"The primary purpose of my book is to serve as thought training, training in the sense that the special way of both thinking and entertaining these thoughts is such as to bring the soul life of the reader into motion in somewhat the way that gymnastics exercise their limbs." RS

A search of "dumbing down" of Google news will pull up daily news articles on the growing awareness of the modern cultural phenomena called dumbing down. It is becoming a regular topic of conversation just like poor health and lack of fitness. The difference is that fitness has innumerable exercise and eating programs to remedy the problem. But what is someone to do if they are dumbing down!!

BBC News will be given a fresh look, with new red and white graphics across all outlets, national and local, and a swanky new logo etched into the glass behind the desk in the main studio.....include short updates in the late evening, an innovation that has prompted predictable complaints about dumbing down...

On April 16, I had the uncomfortable experience of watching George Stephanopolous and Charles Gibson in their pitiable attempt to moderate the Barack Obama-Hillary Clinton debate. Stephanopolous and Gibson clearly subscribe to the "dumbing down" approach. An overwhelming portion of the debate was devoted to tabloid tripe.

There are few subjects more timely than the one tackled by Susan Jacoby in her new book, "The Age of American Unreason," in which she asserts that "America is now ill with a powerful mutant strain of intertwined ignorance, anti-rationalism and anti-intellectualism.

A Celebration of the Stupid. -- A dumbing down of American culture has led to a dumbing down of the movies being made. There are no longer witty or thoughtful films, rather shortcuts are taken that use puerile humor, gratuitous violence and sex/and nudity to titillate an audience rather than engage them.

Ireland Independent: This is the inevitable consequence of the dumbing down of news and of our society in general.

Khaleej Times, United Arab EmiratesIs: the print media not getting affected by what is referred to as the electronic media’s ‘dumbing down’ syndrome? Too many mundane/silly things hogging the limelight...

This concern about the loss of intelligence will likely continue to be a hot topic. This makes for fertile ground to inform people of a solution. With physical exercise people expect to challenge their body with intense exercise. So it should be readily accepted that to improve your intelligence vigorous mental training will be needed. Anyone reading the Philosophy of Freedom will acknowledge enduring a mental work out. Perhaps reading centers could pop up in neighbothoods next to fitness centers. It may not take much to convince people that they need thinking exercise along with physical exercise. How better to impress the girls with your regular thought training. Who wants to go out with someone dumbing down, male or female?

I am working now to get a reading program together followed with quizzes to test reading skill. Also included will be the posting of insights that result from the thought training as the mind becomes brilliant.  To market the program I have started a webcast channel that can be embeded on any web site page which will hold a library of videos that will need to be produced. These videos will be posted on the many video sites the youth are on. So a bridge to the youth will be produced which will lead them to the vigorous study of Steiner's book. Its difficulty has discouraged people in the past. Marketed as a remedy for cultural dumbing down this reading difficulty should become an asset.