new one...Are Americans Fat and Stupid?

Just wanted to get some feedback on this as far as our non-US members are concerned. I see so much in the international media referring to this that it always makes me laugh. Just wondering if that really is the perception of us worldwide.

Let's hear it

From what I see (as an avid people watcher from years back) I would have to say:

Yes on the overweight part

and, sadly, we're getting more "yesser" on the stupid part.

I'd likely agree. When I was in school oversees, we did things in 7th grade, that weren't done here till 10th.... I remember being in my World History class, in 10th grade mind you, and only myself and one other could even point out where Vietnam was on a world map! I was so ashamed to call myself a human at that moment.... In 9th grade, we were asked our favorite country....the majority of the class named either a city, or a state. I wanted to yell out at the top of my lungs, "Are you people just #in' stupid! Or did your mothers drop you when you were babies?!!!"

I think on average that is fair.Fat and obese people are growing(in number that is)in the US.
Although the US system provides for universal education growing numbers,for various reasons are not receiving it.

To a lesser extent you can see the same thing happening in the UK but I must say that some of your fat people make our fat people look thin.Obese doesn't describes it.Some times it looks as though they've been poured into their clothes and that if the skin wasn't quite so elastic they would spill over.

John, you miss the point. The reason why we are getting stupid is because so many are receiving the government-sponsored public education.

I wouldnt say stupid, so much as ignorant to things, (no offense intended), and I totally agree with TC, our public schools are purposely dumbing our children down.

Well I'm American as with most of the responses here, and I have to disagree. Because I think that these 2 questions are unrelated. Being 'fat' doesn't make you stupid and being American doesn't make you either. Yes, for the most part it certainly seems as though Americans are growing in size, but most people I know who are overweight have struggled with their weight from early childhood and so have their parents or one of them. So this doesn't make it new, not to me anyway. And if you are in another country and you are watching an American station on TV, all you see are thin people. So how would folks living overseas see us as any different? Also I've known fat people and they aren't stupid, not any more stupid then someone whose thin.

Now for the stupid part. I don't think we are getting more stupid. In all honesty, most of the younger generation seem very intelligent to me, not just book smart either. I'm always amazed at some of the things I see and hear kids say now a days. They have to get their knowledge from somewhere and someone else, so if we are 'stupider' then we can only blame our teachers.
I do however think that we-just like non-Americans-are often times misunderstood and perhaps mistaken in that aspect for being less intelligent. If you can't openly communicate and understand someone, then you may just pawn it off to them being ignorant. I've seen it time and time again, as I've dealt with many foreigners and have lived, and am living overseas.

So which country or culture would you consider the most intelligent?
Magestica

So which country or culture would you consider the most intelligent?

Japan....

I think that the problem with American youth, is that they don't want to learn.... In order for any schooling, even bad schooling, to work, the kid has to WANT to learn... With tv's bringing up our children, and advertisers brainwashing them...this isn't happening...

Have to disagree, Maj, and I'll tell you why:

The education system does nothing but kick out graduates tha tare not prepared for the the task at hand. While they continue to demand more money, they do less in the way of teaching our children basic academics and more in the way of the NEA's social engineering programs designed to destroy American traditional culture. It has ocurred in such a creeping manner that many have not noticed. Many react with the knee-jerk manner they count on when they scream for more money when if one were to stop and look at it objectively one would realize money isn't going to help it now more than it already has. It is a con, a con designed to make us want to be taxed more while at the same time our children are taught less.

As far as we being a bit on the pudgy side, yeah, I've noticed that as well. What do you expect? We live more sedate lives that require less physical abiliries, we eat on the go more than buzzards eating roadkill on an interstate highway and what's more, our food is less nutritious as it used to be.

Is anyone surprised we've put on a few pounds?

My question would be:

Why is this just restricted to 'Americans'? Are these attributes wholely confined to 'Americans'?

regards
seekerof

Did you know that they go to school all year long here and they also go to school from early AM until well after dark? You can be driving down the street here at around 9 or 10 PM and you'll see a group of kids in uniform carrying books walking down the sidewalk And some of them look about 5 years old! It's just wild!
So...perhaps that's why they are more intelligent? *Book wise anyway*

TC~If you think that than I'm not going to argue with you..but you are in Alabama and Alabama schools are known to be ahead of other states. I went to school in Huntsville Ala and it was very hard, I think I was in second grade, maybe third-and we were already learning computers, it was WAY more difficult and advanced then any other school I attended. Remember NASA is there, so they think they are making future scientists, and in many cases perhaps they are? But I think if it's just too advanced and goes over kids heads then they can't learn and become frustrated. When I went to Baton Rouge afterwards though, I felt way more intelligent then the other kids in my class, because I already learned what they were just touching on.

