The World According To Americans?

reply to post by manykapao

no you just stick out since you always follow me in my limited time here. You are in every thread I participate in and only talk to me for the most part. You seem to have a "war path" towards making my time here conflictive.

Please do not speak to me. Thank you.

well if yu have only been in a half a dozen threads i guess it could appear that way. Anyway ill be nice from now on, i didnt realise you were so new.

reply to post by Bluesma


so how long have you lived in france?

Left the US have you, for good?

just asking.

So we see how passionate people can get when making the US out to be bigots and cultureless problem makers.

Long winded responses trying to vilify an entire country and make them out to be somehow less noble than the world.

This thread should be called America according to the world.

reply to post by manykapao

Long winded responses trying to vilify an entire country and make them out to be somehow less noble than the world.

I like americans, most people do. If anyone is envious of their wealth and freedoms. its no different than jealousies found within a family. Im not sure where your source of belief is that people outside of US dont like US people.

Originally posted by manykapao
reply to post by Bluesma

 

so how long have you lived in france?

Left the US have you, for good?

just asking.

I have lived here for 22 years. I did not plan to leave forever, originally. I had no idea what Europe or France was like and no desire to go there, but I was in love with a man that was obligated to come here for familial reasons and I went with him.

For many years, I hated france, and the french, (and every other european I came across). I believed, for a long time a lot of rubbish I had been fed since chidlhood and slowly through the years, had to acknowledge that I was wrong- I could not hold up my illusions faced with reality.
I suspect I could have if I had been with other american expats around, we could have formed a little community, where we aid each other to block out reality, keep ourselves in denial, and refuse to actually look deeper and comprehend the culture around us.

I didn't have that possibility so I had to face myself and compare my beliefs to reality.
After a few years, I had to acknowledge that I had a crappy attitude that turned people off. I felt isolated and lonely, and angry because I couldn't understand what people did and why around me, I mostly did not know how to be civil and be a team player with a group, and others KNEW it, even if I didn't say it directly.

It showed in my body, in my face, in the little comments that I would subconsciously stick in which betrayed me (like "we're not arrogant, foriegners just think that because they are jealous and wish they were us").


This was very hard for me to acknowledge. I truly did not know I was being a jerk and didn't want to see myself through the eyes of others that way.

But after a few years I realized the vicious cycle I kept myself in, and that only I could change my relations with others. It wasn't what it was despite me, it was because of me.

Mostly, changing my view scared because I was afraid I would lose myself. I thought it was either/or. I was wrong.

A funny analogy was my hesitation to accept the french nationality- it took me 15 years to do that!
I thought it would be like betraying my loyalty to my own country and people! I thought my american nationality would be taken away in fact.

I was wrong, we can have double nationality, and I do now. We CAN be proud americans, and also see ourselves as something else as well!

Originally posted by manykapao
So we see how passionate people can get when making the US out to be bigots and cultureless problem makers.

Long winded responses trying to vilify an entire country and make them out to be somehow less noble than the world.

This thread should be called America according to the world.

My responses are long winded because the subject really matters to me- it touches my life everyday.
I am a representative of the American people in Europe. What I do, how I act, and what I say, effects the reputation our people have and the expectations and attitudes certain european people will approach our people and country with.

You can say it doesn't matter- but whenever someone tells me what they think of people in a certain country they include a story about an individual there they interacted with- the waiter, the taxi driver, the coworker, who set an example they formed their conclusions from. Probably some individual that had no idea their behavior would carry messages across the globe and spread like a virus!

