Lomed Mikol Adam, I must disagree that MO has anything to do with it. Please look at the picture of the soldier on the tank with the lulav and esrog in the Yom Kippur war and tell me he is not totally ruchniyusdig, despite that he is not Chareidi. SJS does have a point that there are problems with the Chinuch in the Chareidi world today. In Israel, they do not even learn any secular studies past 7th or 8th grade.
We have a problem on our hands. How do we create students who are prepared for the outside world, are well-educated, come across respectfully, and yet stay away from bad influences. The Chareidi world’s answer is avoid the secular world completely. Not even math or English. Dress completely differently, so you will stand out and look different than anybody else. The internet is completely off-limits. Even concerts are forbidden, etc.
The MO approach is to be involved with everything, but they have trouble drawing the line between necessary involvement, and mere entertainment. They may go to inappropriate movies, etc. where there is no real need. They use the internet because it has many necessary things on it and much wisdom. All the scientific journals are on-line. Nobody ever photocopies them at libraries any more. However, there are pitfalls with this free exposure.
The American Chareidi world is really a hybrid, since most use internet, and read newspapers and go to concerts. Unfortunately, most of their schools make a joke out of secular studies, or give the boys no time to do HW and absorb. They discourage college, even the frum ones like YU and Touro. They often mock Zionism and the Medinah which in reality is close to all Jews’ hearts, whether or not they want to admit it. No tefila for the Medina or IDF soldiers.
Neither side has an answer to the problem of how to take what is good and necessary from the secular world, and stay away from the bad stuff. This has many kids totally confused. When they hear a Rebbe mocking the State of Israel, they know deep down he is wrong, and that although the founders were secular, they did a superb job for the entire klal.
I believe the answer is to create Chareidi schools with top-notch secular and scientific programs with real research opportunities, not just passing the Regents. Keep the kids so involved in learning and yishuv haolam that they have no time for straying or improper sites. Teach the kids to design radar systems that will protect against scud missiles. Help them cure cancer. Stress chesed. Don’t keep knocking the secular world; show them how to excel in it without falling. Make them top-notch learners who never waste a minute. Show them how each moment can be used prodcutively. Help them keep a log of their minutes. Don’t preach at them; motivate them to set huge goals and accomplish.