How ignorant are we really?

[Herr_Pete]

i dnt kno if its general interest. i have no interest in geography or map reading etc. but i being able to identify coutrys on map was simple. That is jst awful really. She has no excuse. Just thick as mince

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Herr_Pete

i dnt kno if its general interest. i have no interest in geography or map reading etc. but i being able to identify coutrys on map was simple. That is jst awful really. She has no excuse. Just thick as mince

Some in the US can't find the US on a map, but I would at least hope that someone from the UK should be able to write proper English.

[XabbaRus]

Oh the joys of text speech. I hate it. OK on the forum I'll make spelling mistakes and grammar cock ups but that is more due to my bad typing and rushing than lack of knowledge. Thing is teens are starting to talk like they text. Seriously I have seen a business e-mail written in text speak.

Hands up here all those who hate SMS

[Letum]

Thats Geography and English coverd, now how about a History test.

[Blacklight]

I think it boils down to media portrayal. I mean, look at the most of the top rated TV shows we have over here. 99% of them are reality shows filled with people who can't find their own behind and throw temper tantrums when they have to face a situation in the "real world" beyond their little TV and movie star lives.

We live in a world where Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, Miss Teen South Carolina, Lindsey Lohan, Flava Flav, New York (who came out of the Flava Flav show) Tyra Banks and her models(I have yet to find two brain cells to rub together between anyone on that show including the judges and Tyra herself who I firmly believe is a Grey {Seriously.. remove that BIG GIANT hair and tell me she doesn't look like a Grey}, American Idol, Jerry Springer, and Maury Povitch (Who's the baby daddy anyone ?) get all the press and all the TV time. You never see the media focusing on intelligent or smart people (except maybe on the Discovery of History Channel occasionally). Not only that, we have a dim witted president that the rest of the world pretty much thinks is a moron and I agree with them but I'm not going to get into a political debate about it... but it doesn't look good that we elected him TWICE and NOT through the popular vote).

So yes. I'm not surprised other countries think that we're morons over here. Till the American media stops glamorizing people like the above mentioned, they'll continue to see us that way.

When my father went to Scotland this year, he found himself having to explain over and over again to the people there how George W Bush managed to get elected twice. The people over there thought George an idiot and wondered about American brains for electing him twice. Stuped Electoral Colledge.

[Letum]

Originally Posted by Blacklight

I think it boils down to media portrayal. I mean, look at the most of the top rated TV shows we have over here. 99% of them are reality shows filled with people who can't find their own behind [...]

In my experience, people who are interested in people on telly are not interesting people.
So it is no surprise that the people on telly they are interested in are likewise, uninteresting.

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Letum

In my experience, people who are interested in people on telly are not interesting people.
So it is no surprise that the people on telly they are interested in are likewise, uninteresting.

Huh?

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by Ducimus

Boil the fat away and it comes down to interest i think. Generally speaking, people don't get interested or give a crap about anything unless it directly effects their daily lives.

Dead nuts right on this! Never a truer statement and the thought process of most if not all peoples on this mud ball we call Earth.

[DeepIron]

Originally Posted by Ducimus

Boil the fat away and it comes down to interest i think. Generally speaking, people don't get interested or give a crap about anything unless it directly effects their daily lives.

The NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) Effect.

Ever watch or talk with someone regarding a significant local event, like having a telecomm microwave tower erected in the neighborhood? As long as it's SOMEONE ELSE'S neighborhood, most people will make their comments but couldn't care less...

But just talk with the same person about having that tower erected in his/her neighborhood, and watch how animated and involved they get. Especially when they are AGAINST it.

[Blacklight]

You should see how my friends react when I try to explain physics/cosmology/quantum mechanics concepts, wargames, and role playing games to them.