I feel I am in between worlds, and I can see the misunderstandings between them.
Do you know, when I am on a french board, or with french people, I never criticise the americans? I criticize the french!
Because I believe that criticism can only be constructive if it is expressed in the presence of and to the subject of it.

reply to post by Bluesma

For many years, I hated france, and the french, (and every other european I came across). I believed, for a long time a lot of rubbish I had been fed since chidlhood and slowly through the years, had to acknowledge that I was wrong- I could not hold up my illusions faced with reality.
I suspect I could have if I had been with other american expats around, we could have formed a little community, where we aid each other to block out reality, keep ourselves in denial, and refuse to actually look deeper and comprehend the culture around us.

so you came to Europe hating Europeans? I can't think how that would be possible, but ok, let's just say that is honest. Your "illusions" as it were, were what exactly? That your country is one of the great ones? Is that really a lie? The culture around you is no different. Ask a Frenchman, your husband, who are the GREATEST culinary experts in the world. Will they say Peru? or scoff at them?

It is funny you said fellow "ex-patriots" in response to me, and also my fellow Americans in another post.

I see you have had to make compromises along the way to make your relationship work. That is understandable. What I think is opportunistic of you is to still call yourself an American when a simple notion of pride in ones country can lead you to attack it so underhandedly.

You would argue that no country except the US wants global power and more of it. That they do not seek greater prosperity for their country. When you see a country like the US holding that power you say they are fine with it. That smaller pie is cool with them. Now you are plain lying. No country is fine with that. EDIT: I call that jealousy .....

You can say what you will, but I see a deep seeded personality problem where you have to hate someoneEDIT: I see your operational word for the same thing is "critisize". You talk as if all Americans are some stereotype you have in your mind of them. I hope your husband is not requiring of that of you, I know how possessive and chauvinistic they can be and how their intellectual class classifies everyone as inferior to "noble French ethics" and culture.

good luck with that,

have a great day.

Originally posted by manykapao
Your "illusions" as it were, were what exactly?

Examples of illusional and false ideas-
-France, because it has a socialized type of health program, has lower quality health care than the US. It is hard to get to see a doctor, and wait for care or surgery is long.
-France is Socialist. It does not have a Capitalist economy.
-People in other lands dream of being American, or living in America. They see it as an example of ideal living.
-In America, we have freedom that other european countries do not.
- Being independant and not being "part of the crowd" is the most important key to living, any cooperation with others is being sheep and giving up who you are.
- Being "the best" is the highest value all people search for, and it is a given that in each interaction with others, humans are trying to get ahead and above the other. Competivity and money are all humans basic driving forces.

.....amongst others.

That your country is one of the great ones? Is that really a lie?

Oh no! I was never taught that and didn't think that. I was told and believed the US was the GREATEST country in the world, period.

Ask a Frenchman, your husband, who are the GREATEST culinary experts in the world.

LOL! My husband is not the best one to task- he doesn't really like french cuisine! Like me, he is capable of being severe in his judgments of his own country.
But there are some french people that will claim a special talent of their country (they'd probably be more likely to say wine making, in general).

But do you see a difference between "the greatest" in everything and anything, and the greatest at something in particular????

It is funny you said fellow "ex-patriots" in response to me, and also my fellow Americans in another post.

I don't see why. I am American, by blood and by my deepest roots of value and conditioning and experience.
An Ex-pat is simply someone who is "exterior" or outside their country, and yet are patriotic and loyal to their country. I remain so.

What I think is opportunistic of you is to still call yourself an American when a simple notion of pride in ones country can lead you to attack it so underhandedly.

Then I shall explain- one can be proud of themselves, their origins, their family their nation,
and still retain a critical mind and ability to percieve both qualities AND faults within themself, their family, their nation, etc.

This is a point that many other cultures just assume everyone knows. It is really only Americans that will actually believe that you either believe you have NO faults,
or you must "hate" yourself and think you have ONLY faults, no qualities.

What about something in between? I love my people, I am PROUD of my people, and yet also see that we have some things we could change to be more effective, and will bring those up when with them?
Everyone is a mix of qualities and weaknesses. That is reality.

You can say what you will, but I see a deep seeded personality problem where you have to hate someone EDIT: I see your operational word for the same thing is "critisize". You talk as if all Americans are some stereotype you have in your mind of them. I hope your husband is not requiring of that of you, I know how possessive and chauvinistic they can be and how their intellectual class classifies everyone as inferior to "noble French ethics" and culture.

