Americans, and their World Knowledge - scary

[DeDukshyn]

Posted by Carmen (here)
Actually people who never have the opportunity to travel to any degree, or the desire to, become very closed minded and walled in with their attitudes and knowledge. I notice that even in this country. Where I originated from in the far south, the ones who never left for any length of time, can become very insular, biased and kinda "rednecked" in their attitudes. Intolerance of difference is obvious. Also some older folk are still stuck in ww2 attitudes. They refuse to buy anything Japanese! Their experiences mold attitude and thats understandable, but at some point in our lives many of us realize our own limiting prejudices and decide to break out of them. Travel broadens our perspective to a huge degree.

Definitely true, but not a "rule" - I have never traveled and my desire to go to other countries (any country - the more different the better) and take part in other cultures, etc. would be so incredibly rewarded by the experience for me if fulfilled. I'd say my lack has even contributed to that desire
And you are correct - it is all about tolerances and the resulting judgements - We should all turn our tolerance control knob up about 47% at least - if everyone on earth did that, the shift would be dramatic My 2 cents.

[humanalien]

I seen a video like this, taken in london or the general
area, last year and the answers to questions were just
as stupid as the americans were. Every country has their
slow in the head types.

[DeDukshyn]

Posted by humanalien (here)
I seen a video like this, taken in london or the general
area, last year and the answers to questions were just
as stupid as the americans were. Every country has their
slow in the head types.

Absolutely -- I could do one in my city - I just have to ask the "right" questions to the "right" people, and filter for the funny responses

[GaelVictor]

Posted by Hatemachines (here)
In Europe, Netherlands specifically, i was educated with world history and 2 foreign languages which is normal procedure for all schoolgoing children.
In a fairly small country like ours it is smart to speak your neighboring country's (Germany, England, France) language, because we make most of our BNP from trading and do well with a very high standard of living and excellent social insurance structure.
The Dutch are big travellers too, we visit all over the world and try speak a bit of the indigenous language and feel the culture.

This is my reference through which i see, and feel comfortable with, the world outside the Netherlands.

I travelled all over the world, and usually for longer periods, and on those travels met many Americans with some i'm still in contact today, and consider good friends.
These traveling American's are amongst the few percent who travel abroad as most Americans don't own passports.
I did however get a bit annoyed on many occasion of their, from my perspective, lack of a basic understanding of worldly affairs and somewhat naieve mental image of how our planet looks like on the cultural, ethnic, economic, social and historical plane.

I mean, they don't KNOW.. At first i was amazed at this recurring fact, and soon overcame my first reaction of horror, that the populace of this worlds most influentual country wasn't up to par with my expectations of what they should be well aware of for the sake of us all.

All are very friendly people and i like talking with them and sometimes try to stretch awareness and take away fear of the unknown. But not all are a bit ignorant like that, there are many who are well aware of what is going about. But like i said, i only see the traveling ones.

It's not even the lack of basic knowledge that is bothering.
You know how, by knowing certain facts, you can then deduce from those, by connecting the dots, a new insight a deeper understanding of something, you can call it empathy, maybe call it wisdom or mature-ness, comes to light. The lack of this is very unfortunate indeed.

[HORIZONS]

The "dumbing down" process seems to be working as there is more opportunity, and availability, to learn and self-educate ourselves than ever before - but it seems that is not the case (on a large scale that is). Thus we have the videos like the OP, and one just like it could be made in ANY large city anywhere in the world. Now is this "scary" - or just the way it is?

[Logan]

Simple answer is people need to turn off their TV's and open a book now and then. That is too much to ask for most folks.


I admit I do love some video games, but I know the value of moderation. I don't watch mainstream news .... ever. Ever ever. I read a lot.

[modwiz]

OK. I'll concede. I took the easy way out and just agreed with the original wording. My bad. It is not scary and I am not scared. It is frustrating and annoying. Compassion and enabling are two different critters that often get conflated. I am compassionate, but I will not enable. Tantrums from adults are particularly unattractive and only make the resolve to not enable stronger. Helping a butterfly out of its chrysalis can and usually will, cripple it for life. Compassion might make one wish to aid it in its struggle to get out, but it is not helpful. Enabling willful ignorance is not just about the individual, it is about society at large. The weak link in the chain metaphor applies here. We are each others keepers. Keeping oneself ignorant is not being a team player.

The ignorance is not the shame, it is the shamelessness of being ignorant.

[Unified Serenity]

I agree Modwiz, and I will add that this sort of thread seems to get posted every couple of months. It seems most often many like to insult certain groups over and over. I find enabling that sort of behavior by discussing this stuff is a bit wrong as well. I think we all know there are idiots everywhere and we often personally know a few and avoid conversations that need a modicum of intelligence to discuss the deeper points otherwise it's a waste of time.

I wonder after this thread passes when the next rather distasteful thread will come up that lumps a whole group of people into some catagory of bashing, innuendo, and more energy beating.

Walks out feeling dirty again for getting involved in such threads.

