Pre-packaged thought.

I am continuously astonished by the numbers of people who either do not think at all or simply rely on ready-processed soundbites.
It is a rare and wonderful pleasure when you meet a younger person - a product of seriouly 'dumbed down'education - who is capable of true thought.
Too many people I have met - even many with degrees - have excellent brains but just do not use them.
Older and middle aged people with lesser qualifications so often have more depth. This could be explained away as originating from 'life experience' - but I doubt that this would be sufficient to explain the phenomenon.