Is the ignorant youth theme overworked?

Jul 10 2008 by Peter Jackson for The Journal

A SURVEY has revealed how little our young people know about nature. The study, by the National Trust, finds that more than half of Britain’s children are confused by the difference between bees and wasps, although nine out of 10 can identify science fiction characters such as Yoda.

It is a common complaint of employers that youngsters are ignorant and lacking in skills and, only this week, another survey reveals that poor reading and writing skills among graduates are a concern for half the UK’s top employers.

I suppose that’s a legitimate worry for most employers, whereas the bee/wasp problem should only really cause sleepless nights on a honey farm.

While I’m all for high educational standards, I do sometimes wonder whether the ignorant youth theme isn’t a little overworked.

It may be slightly worrying that in one recent poll fewer than half those questioned knew that Sir Francis Drake defeated the Spanish Armada.

And, okay, it’s frankly terrifying that 6% of those questioned thought that this great historical victory was down to the wizard Gandalf from Lord of the Rings.

But given that our schools long since gave up all pretence of teaching history, such surveys are like shooting fish in a barrel and, hopefully, are not indicative of knowledge in other areas.

Furthermore, some surveys simply are not to be believed. One – which was to launch the drive of a new Power Rangers DVD (I don’t know why either) – claimed to reveal that one in three youngsters believes Sir Winston Churchill was the first person to walk on the moon.

That’s just about possible in some multiple choice test, but I simply refuse to accept, as the same survey asserts, that nearly three quarters of youngsters can’t identify the moon in the night sky.

No, the whole thing is overdone and is unfair on young people. Admittedly, they may not know as much as older people, but that’s probably because they haven’t been around as long.

Also, they have different knowledge. They may not be able to tell you who defeated the Spanish Armada (and in fact it was Lord Howard of Effingham, not Drake), but they sure as hell can instruct you in how to operate the many functions of your digital camera.

They may not know as much as older people, probably because they haven’t been around as long