I don't hate anyone. I grew out of that, as my mind expanded.

I would LOVE for you to prove me wrong about that stereotype of us americans!!!
If I keep pointing out those statements that express arrogance and belief in superiority in peoples posts here, maybe they would be more aware and careful about adding them??
There are foriegners reading this, this is your chance to SHOW them that reputation is mistaken!

I am guessing you didn't think too hard about what you were saying before you wrote those assumptions about my husband- think about it, would such a man get married with an American??
No, he is very critical of his own land and culture, because like me, he left it for a while and got to see it from the outside, through the eyes of others.

Both of us try to be critical minded, and take the best lessons we can from each culture and nation to make for the best balance possible. It is interesting because as far as values go, these two countries are really diametrically opposed, and on each end, we can witness the results of going too far with either extreme.

But anyway, apparently you haven't had much experience with family values in France and that is understandable. In France, where home and family is more important than work and career, women have a very big power- much more so than in the US. This is part of that opposing values thing. Women are much more valuable here than in the US. Men do what their wife judges best, as she is considered the wiser sex.
That is, by the way, part of how they got the "fairy" stereotype. American men finding it less masculine to respect their wife so much.

reply to post by Bluesma

Oh no! I was never taught that and didn't think that. I was told and believed the US was the GREATEST country in the world, period.

so because you grew up in the cold war era, you think we still walk around spouting that garbage, there is your example of stereotyping Americans. We don't think that any more, like I said it is as outdated as the cold war the spawned it.

and you can get as bothered and go off the deep end all you want. This thread is a virus as you put it, that spreads the mentality that a whole country is some off shoot of the deep south where people tend to live in extremes mentally.

I have known many French people, still do. They would rather walk on broken glass before surrendering the title of "GREATEST" their words, culinary experts.

It is not that I class the word into greatest and worst. I do not make that distinction. Shows how little you thought about me before responding. I think we are great. Big difference.

I don't think any country can hold the title of greatest anything. Maybe best at the moment as per what the experts say on their respective subject.

Like I said good luck with that. Your "expanded" mind needs some more room IMO. Lay off the US. We are just people like anyone else. We are proud of what we built here, not ashamed, though others think we should be.

You can represent the US abroad as you say you do. Try getting in touch with her some time to do so more accurately. Your "criticism" is not as welcomed as you think. Some might see it as being jaded personally and lacking integrity when speaking about your "home".

Self deprecation is a good quality in comedy, and not so much when it is about a whole country you are generalizing about.

but heck, you are right. We all go around beating our chest saying "the world is below us. "
tooo trueeeeeee


good luck with that.

But anyway, apparently you haven't had much experience with family values in France and that is understandable. In France, where home and family is more important than work and career, women have a very big power- much more so than in the US. This is part of that opposing values thing. Women are much more valuable here than in the US. Men do what their wife judges best, as she is considered the wiser sex.
That is, by the way, part of how they got the "fairy" stereotype. American men finding it less masculine to respect their wife so much.

that whole thing is grass is greener sort of mentality.
In the US women are just as favored OVER men as in France. Nice try. Oh and that is yet another stereotype that American males are all scared of losing their masculinity to women. Oh and that French males are less prone to somehow, another stereotype of their ethical superiority.

you judge everything American as inferior. American families are not as good as French families? How do you even equate that? LOL, yet your noble French ethics and culture allow you too. Thank you for proving my point. You have deep seeded personality issues, and a bias against the US. What bad time here, so the whole country sucks in your opinion?

No, he is very critical of his own land and culture, because like me, he left it for a while and got to see it from the outside, through the eyes of others.

How about you criticize less, and appreciate more. It is more constructive than sitting around talking crap about your own people or even worse, others using only stereotypes as your measuring stick. And try using your own eyes to appraise a whole people, less social pressure to fit in with the condescending crowd around you.

SO you guys are critical of everyone, seem like a blast to hang out with and get in a good mood.

