As Americans I don't think we are getting more stupid. I do think we are getting lazier. Doing things right (like spelling) isn't as important. We are often doing a dozen things at once, none of them very well. That is just my opinion.
I disagree. I do think people are getting more stupid and more lazy. And stupid in the sense that it is used today totally describes what people are. People don't care. It's not because they are multitasking. Although when I have worked on jobs that require me to multitask I am expected to do all jobs correctly. Any person who would spell salad as saled clearly done so because that is how it sounds so that is how they spell it. As someone said before you it's a matter of work ethic. I would not have someone working for me that could not spell simple words. If you do not know how to spell something then ask someone. Although a lot of mom and pop restaurants especially those ran by people from another country the owner is the one who put the sign up. There was a restaurant last year in my home town that had a Crismas special and everyone laughed at them for misspelling Christmas. The word is every where so there is no reason to spell it incorrectly. You say it's just not that important any more. I beg to differ. You turn in a job application with half the words misspelled including the street you live on and see how quickly they call you in for an interview. Spelling is extremely important. As well as not using texting slang when filling out an application or something important such as conducting official business for a company.
I looked up stupid in the dictionary. Here is what they have to say.
stu·pid
[stoo-pid, styoo‐] Show IPA
adjective, stu·pid·er, stu·pid·est.
1.
lacking ordinary quickness and keenness of mind; dull.2.
characterized by or proceeding from mental dullness; foolish; senseless: a stupid question.
3.
tediously dull, especially due to lack of meaning or sense; inane; pointless: a stupid party.
4.
annoying or irritating; troublesome: Turn off that stupid radio.
5.
in a state of stupor; stupefied: stupid from fatigue.
So I agree with the first poster. People are just plain stupid.