The mass media promotes the "dumbing down" of America more than anyone else. As smart people increasingly get their information from smarter places, the "dumb" places get even dumber. They no longer have to cater to the more educated crowd, so they don't.
This story was too long to read, so I only skimmed it.
But really, now. "The erosion of general knowledge?" Pfft. Everyone knows it's beaches that get eroded, not Generals.