Originally posted by manykapao
reply to post by Bluesma

 

so because you grew up in the cold war era, you think we still walk around spouting that garbage, there is your example of stereotyping Americans. We don't think that any more, like I said it is as out of date as the cold war the spawned it.

Then what about PROVING it, by not adding comments to your posts which assert that other countries are "jealous" of us and we are what they wish they could be??

Part of my reason for pointing those out is because I understand that some people have those slip out without really thinking, without being aware! Many of our ideas from the past do not die as quickly as we'd liek to think (hence my usage of the word "conditioning") these still are passed on underneath the current popular ones, and only if we become aware of them can we consciously eliminate them.

It is not that I class the word into greatest and worst. I do not make that distinction. Shows how little you thought about me before responding. I think we are great. Big difference.

I don't think anything of you, I do not know you. Comments which proclaim ALL other countries wish to be us say "we are better than all other countries". Like I said, maybe you didn't notice you did that, it was subconscious additions, that is why I pointed it out. I like hearing what you are saying now, and feel it sets a better example for foriegners of who we are as a culture!

You can represent the US abroad as you say you do. Try getting in touch with her some time to do so more accurately. Your "criticism" is not as welcomed as you think. Some might see it as being jaded personally and lacking integrity when speaking about your "home".

Everyone is free to take it however they wish. Some people listen to criticism and use it to grow, to learn, to adjust ther methods for higher effectiveness. It is usually a better idea to listen to the criticism of someone who has been in your own position or situation before, as well as out of it, so that they understand your experience as well as the exterior effects. If they have never been in your position, or, on the contrary, have always been in it and never out, there is less chances of their criticism having some valuable information.

In the US women are just as favored OVER men as in France. Nice try.

That is not what I experiecned there, in the past, nor present. I last returned from the US in February- I doubt it has changed so much since then! What I (still) see is that womens appearence is considered their most valuable attribute to the society. Not their judgment.

American families are not as good as French families? How do you even equate that?

Do you have some comprehension problems when reading? I wrote that here "home and family is more important than work and career",... that doesn't mean they are better ! ROFL!
It means, a french person considers their role in the family is MORE important to them then work. They will not generally be willing to move their family in order to get a job, for example.
A good example is that when I say this, many americans will bring up the statistics which show that even in France, more men have positions of responsibility and earn more! -As if an individuals value in a society is determined by their job or pay.
Now those two examples, each one of us is free to judge as good or bad, (I personally WOULD move my family for a good job, and feel uncomfortable just beign a housewife and mother- but that is due to my american deep seated values).

How about you criticize less, and appreciate more.
SO you guys are critical of everyone, seem like a blast to hang out with and get in a good mood.

Um.. I'm sorry, but are you confused about what the topic of this thread is? Have you seen me around in other topics? I express different parts of myself in different contexts and threads. In some I am very positive and supportive, some I joke and am fun, some I am all "love and light". THIS one was about the self centered tendancies of Americans. That was the topic. It was mostly being discussed between Americans.

If you find that uncomfortable to be around, I wonder why you came here and decided to take part in it????

reply to post by Bluesma

It means, a french person considers their role in the family is MORE important to them then work. They will not generally be willing to move their family in order to get a job, for example.
A good example is that when I say this, many americans will bring up the statistics which show that even in France, more men have positions of responsibility and earn more! -As if an individuals value in a society is determined by their job or pay.
Now those two examples, each one of us is free to judge as good or bad, (I personally WOULD move my family for a good job, and feel uncomfortable just beign a housewife and mother- but that is due to my american deep seated values).

and how would that mentality not be plausible in the US?
In a metropolitan city maybe not, but not so as well in other parts of the world. A Frenchman might consider his families security over quality of life if enough zeros are promised at the end of the month. That is human nature, and I am sorry no one is above that. Last time I checked French people, and all people are just as greedy as humans. French ideals are no different than anyone else's, conditioning as you put it would lead you to believe otherwise. EDIT: Unless they are a different more evolved species.

People in the US constantly change careers to better meet their needs at home with he family. Leaving great jobs to move to a less stressed area and accompanying life style.