[kcbc2010]

Posted by Hatemachines (here)
In Europe, Netherlands specifically, i was educated with world history and 2 foreign languages which is normal procedure for all schoolgoing children.
In a fairly small country like ours it is smart to speak your neighboring country's (Germany, England, France) language, because we make most of our BNP from trading and do well with a very high standard of living and excellent social insurance structure.
The Dutch are big travellers too, we visit all over the world and try speak a bit of the indigenous language and feel the culture.

This is my reference through which i see, and feel comfortable with, the world outside the Netherlands.

I travelled all over the world, and usually for longer periods, and on those travels met many Americans with some i'm still in contact today, and consider good friends.
These traveling American's are amongst the few percent who travel abroad as most Americans don't own passports.
I did however get a bit annoyed on many occasion of their, from my perspective, lack of a basic understanding of worldly affairs and somewhat naieve mental image of how our planet looks like on the cultural, ethnic, economic, social and historical plane.

I mean, they don't KNOW.. At first i was amazed at this recurring fact, and soon overcame my first reaction of horror, that the populace of this worlds most influentual country wasn't up to par with my expectations of what they should be well aware of for the sake of us all.

All are very friendly people and i like talking with them and sometimes try to stretch awareness and take away fear of the unknown. But not all are a bit ignorant like that, there are many who are well aware of what is going about. But like i said, i only see the traveling ones.

In the States, education is so different because it can vary from state to state. And it can vary from city to city w/in a state. The high school I went to offered only one language - and it was a language I didn't want to learn. Small towns like the one I grew up in are limited in what they provide. And that was before the homeschooling/school of choice programs really took off as options as well.

I live in the Detroit area now and the choices these kids have are just amazing, but it's up to the parents to really steer them in the right direction because there are really only a few "required courses" that kids have to take to graduate. In my state, they recently increased the standards, but it's still nothing compared to how other countries educate their students.

One of the huge issues in our schools is over bilingualism because it's not like the kids come from one or two different countries, but literally all over the world. So, teachers find it difficult to manage classes where different kids have so many different primary languages/cultures and they need to learn English and still learn something in school. It's really a no-win situation. In the South, there are towns where Spanish is the official language, so there are battles between the English-speakers/Spanish-speakers as well.

However, I need to say that the only reason why I know a lot about civics and history is because I went out of my way to study it in college. Most of the history Americans learn in school is really just fluff or just material the teacher has to push through to meet a deadline. Because I love politics and history, I really find it disturbing how many smart people just don't know about things because they've never been exposed to different ideas.

I find myself explaining the history/background of some event or idea a lot of the time because it really annoys me when someone parrots what they've heard w/out doing any research for themselves. There is no context for a lot of things that are going on because either the material isn't taught or it's taught in a way that emphasizes the achievements of a certain group of people rather than presenting material in a historical context. One of my world government classes, the teacher basically showed movies all the time. The only one I remember is a Tale of Two Cities. And, most colleges don't require government or history classes to graduate - so it's not like there's anything more being added to what was given at the K-12 level (which isn't a lot to begin with).

A lot of Americans I know aren't curious about anything! And it drives me batty. That said, there are a lot of Americans who haven't been given the knowledge/historical context to make informed choices even though they've been educated. It's really disturbing.

[Mysticknowflake]

I feel that the Americans who answered on this thread should put a bit of that to rest. Very intelligent replies. I am not sure that any country would have fared any better, Ignorance doesn't have a color,creed,culture or country. Ignorance lies in the individual and their ability to receive, process and dispense knowledge. Blessed be!~ Mystic

[STATIC]

Until one has been subjected to growing up in a prison for the mind and soul, it will be impossible to understand the ignorance of a person who has. Regardless of their IQ.

[HORIZONS]

Posted by STATIC (here)
Until one has been subjected to growing up in a prison for the mind and soul, it will be impossible to understand the ignorance of a person who has. Regardless of their IQ.

That's the point - many of us DID grow up in a prison for the mind and soul, and we have taken the initiative to climb up and out of this prison - the tools to do so are ready and available for many peoples to do so - but the attitude of their not caring about this, and so do nothing about it, is what many find alarming and frustrating.

[Unified Serenity]

I take it all back... this thread is the highest form of flattery, so thanks everyone. It's nothing more than King of the hill. Of course you all know our Presidents name! We're the number 1 country, the biggest boys on the block, worlds policeman, go to guy when everyone's bacon is on fire, and naturally you all know a hell of a lot more about us than we do about you, especially if you are from a small country that really doesn't affect much on the world's stage, so why would we notice you or know much about you? Sounds Arrogant eh? Well, it's just the ol' game of King of the Hill, so this thread just is like a bunch of kids playing the age old game.

Nananannnana...... I'M KING OF THE HILL!!!! Eventually someone else gets to be, but America has been it for so long everyone likes to hate us, and we are a bit arrogant especially many of our world travellers. Were not called the "Ugly Americans" for nothing. I've seen how some act overseas. So, it's understandable when you all see us throwing our money around for decade after decade, being the ugly American in your country that when we have some problems here it's fun to take shots at us, but it's just a compliment, jealousy etc cause we for now are still King of the Hill and you all secretly wish you were.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=N_mlrLTa1Q4

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZZ-r7kYwF-Y

Kids will be kids

[Kindred]

Posted by Unified Serenity (here)

Walks out feeling dirty again for getting involved in such threads.

