American Forum : Are Media Making Us Dumber? Intellect, Ignorance and Influence in the Digital Age

Wed., Apr. 1, 2009 at 9 p.m.

They call it the dumbing of America -- a cultural shift in which forces driven by digital media are distracting us, alienating us from others and contributing to "junk thought." More than 40 percent of young Americans report not reading a single book last year, and a popular television show is, "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? Others say we’re entering a new age of enlightenment in which all are part of the conversation and groundbreaking ideas are growing exponentially.

Expect a lively discussion from panelists Susan Jacoby, author of The Age of American Unreason; Professor Kathryn Montgomery, author of Generation Digital: Politics, Commerce, and Childhood in the Age of the Internet; Andy Carvin, senior strategist for online communities at National Public Radio; and Josh Hatch, multimedia producer, USA Today and moderated by Dr. Danna Walker, James B. Simpson Fellow, American University School of Communication.