As far as the US hating women and favoring men, you would have a whole culture worldwide that argues differently. That there has been for the last couple decades an escalation in divorce settlements and general legal disputes where a woman is left with everything and all rights, and the man gets nothing.

Take any domestic violence call, a cop shows up, and immediately restrains the male, even if the woman is clearly the aggressor and has no wounds. The man can have a broken jaw and be riddled in scratches and bruises, but gets put in hand cuffs immediately.

You can say what you will but you demonstrate a clear bias against US life style. That one example you have given of French families being more family oriented and family minded over career than their US counter parts is a clear indication. It is not even possible. The US with its continent size land mass, has many types of culture, even ex French colonies, where many different types of things are valued. In the New England perhaps what you say is true. Go down south or west and it is a complete lie. People dedicate their lives to living well and happily with their families over career ambitions.

I don't want to participate any more in this thread since I only wanted to give my 2 cents. Not try and convince people who have years of conditioning as you put it into thinking that people can be generalized about and are classifiable into stereotypes.

My country is a great place and is no different than any other claiming otherwise. The main reason? because it is full of people, just like other places. Any fault or virtue you can point out is true of your own homes. So the criticism is best served in a mirror, where it is appreciated and constructive. Anywhere else an it is just judgment.

throw stones, go ahead. Your homes are no less glass for it.

THIS one was about the self centered tendancies of Americans

try human nature, it is called the ego, and we did not invent it. All humans have it. SO why try and make us out as the end all be all ego maniacs, when people everywhere have the same tendencies. Humans have them. SO yes Americans as well. But for that you should consider your own role in such behavior first, before pointing fingers.


Like I said, good luck with that.

Originally posted by manykapao
reply to post by Bluesma

 

and how would that mentality not be plausible in the US?

No one said it not plausible. (though I suspect you meant "possible"?) But I assert that it is MORE common in France than in the US. , percentage wise. That is what all generalizations are refering to.

That is human nature, and I am sorry no one is above that. Last time I checked French people, and all people are just as greedy as humans. French ideals are no different than anyone else's, conditioning as you put it would lead you to believe otherwise.

THIS is exactly what I challenge and bear witness to! It is a false idea of humans in general!
The french have theirs, which are different falsities about all human nature, which I bring up only in discussion they are having about themselves and their cultural flaws). I understand it is hard to comprehend, and I think I would have to go back and help you move through part of french history to begin grasping that for them, solidarity amongst people is considered more reliable and safe than is having money.

Consider it- during the world wars, the rich had their homes bombed just like the poor- that money didn't help them or their family. The social networks and alliances is what kept them alive.
During their revolution, it was the rich who ended up dead, not the poor. Having tight friends, neighbor and family around you is your family more secure than having money.

That doesn't make them better, that is just a difference between us and them.

As far as the US hating women and favoring men, you would have a whole culture worldwide that argues differently. That there has been for the last couple decades an escalation in divorce settlements and general legal disputes where a woman is left with everything and right, and the man gets nothing.

I never said "hating" women, and never meant such a thing.

Though I do not see how this shows anything other than the assumption that women are dependant upon men.
The subject is vaste, and I can explain it more in depth, but as I started to do so, I realized that you probably are not really interested in learning this or understanding what I mean.
I suspect you twist my words on purpose, not on accident.

Take any domestic violence call, a cop shows up, and immediately restrains the male, even if the woman is clearly the aggressor and has no wounds. The man can have a broken jaw and be riddled in scratches and bruises, but gets put in hand cuffs immediately.

I know- depedendant AND submissive AND weak. That is the common assumption about females in the US.

You can say what you will but you demonstrate a clear bias against US life style. That one example you have given of French families being more family oriented and family minded over career than their US counter parts is a clear indication.

Again, generalizations are refering to the majority or higher proportion of a whole. They do not refer to 100% of the population. All discussions of culture must take that as a given.

try human nature, it is called the ego, and we did not invent it. All humans have it.

