No culture ever quite measures up to our expectations of it without a generous dose of romaticism, self-delusion, or simple compassion. Sometimes it seems easier, emotionally and professionally, to deny it, ignore it, erase it, even destroy it. Such rhetorical strategies become necessary because, without one's own idiom, there is no other language to speak. We hear that. The survey of 600 teens was sponsored by the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia in order to compare teens' knowledge of the Constitution with their knowledge of pop culture.
Teens apparently know a great deal more about pop culture.
For example, only 25 percent knew that the Constitution was written in Philadelphia, but 75 percent knew that the ZIP code 90210 is for Beverly Hills. 81 percent knew there were three brothers in the group Hanson, but only 21 percent knew there are 100 senators. The student said she does not believe in God, thinks the United States government is corrupt and that American society is too violent, so she should not have to show respect for a country that has so many problems. The student told her world history teacher, Lutz Zastrow, that she would sit quietly at her desk while the rest of the class stood for the pledge. When the class finished, Zastrow ordered the student to stand in front of the class and recite the pledge by herself.