[numeromancer]

How do you write a stupid article?

* Present it as a “How to...” article, provides a few vague sentences on how you might be able to begin to plan to do it, then quickly devolve into an article on what must be done “for the childrenz!”.

* Use lots of emotionally charged nonesense words and phrases, like “gifted”, “radical ideas”, “enabling the genius within”, “renewed commitment to excellence”.

* Make it all about the childrenz.

* Be sure to add some complaint about lack of funding for projects related to your sparkly notions.

* Make the use of everyday judgement sound like a complicated process only safe for use by experts.

* Support the statement of your opinions with references to other articles stating the same opinion, but do it in the fashion of a scientific reference.

... and many more!

[sageikosa]

Good to know that Scientific American hasn't changed since the early mid 1990s when I stopped reading it. There was a time that Scientific American had articles on research and experiments (the first 150 years or so of its existence), rather than agenda-based editorial pieces.

EDIT: "has" -> "hasn't" in first line.

[darkstalker]

I stopped reading at "progress is faster if you are born with the right skills".