An Honest Question to Other Americans

[Logonov]

im not so disappointed because we have people who dont know who our own president or VP is. its slightly understandable to not know where a city or a country is, but you literally have to live under a massive rock to not know something like your leaders.

[Myrrar]

It's more of a general question. Why don't more people have a basic understanding of the outside world?

Other country's school systems focus on the world, our country is insanely egotistical and tries to ignore everyone else. We learn about people we've conquered, we've gone to war with, or focus on the few things we are slightly better at than others.

As a whole our school systems think that outside of important history, only america matters.

[PizzaSHARK]

I think you'd have to actually try to get that wrong.

Well, you got it wrong!

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__...V_NCR_Flag.png

[Zhangfei]

I think you'd have to actually try to get that wrong.

Arizona? Maybe North Dakota?

[Xenyatta]

I agree. There are a lot of stereotypes of Americans that I loathe because I get lumped into it being American and they don't reflect me. I am VERY interested in History not only of the US but of the world. I love reading about other countries and I love wikisurfing around from country to country. I used to play games with my grandfather and he would hand me a world atlas and give me a city to find in the world and I had to locate it on the map. I knew the world inside and out by 6th grade. I knew the capital of every state by 6th grade when most of my class mates barely knew the tri state area's capitals. I consider myself worldly to some extent and I'm proud of knowing the things I know. I don't feel I know enough and it really angers me when people CHOOSE to be ignorant out of sheer laziness, self absorbedness or whatever the reason. With all the education and tools we have in this country, there is no reason or excuse to be that lazy, ignorant or stupid.

What really upset me was in my last job, I was proofreading instructions and my boss asked me if they made sense. She said, "The average American has a 4th grade reading level so you have to write it like you were talking to a child." I thought she was crazy. The amount of people who called with complaints because they couldn't follow the directions ASTOUNDED me and really made me... I don't know what the real emotion was. I just hate being lumped into that American stereotype because I happen to live in America when I feel like I'm anything but.

[Thaendra]

Because Americans are stupid, self-absorbed, and untraveled. We're all the same fatties and not a nation of individuals living our lives like anyone else. All of our schools are bad and the performance of select individuals on an arbitrary scale of "identify that flag" knowledge definitely shows that we don't give a rat's ass about anyone else.


.. I mean that's the answer you wanted to hear, right?
I have to say I only know some countries' flags, and the only time it has ever mattered so far in life is so I can feel good about knowing it and also so I can win trivia games occasionally. Political happenings and international issues are more important imo. We could use learning more of that.

I think another reason some Americans do not care (I personally do not care) or learn that much about international history is because a lot of the time and energy spent learning history/geography is spent trying to learn your own mistakes and avoid them, historically. There is limited classroom time, and the fact that most children who are not financially taken care of enough will not have much chance to experience other countries means that they could have spent that time learning something potentially applicable to them.

[Nathreim]

I liked Geography and History but I don't think most people share that sentiment. As to why well not many jobs require you to know what flag goes where so most people put more effort into math and science.

[Goatfish]

Now im not from the US, but a little country called Denmark, if you dont know its a ally of the US which join in on the Iran war to help the US.

And there are alot of small countrys here which you might not care about, but can rly fuck up the US, at the moment the euro is not doing so good, and one of the so called "third world country" can have a very big impatck on the US. if they keep on going as its been so far, it can and will throw the US out into a new economy crises.

So it can be a good idá to see whats going on outside of the US to, as it can have a big impack on it.

This just in, All the people who may have an effect on our economy in your little country also don't give a shit if we know what your flag is or where your country is located in the gigantic puzzlefuck that is europe. They care that we give them money for what they make, or that we give them stuff for their money. I have a very vague idea of geography and an even more vague idea of european countries flags. Because honestly, it doesn't matter. I keep up on the topics that may have any effect at all on how I live my life and our country is run, and otherwise it really doesn't matter, and the only people who might care are those overly patriotic prats that think their country is worth more than it is.

I don't expect people in Europe to know the Flag of Nebraska and what our capital is, our state bird, or even where in the country we are. Honestly I bet most the population over there doesn't give 2 hoots if I know any of said previous information about them either.

