Dumbing down

Reducing comprehension to lowest common denominator

Context

The new technologies of satellite, cable and Internet have created an enormous demand for content, but content takes a huge amount of time and talent to produce. Since talent is a scarce resource the result is endless re-runs on all the major networks.

Claim

Is the whole of humanity and culture "dumbing down"? Are we hostage to headlines - obsessed with no more than "sex, shopping and the relationship between the two"? Or are we rebelling against the fragmenting effects of TVs and PCs and longing for more "spacious stories"?

Governments do not want a healthy, intelligent population because they're difficult to control (Tony Benn).