Yes, we all HAVE it, but few made it a cultural value to the extent we did. It is called individualism, it was exactly the plan of our forefathers to explore, in response to the cultures they were in which valued collectivism higher than the individual.

It's been a great experience and had a moment of being optimum, and then like any extreme, began to get destructive- gone too far, individualism become egostistical insensitivity to others and inability to be social. We know that now. We can say it outloud.
And get working on getting to a balance of the two....

reply to post by Bluesma




I will just answer this since I would like to avoid "twisting" words. If the aspect of American society you take issue with is individualism then look to its actual source, again human nature. You would need to examine more closely that which you as find as being an American invention or ideal. It is called selfishness and has its roots in far older cultures than the US.

You can argue against human nature but I recommended studying it instead. Exceptionalism is never true. Generalizations are only true from limited points of view. So again you have left yourself room to grow and learn.

I do not wish to argue any more since this conversation is starting to resemble a childish "mine is better than yours" argument and you seem like a rational person.

Everything you have said seems to me to be a generalization of French and American societies. I wouldn't is all.

EDIT:
Oh, I did mean plausible, as in unthinkable. I don't think anything is impossible.

Way to kill a thread peeps!

Hopefully you are not reading this anymore, so I am free to answer the accusations, and interpretations, you left me with. I feel no desire to make you uncomfortable, but I'd like to have the right to defend myself.

Originally posted by manykapao
If the aspect of American society you take issue with is individualism then look to its actual source, again human nature. You would need to examine more closely that which you as find as being an American invention or ideal.

I do not take issue with individualism. As I said, (but apparently did not word it well enough, I will try again) Individualism is an important part of our psyche and I think it is a necessity for us all as humans to express and experience.

As is our social instinct- the need to feel part of a larger whole, a collective, this too, I consider a necessity.

Some cultures place more value on one or the other. In some cases, they take that to such an extreme that it becomes less beneficial. The culture, it's society, becomes unbalanced.

I have put much thought into it, lots of study (I have children who are bi-cultural, bi-lingual- I needed to decide what values I wanted to teach them). I personally find moderation in all things ideal. Individualism needs to be balanced with an equal amount of social conscience and attention to others.

You can argue against human nature but I recommended studying it instead. Exceptionalism is never true. Generalizations are only true from limited points of view. So again you have left yourself room to grow and learn.

I do not argue "against" human nature, I argue that I perceive it as being MORE, encompassing more, than what you have written here and claimed. The idea that all humans are motivated by greed is an idea that is cultural not universal. That is my finding from experience and I will stand by it. Many ideas we take for granted as universal truths are NOT- that becomes evident when you leave your own land.

We also have a side to our nature that is a social animal, and is drawn to sharing with others, as well as other behaviors, that encourage social bonds. It can be repressed by a cultures values, but not cease to exist completely.

But whether you want to expand that conceptualization of human nature to more than just greed is your business and I have no desire to change your mind. Only the desire to express my view on the subject.

Of course, like any human being, I am also provoked to want to defend myself against the accusations and characterizations you write about me. I have been open when you asked for my personal information and you still ignored it and chose to write your own imaginated of who I am and how I am each time.

Just about anyone will oppose that, we all have that drive to say "I AM.... "and fill in that blank, rather than just sit and listen to a stranger say "You ARE...." . I am no exception to that.

But on generalizations, I responded in the other thread on why they exist and are used in studies of sociology, anthropology, social psychology, and other branches of study.

reply to post by stupid girl

Even in the middle of the night, if I get up to get a drink of water or use the bathroom, I never turn on a light and it makes my husband crazy. He says he never knows if I'll be "lurking" around in the dark or something...LOL.

Having grown up the way I did, I absolutely agree that many Americans are wasteful. But it is only because they are allowed to be. I am raising my children much the way my grandparents raised me....well, except for the toilet flushing business.....and it is a perpetual effort for me to stay on top of them about turning off the lights or ceiling fan. But I know that my perseverance will eventually pay off. Most parents probably either don't care or just give up and quit.

