As smart as an american! Wtf LOOOOL

Certain things todays youth just arent concerned with.
I am young, 23 but I take interest in history, politics things that require me to buy a book, read it and understand it.

But I am shocked, I asked various people at a sports day How many atomic bombs the USA had dropped on any given city.

You'd be surprised how many people said NONE,
a few said 1 ( hiroshima ) - which is what I expected
but only 1 person other than myself knew of Nagasaki, Hiroshima.
But he couldnt tell me the order they were dropped in, the day/month/year or even the story behind nagasaki being the unlucky city.

You'd expect things like that, being they are pivitol to mankinds current position to be at the fore front of knowledge.

I tell you what, had I of asked which contestants made the final days in Big brother, or even the name of some battlefield 2 maps.. they'd of all gotten 10/10

Todays society has swamped itself with so much, materialisitc, worthless CRAP that diminshes our minds into such mundaine, consumer entities that have no desire to understand the world we live on.

I mean, Britney spears couldnt even point out Australia on a MAP ffs.
But she sure does manage to make front page news on most magazines these dayz doesnt she?

Are these the people we want our childeren idolising?

Originally posted by sky1

Then again, we don't permit television in our home. We are a very technologically advanced family as we do cyber security as well as build video games, but TV is a no-no.

I have considered removing the TV's from our home as a positive experiment for a certain amount of time to see the results in a few select areas. I know it will be a major adjustment, but it’s an experiment I would like to try. I just might do this soon ... If I do I will post my results someday.

but these people are successful, i would rather have my kids idolizing someone who is wealthy than some bum on the street

Originally posted by centurion1211

Try the same thing in the UK, Australia, France, russia, china, pick a country and I'm sure you'll find a significant population of don't know/don't care people.

...another thing too is that, these people have all of a sudden had a microphone shoved in their face and there's cameras.

I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to come up blank in a situation like this, no matter what country you come from.

These same people would probably answer the questions differently if
they were just sitting at home with no pressure.

You'd hope they would anyway.

Originally posted by Agit8dChop

Todays society has swamped itself with so much, materialisitc, worthless CRAP that diminshes our minds into such mundaine, consumer entities that have no desire to understand the world we live on.

I mean, Britney spears couldnt even point out Australia on a MAP ffs.
But she sure does manage to make front page news on most magazines these dayz doesnt she?

Are these the people we want our childeren idolising?

Did that come out of your mouth or mine? I couldn't agree more. We live in a society that has very much became the epitome of T.V land stupidity. Many tried to warn us when television gained a stronghold on society in the early fifties. No one believed them. Now we see it.

One of the things that has furthermore complicated the issue is the Cartesian (materialistic) ideology we espouse on the media...

Originally posted by mazzroth
The Americans aren't to blame for their stupidity, the TV has numbed and dumbed them down using very clever consumerism techniques that the average Joe Blow on the street has no defence against. If you listen to anything on American TV they use this little trick whereby everything is related back to something simple.

For example if the TV show is a science one and something like a Vortex is being explained, the shows host will invariably come out with a laymanning of the explanation like this...it works just like your toilet.

This how you learn, . How else can you explain something that most people have, or in the case of physics, will never expierence?

If I tell you that the general theory of relativity states that the effect of gravity is a result of a curvature in space-time, how the hell are you supposed to know what I am talking about without defining the terminology and giving examples?

Im sure this is in no way an american issue, if you went around england and asked similiar questions im sure you will get a similiar result. As someone else said, demographics and location play a big part in the results.

I've gotta say when a country's public image is defined by George Bush, Paris Hilton and Kevin Federline it's not really surprising when the rest of the world assumes they are the epitome of American intellect.

I lived and worked in the US for a while and made alot of friends, none of whom I consider stupid but I was surprised by the general acceptance of virtually everything said on TV as fact.

I did also feel the media was not teribbly objective although this was a few months after 9/11.

Myowncrusade, unfortunately, Bush is indicative of the common American... He thinks he knows everything when in reality, there is so much he doesn't know.

I know that there are alot of intelligent Americans outr there but, I must say that everyone who I know, who has travellled there has told me (forgive me but I'm being honest) of how stupid/ignorant the vast majority is. Ie, and I quote "What language do you speak in England? Is it German?" I could go on but It's too cringeingly bad, as this video is.

Dude, what the heck is up with all these posts dissing on Americans.

Ah, it doesn't matter, we are still the greatest country on the planet.

[edit on 25-1-2007 by thehumbleone]

Originally posted by SpeakerofTruth
Myowncrusade, unfortunately, Bush is indicative of the common American... He thinks he knows everything when in reality, there is so much he doesn't know.

you really think so, huh? I really shouldnt respond to this blatant attempt at flaming but its your arrogance that really irks me. you think you know what "most" americans are like, yet many of you have never been in the US for anything longer than a short vacation.

Originally posted by thehumbleone
Dude, what the heck is up with all these posts dissing on Americans.

Ah, it doesn't matter, we are still the greatest country on the planet.

[edit on 25-1-2007 by thehumbleone]

Thats the reason for this thread in the first place, but it isnt a very humble opinion is it humble one?

Originally posted by XphilesPhan

How else can you explain something that most people have, or in the case of physics, will never expierence?

Well reading is the first step, then learn how to spell and then you may get some EXPERIENCE.

[edit on 25-1-2007 by mazzroth]

Originally posted by XphilesPhan

Originally posted by SpeakerofTruth
Myowncrusade, unfortunately, Bush is indicative of the common American... He thinks he knows everything when in reality, there is so much he doesn't know.

you really think so, huh?

I really shouldnt respond to this blatant attempt at flaming but its your arrogance that really irks me. you think you know what "most" americans are like, yet many of you have never been in the US for anything longer than a short vacation.

I wonder why that is? I'd rather wait for old age before dementia sets in.

[edit on 25-1-2007 by Xeros]

Bush is not indicative of the common American, that's like saying George Michael is indicative of the common Brit, that is not a fair comparison.

Originally posted by thehumbleone
Bush is not indicative of the common American, that's like saying George Michael is indicative of the common Brit, that is not a fair comparison.

Well, unfortunately it is. As in the meaning of "Democracy"? The best canditate to look to is the President, no??

I hate things like this, and to see people from other countries believe Americans are like this is SAD. Maybe you should learn a little about ratings and editing. I can go into the UK and find many people who don't know who the Australian prime minister is, that doesn't mean they are dumb. I can go find people in Australia who don't know geography that well too. They edit out the smart people.

But whatever.

Originally posted by XphilesPhan


you really think so, huh? I really shouldnt respond to this blatant attempt at flaming but its your arrogance that really irks me. you think you know what "most" americans are like, yet many of you have never been in the US for anything longer than a short vacation.

Umm, have a look-see at my location... I am from America...Thank ya.

[edit on 25-1-2007 by SpeakerofTruth]

Originally posted by Xeros

Originally posted by thehumbleone
Bush is not indicative of the common American, that's like saying George Michael is indicative of the common Brit, that is not a fair comparison.

Well, unfortunately it is. As in the meaning of "Democracy"? The best canditate to look to is the President, no??

Well then, do you think your PM is so much better?

I don't think so.

Originally posted by mazzroth
Well reading is the first step, then learn how to spell and then you may get some EXPERIENCE.

[edit on 25-1-2007 by mazzroth]

Is that the absolute best rebuttal you can offer mazzroth? or has your country's educational system utterly failed you? I swear I think parts of europe need to be overhauled.