Bill Maher sounded alarm bells about a failing educational system, warning that students learn "nothing" in a modern classroom because society is afraid to "stigmatize" them.
On his latest "Club Random" podcast, the host talked to comedian Sebastian Maiscalo about the dangers facing his two children, declaring, "I don’t know what you think your kids are learning in school. But I’m almost sure it’s nothing. I mean, they do still teach them how to read, barely."
He also lashed out at smartphones and social media, decrying them for "rotting" the brains of young people today.
Maher contrasted what he saw as education today and his own.
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"They didn’t let you out the door of high school unless you had a sort of basic understanding of the world and our place in it and basic things," he said.
The host stated that he worked hard in subjects like math and biology because "we were afraid that if we didn’t do well, there would be terrible repercussions like getting left back." But in 2023, "They would never use that term because… ‘Oh my God! You’re stigmatizing people!' Yes! I was worried about being stigmatized!’"
Maher concluded, "And that was good. It’s not bad to be a little scared."
The "Club Random" host, who has no children himself, prompted Maiscalo: "You must be worried about what the f---ing phone, the portal to evil, and social media and TikTok and how that is rotting – and is rotting the brains of our youth."
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Maiscalo stated that his goal was to keep smartphones away from his children until "they get a [drivers] license." Maher shot back that such goals are "going to be very hard to hold the line" for parents.
"When that kid goes to school and the other kids have phones. That’s what I’m talking about! This is going to pit you against the horror of where America is now with this kind of nonsense," Maher said.
In December, Maher slammed young environmentalists for blaming older generations.
"You're not driving? Right. You're just with Greta on a sailboat all the time. You're using cars as much as we did. So, shut the f--- up!" he said.
