grader. Ever wonder why?
Dumbing Down of America
Beginning some 50–60 years ago, education in our public schools began to change. The purpose, and result, was the “dumbing down of America”. The advent of social media has sped up the process.
The average educational level of high school and many college graduates is 8th grade. The rule of thumb for content writers, copywriters, and marketers is to assume you are writing to an 8th grader. I am sure most writers are aware of this. A college education does not alter this fact much.
When I attended college, pass/fail was an option saved for gym class. No more. Many college classes today don’t even require attendance let alone grades. The daughter of a friend received her degree without ever receiving a grade in any class. Grading was pitting students against each other, which this college felt was not educational. For $20k a year, one could buy a college degree.