My apologies U-S... and to everyone else, for that matter. I had not intended nor anticipated such a response. I'll refrain from posting such 'trivia' forthwith. I mean this most sincerely.

There are Far More important subjects that need our attention, the most pressing of which requires us to Not spend time responding at Any site, but which require our Inward Attention and Direction of Purpose through meditation and concentration. I encourage all towards these efforts.

In UNITY and PEACE

[Unified Serenity]

No worries Kindred. Some get overly involved in bashing, but I sussed it out, LOL. It's really the highest form of flattery. Now, if we could just do some good in the world, stop the thieves and be a blessing to the world it would be a much better legacy.

Love and kindness to you,

Serenity

Posted by Kindred (here)

Posted by Unified Serenity (here)

Walks out feeling dirty again for getting involved in such threads.

My apologies U-S... and to everyone else, for that matter. I had not intended nor anticipated such a response. I'll refrain from posting such 'trivia' forthwith. I mean this most sincerely.

There are Far More important subjects that need our attention, the most pressing of which requires us to Not spend time responding at Any site, but which require our Inward Attention and Direction of Purpose through meditation and concentration. I encourage all towards these efforts.

In UNITY and PEACE

[STATIC]

Posted by HORIZONS (here)

Posted by STATIC (here)
Until one has been subjected to growing up in a prison for the mind and soul, it will be impossible to understand the ignorance of a person who has. Regardless of their IQ.

That's the point - many of us DID grow up in a prison for the mind and soul, and we have taken the initiative to climb up and out of this prison - the tools to do so are ready and available for many peoples to do so - but the attitude of their not caring about this, and so do nothing about it, is what many find alarming and frustrating.

I don't disagree. But I would prefer that we don't have to endure such insidious and destructive systems, especially as children.
In the case of people not picking up educational tools to get outside there given paradigm, this is a global problem on many different levels.
All I can do is nudge people in a direction that they might not have thought about if I had not spoken to them.
Being frustrated is easy in this world. Teaching someone something that will shatter there understanding of reality, not so easy.

On the bright side our IQ seems to be going up regardless of how much we are brainwashed

[EnergyGardener]

Kindred,

My apologies U-S... and to everyone else, for that matter. I had not intended nor anticipated such a response. I'll refrain from posting such 'trivia' forthwith. I mean this most sincerely.

There are Far More important subjects that need our attention, the most pressing of which requires us to Not spend time responding at Any site, but which require our Inward Attention and Direction of Purpose through meditation and concentration. I encourage all towards these efforts.

In UNITY and PEACE

I believe the "Trivia" of this Thread provided some unexpected, but interesting, fun and even deserved responses towards us Yanks.

While we must focus on the end result of rebuilding this beautiful Earth garden, we must try not to cry as the weeds are removed; even try not to be so arrogant as to become one. During that process, deep within, I am (and I suspect others are) saddened when reminded of our surroundings. They show us again what changes may soon occur: because cohabitation with (such) ignorance (indifference to the depth and majesty of our world) is hopefully, and likely, temporary.

As Forrest Gump said, "That's all I have to say about that."

[Mike]

most of us that have been in a movie theatre lately have experienced this at 1 point or another: you're watching the movie, and about a quarter of the way in the allegedly funny part that has been shown countless times over the months in preview commercials arrives...AND EVERYBODY LAUGHS ANYWAY, EVEN THOUGH THEY'VE SEEN THE PART DOZENS OF TIMES AND ARE WELL AWARE OF THE PUNCH LINE.

maybe it's snobbish of me, but in moments like these i feel this heat flush rise from my abdomen to my face, and i begin to perspire due to a profound embarrassment. why? well, i'm sort of embarrassed for the crowd, but most of all i'm embarrassed to be thought of as part of it.

this is what it's been like for me personally as an american for the last 10 yrs or so. maybe not such a good analogy, but it's the best i can do with my poor fatigued brain at the moment.

[modwiz]

Posted by Kindred (here)

Posted by Unified Serenity (here)

Walks out feeling dirty again for getting involved in such threads.

My apologies U-S... and to everyone else, for that matter. I had not intended nor anticipated such a response. I'll refrain from posting such 'trivia' forthwith. I mean this most sincerely.

There are Far More important subjects that need our attention, the most pressing of which requires us to Not spend time responding at Any site, but which require our Inward Attention and Direction of Purpose through meditation and concentration. I encourage all towards these efforts.

In UNITY and PEACE

I did not thank your post because no apology should be forthcoming from you, IMO. I do appreciate your reflection, but it is good to post something that makes people "Bring out your dead".

("But I'm not dead yet".)

[Mike]

Modwiz, are you rollin 'stealth mode' these days too?

i feel sort of vaguely rude doing it (not sure why) but delightfully sneaky.