[Deleted]

Personally I always found having a broad general knowledge was an advantage in most subjects. Sort of how logic and reasoning skills help with things too. I'd never be proud of not knowing something, that's just stupid.

[Crissi]

This just in, All the people who may have an effect on our economy in your little country also don't give a shit if we know what your flag is or where your country is located in the gigantic puzzlefuck that is europe. They care that we give them money for what they make, or that we give them stuff for their money. I have a very vague idea of geography and an even more vague idea of european countries flags. Because honestly, it doesn't matter. I keep up on the topics that may have any effect at all on how I live my life and our country is run, and otherwise it really doesn't matter, and the only people who might care are those overly patriotic prats that think their country is worth more than it is.

I don't expect people in Europe to know the Flag of Nebraska and what our capital is, our state bird, or even where in the country we are. Honestly I bet most the population over there doesn't give 2 hoots if I know any of said previous information about them either.

no, but one does expect to know where a county is if you're taking about it. The sheer amount of "isnt London in France?" or "India isnt in Asia" kind of crap just shows how poor our education system is.

[Raeion]

Because we don't need knowledge of most countries.

this my friend is being ignorant
and that's why i get annoyed when people think like this

[TidesOfBlood]

Usually if you're in a country that has enormous growth in the economy which leads to a more modern society, people in that country will tend to portray themselves in an ostentatious and haughty manner.

It isn't limited to Western countries. I read about Chinese CEO's bragging about how they achieved success and how they are better than other countries just because they are the "glorified product" of globalization.

[leafs43]

Asking soomeone in the US about the finnish flag is the equivalent to asking a German about the flag of Idaho.

[Zhangfei]

Asking soomeone in the US about the finnish flag is the equivalent to asking a German about the flag of Idaho.

Idaho, California, Nebraska and the rest are not sovereign states.

I could ask if you knew the flag of Cornwall and that'd be comparable to knowing state's flags. Most people recognise the Stars and Stripes and the Union Flag though.

[Stormcall]

I know a lot of flags simply cause I listen to a lot of foreign bands, and many music sites have the flag of the band's country of origin somewhere on the band's info. That said...if I don't know one, it does not matter. If I go to Belgium, I will learn their flag. If I get a job in politics, or a job that somehow relates to Belgium or deals with Belgians, again, I will learn their flag. But living here, doing what I do, knowledge of their FLAG is not something I need to know.

Oh, and as for that pursuit of knowledge thing...sorry mate, but there's a lot more knowledge to pursue than "what flag goes with what country".

Just as an example, do you know what "The Night Raid" is? What about the Battle of Saragahri? Hell, something easier, do you know who Joshua Chamberlain is? Lotta people don't. I live in Texas, and I can tell you from experience plenty of Europeans have never heard of the Alamo, don't know who Davy Crockett or William Travis is...and I don't fault them for that either, cause it's pretty much NOT something they need to know.

[leafs43]

Idaho, California, Nebraska and the rest are not sovereign states.

I could ask if you knew the flag of Cornwall and that'd be comparable to knowing state's flags. Most people recognise the Stars and Stripes and the Union Flag though.

It's not about sovereign states, its about proximity.


Finland is surrounded by how many countries? How many is Idaho?

[Iamanerd]

Personally I don;t mind knowing little bits of info on other countries but overall it doesn't concern me much. The knowledge that I pursue daily and probably for the rest of my life lies in computers/programming/gaming and I love reading a good book. Besides that geography never concerned me much. Could I study all that stuff? Sure, but the only cultures I like to look into are indigenous.

[Zhangfei]

It's not about sovereign states, its about proximity.


Finland is surrounded by how many countries? How many is Idaho?

Finland has three nations on her border. America has two. It's also closer to multiple others than Finland actually is.

[Stormcall]

It's not about sovereign states, its about proximity.


Finland is surrounded by how many countries? How many is Idaho?

Yeah...I wonder how many Finns could identify the flag of Nigeria, or Ecuador for that matter.

[leafs43]

Finland has three nations on her border. America has two. It's also closer to multiple others than Finland actually is.

Idaho is almost the size of Finland, which is why I chose it, and has 1 country bordering it.


So despite Idaho's name on the flag, should Finnish citizen's identify the flag of Idaho?