I lol'd at the manties comments.

I don't have the equilibrium of a tiger hunting at night. I'm more like an elephant running everything over in the dark so i need the light, and my wife is blind as a bat. I poke at her sometimes because her glasses are as thick as coke bottles. I told her if her vision gets any worse i'm going to have to strap binoculars to her head and ofcourse i get punished for making comments and she hates it when i laugh at her when she does something i think is funny.

I'm not saving plastic forks and spoons. I went the other route and bought camping equipment and i have those folding pocketknife type forks and spoons. I figure if i'm going to reuse something i'll be doing it with style. If it comes to me living off the land i'll be doing it as civilized as possible.

reply to post by talklikeapirat

Or is it just the stereotypical perception the "world" has of americans?

THIS
That is pretty much all it is.

Before arguing about why Americans have a very low knowledge about geography,
apparently it needs to be established that is the case.

Many articles and cartoons such as this were inspired by the National Geographic Roper survey, in 2002.

The National Geographic-Roper 2002 Global Geographic Literacy Survey assesses the geographic knowledge of 3,250 young adults in nine countries, including the U.S.
The research also addresses young adults’ attitudes toward the importance of geography and how aware they are of geography in the context of current events.
In total, 2,916 interviews with 18- to 24-year-olds were conducted using an in-home, in-person methodology. Interviews were conducted in the following countries: United States, Canada, Mexico, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Great Britain, and Japan. A total of 300 interviews were conducted in each country except the U.S.; in the U.S. nearly 500 interviews were conducted with 18-to 24-year-olds and an additional sample of more than 300 25-to 34-year-olds.

The results showed americans to be next to last in the nationalities surveyed, (followed only by Mexico).
Source Nat. Geo.

Then another survey was done by National Geographic 2006, but this time only using American young adults
Nat. Geo. 2006 results

These results suggest that young people in the United States—the most recent graduates of our educational system—are unprepared for an increasingly global future. Far too many lack even the most basic skills for navigating the international economy or understanding the relationships among people and places that provide critical context for world events.

If you'd like to participate in an on-going project to survey the geographical knowledge aroudn the world, go here-
Geography Zone


To see the current results, go here-
International Leader Board

Americans currently rate number 140 in the list of nations and their knowledge of Geography.

In explanation, much opinion has gone to the hypothesis that it is the fault of the educational system, which has been putting more emphasis on reading, writing, and other science, to the detriment of Geography and foriegn languages.

There is some opinion that the problem is the teaching methods for Geography and history, which students describe as "not fun", so they don't pay attention. The criticism popular there is that it is for the teachers to put more effort into making the lessons more fun.

reply to post by Bluesma

Hopefully you are not reading this anymore, so I am free to answer the accusations, and interpretations, you left me with. I feel no desire to make you uncomfortable, but I'd like to have the right to defend myself.

Um, ok. You can respond, whether I am reading this or not. You are free to do as you wish. I accuse you of nothing, and my interpretations are only my own. I do not wish to make you feel uncomfortable either, like I said you seem like a rational person and I don't take issue with you or your thoughts, I just disagree is all.

I think we chose our respective mentalities because they best represent ourselves and we find them optimal for our situations in life. You need not "defend" yourself. I was not "attacking" you. Just talking.

I will not respond to your post since I think it would kill the thread again. Agree to disagree.

Have a good one.

reply to post by Bluesma

These results suggest that young people in the United States—the most recent graduates of our educational system—are unprepared for an increasingly global future. Far too many lack even the most basic skills for navigating the international economy or understanding the relationships among people and places that provide critical context for world events.

i agree with this statement . Seriously how many of us are brought up and taught about the internation economy of religion, politics, diplomacy or money. No one gets taught any of this in school its all learnt on the 6 oclock news. Now i guess people can go to the internet and try and shift the truth and reality of whats going on. Then even if a person goes to that effort its kinda disparaing in what is eventually found. Disparaging in that the worlds a bit of a catanoic mess and there isnt much a person as an indvidual can do to change it.