[BITList] Bob Geldof discovered gravity, say children - Telegraph

[HUGH]

Mike,

A mixed bag of historical (and geographical) ignorances - some raise my eyebrows and some don't worry me at all.

I'd say one is allowed not to know Stonehenge is in Wiltshire - I knew it's in the south of England, and I thought that was as far as I needed to know.  Now I'll have to find out exactly where Wiltshire is.

Confusing Geldof with Newton is symptomatic of the trashy culture that envelops the young nowadays - celebrity TV and magazines, crap music and mobile phones. As an aside, I had no idea Geldof sang with the Boomtown Rats - is this important? However, why the Telegraph should think Newton discovered gravity beats me - what he discovered was a way of analysing the effects of it. The satirical American on-line magazine, The Onion, suggested what we think on as gravity is "intelligent falling", caused by God making things fall.

Were the findings based on multi-choice questions?  I can think on no other reason why the children quizzed should have though the Somme was/is a famous painting.

100% of the inhabitants of my house have no idea when the Magna Carta was whatevered, but we are prepared to believe 1266.  We can't put a date to The Declaration of Arbroath either, so honours are about even. I look these things up if the need arises.

I am much surprised to note England didn't win the World Cup in 1982.  I know they won it in 1966 and should have won it a few more times - people on the furthest reaches of the galaxy know that - people who have been dead for 100 years know that.

Children have been getting things wrong in history throughout history - I was top in history in high school and I didn't once get 90%, let alone 100. A historical and geographical dimwit once rose to become president of the USA.

Quarter to eight in the morning and I'm arguing about history on-line.

Hugh.




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