Two Million Minutes - A Global Examination

"At the end of the day just look at any invention, discovery, art, architecture any industry that you can possibly fathom and you will see that its being produced by specialists not by "well-rounded individuals"

Tell that to Leonardo Da Vinci

And how many Vinci's are there, do tell me that?

In any case Vinci was an over hyped, painter and inventor. He didn't publish any thing substantial, most of his crap was found in the form of doodles in notebooks.

In renaissance Italy, most scientists dabbled in the arts and vice versa. That's why we use the phrase "renaissance man" to describe someone who is multi-talented in many disciplines.

I tend to believe people are becoming too specialized in whatever field of study they prefer. Take a look at the biographies of a few recent nobel laureates, and you'll be struck by how many polymaths win the greatest honor in the sciences.

True geniuses excel at everything

You are talking about 16 th century Italy, and equating it with the world today.

I am willing to bet that you dont work in the technology side of things because if you did you won't say the things that you did. The mass of information that is available today in a single field is impossible for 1 man to master. Being a polymath's is different from being DA VINCI you won't find ANY of those nobel laureates, performing in an orchestra, which is your idea of genius.

I agree everything here is true but America is still the best we kick ASS

You think a balanced life is time to play video games? These students overseas are learning that hard work leads to success. There is no such lesson in the USA. The students are given less requirements and they do less work. Grades get lower so... they are given even less work. Get it?

Good point fghtmeun. I think the point is however, and surely you have noticed this - there is an overall decline in interest in math and science in America. Everyone is interested in the intellectually vacuous pursit of an arts degree, or maybe law. This is very bad and indicative of a larger social problem - LAZINESS. Which is one thing the 'calculator' point was picking on. We have become soft and lazy.

intellectually vacuous?

How dare you? I would love to see you complete a higher degree in these fields before you complain of how "intellectually vacuous" they are.

They may be less marketable, but they are certainly not less intellectually valid. You speak out of pure ignorance, my friend.

I have so much free time here in NYC. Nothing compared to the overload of homework and projects back home in southamerica (latinamerica).

what country in latinamerica? and are you taking ap and honors classes?