Other than learning disabilities, I think that is a personal choice. Technology is a tool that can be used as a crutch or for learning depending on how It's used. Consumerism is a choice as well. But then I haven't read the books. I think laziness and lack of interest in a topic are probably the main reasons for stupidity or ignorance about a particular topic. What do you think?

Primarily consumerism. Capitalism often rewards the stupidest behavior.

I think technology definitely is. Try reading this one: "The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future (Or, Don 't Trust Anyone Under 30)," by Mark Bauerlein.

Yes. Today's psychological behavior when you see a new invention or something that catches your attention is: you just got to have it. It's been prophesied in the Bible that in the last days knowledge will increase with the effects of technology causing many people to lose control. Daniel 12:4 "But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased."

Yes. Most people are addicted to their mobiles now, "get them while they are young." The dumbing down of the US started many moons ago. "Make them dependent on you, and you have full control."

No, I think what's making the public stupid is national educational standards (or the lack thereof) and the attempt to educate all people equally...which inevitably ends up being "equally poorly". As opposed to the attempt to educate all students to reach their potential, even the best-performing students, which would require things like (federally-funded) "magnet" schools for the best-performing students, and which would result in parents motivating their children to do better in school so that they could "pass the bar" required to enter such elite-but-free schools. Most nations have "advancement testing", usually before and after high school. If you don't "pass muster" at the first test you go to trade school or a lesser quality high school. if you do "pass muster" you go to the equivalent of a "magnet" school. If you don't "pass muster" at the end of high school test then you don't get into university (which is free). If you do pass muster then you get a free ride to high-quality federally-funded university. *** When you look at things like literacy in the U.S. historically, we have greater literacy now...but on the other hand the typical literate person's reading level is much (much) lower than it was 100 years ago. For example: nowadays most Americans can't correctly understand the King James Bible and would NEVER bother to crack open a dictionary (not even an on-line dictionary) to see why they don't understand what they are reading. The result of this is that most made-for-adults English Bibles are translated to about a 7th grade reading level. It's because a higher reading level - though it results in greater precision - is so difficult for the average adult to understand that fewer people are able to comfortably read them, and so they don't sell very well. Only "made for educated people" Bible translations like the NASB, NRSV and REB have a 10th grade or higher reading level. {{ http://www.bibleselector.com/reading_level.html }}

I'll bet there's been an uptick in the number of pedestrians hit by cars while looking at their phones and walking into traffic.

Everyone is born stupid - that is to say that even blinking your eyes is a learning experience. Generally speaking, the influences in a person's life determine to what extent his intelligence progresses. It's safe to say that as a person advances to levels of more responsibility, their intelligence (or a lack of it) will dictate their direction in life. We see examples of this on both sides of the fence in here every day.