So it's not America, because it all depends on where you go to school, what kind of teachers you have, AND your willingness to learn. And this could be anywhere, any country. I don't think it's right to pick on Americans for being more or less stupid then any other country. Also, incase you haven't noticed, we have an abundance of foreigners living amongst us and schooling with us, because they think our schools are more advanced then some of theirs. If we are so stupid then why pay to send your kids over here to learn?

Yes, many Americans eat unhealthy, but that's their choice. I know alot of people that eat very healthy and always have-and they are American. I hate eating fastfood and I don't raise my daughter that way either, she eats what I eat and that's the choice I make for me and her-for now. I'm pretty sure the whole state of California eats very healthy. Once again, it's wrong to say we, as Americans, are stupid and fat. We are just looked upon and judged more critically then other countries..ashame really.
Mag

[Edited on 6/20/03 by magestica]

Originally posted by Fry2
Just wanted to get some feedback on this as far as our non-US members are concerned. I see so much in the international media referring to this that it always makes me laugh. Just wondering if that really is the perception of us worldwide.

I live in Canada, it's not so far from US, but I never heard people or media saying that you were fat and stupid.

The overweight perception comes from the American studies themselves. Non-Americans see these studies.

Besides, didn't America start MacDonalds & the fast-food concept 1st?

just about EVERY fast food concept, hehe....

And of course the Canadians won't dis us...because they rely on our fat stupid arses to protect them! (kidding)

I understand the point presented by all.....and yeah, it is a problem attributed to 'Americans' but is it a just restricted to 'Americans'? We may be the richest, etc. but so are alot of countries compared to their relative past histories. Like Americans are the only one's enjoying life, per se'.

regards
seekerof

Americans are caught in a vicious cycle of marketing, leading to both ills described here. We are also owners of a work week/year like no other indutrialized country.....so the low nutrition/high fat meal alternative takes first plate in what we feed ourselves & children....Momma & Da are working a 100 hrs a week...how can they shop AND cook the good stuff!?!
Corporations are allowed to have there product peddled to our children in their school cafeterias; whereas milk was the only beverage choice I remember in grade school.
Ignorance left unchecked becomes stupidity - the ability to question is in scarce supply over the last 3 years....look who & what it's gotten us. That's a learned response seperate from our school system dumbing down our children.
If you're an involved parent, school curriculum is a great starting point in your child's education......stupid parents & ignorant parents believe it's an end all be all.
Again, we have a wealth of ignorance in this country.

i think alot of people consider americans fat, stupid, and ignorant.

I've worked on the streets, and i've seen the best we have to offer. i would have to say, no.

americans can be all that, one only has to look at jerry springer to see it.

the americans that are smart, intune with current events, and actually do care about our policies, never really get thier day in the media's eye.

but we are out there.

Actualy Mag there IS a relationship between being fat and being stupid. Overweight people have less blood flow to the brain.

However 'stupid' certainly cannot be applied a country who bascally rule the world in termsof technology and military might.

Ignorant is the better term, but that is more a reflection of the supercharged society americans live in that they don't know much about other societies, or history etc.

But the rest of the world has no right to feel smug, the japanesse may be smarter but that is because they drive their kids to the point of suicide to get there.

Originally posted by Gazrok
So which country or culture would you consider the most intelligent?

Japan....

I think that the problem with American youth, is that they don't want to learn.... In order for any schooling, even bad schooling, to work, the kid has to WANT to learn... With tv's bringing up our children, and advertisers brainwashing them...this isn't happening...

First of all, Japan has a high intelligence only because they only test the people who are actually in high school and college. Their elementary isn't tested because they are wanting to have their country look superior.

Now back to the topic. I am an American, and you will find me putting down my country for its over all ignorance, stupidity, and physical shape. I live in a place just like that too: Nebraska, a farming state. I have no clue how I ended up living in Nebraska. But in this state, I get to see the average American (in intelligence and schooling, Nebraska is a little over average). That just scares me. ...and to think, the south is worse.

I also feel that the government and media (practically the same by what it displays) is trying to blind the nation into justifying things normally that would be shamed upon.

Another thing that amazes me is that people here are obsessed with a certain problem that all other things get blocked out. The media does this all too much. For example, the US (government and media) is concentrating only on terrorism and war while the economy and future well being of the nation is slipping. War and economy do not mix well.

Then on the topic of obesity: We are turning into- may I say- fat asses while other countries are starving. I don't think dropping pop tarts on people once and a while counts as feeding the hungry.

Not saying all are like this though. There are plenty of good Americans- you just can't see it past the stupidity and obesity.

One last thing, remember I'm an American so I can say this.

Watch jay leno, hes always got some funny punch line about how fat and stupid his country men are!
Deep