Explaining America's Ignorance

[Creed Bratton]

There are dumb people everywhere in the world. But when you combine dumb people with terrible media you have a recipe for disaster. I put a lot of blame on sensationalist, establishment media in America. Those people aren't journalists. If you had actual media to rely on, the majority would probably not believe that Iraq had anything to do with 9/11 and maybe something could have been done to prevent the most pointless decade long waste of taxpayers money and thousands of innocent lives on both sides.

[Finn 7 five 11]

Yeah haha this is what I was referring to in my post.

[Nah Tso Gud]

LOL, sweet lord.

 

Yeah, they do that for things like that - American Idol ( they show the worst possible singers ) and a few game shows ( deliberately find absolute morons just to entertain the viewers ). My friends brother was interviewed for a game show awhile back, I think it was called Street Smarts, where they approach you on the street and ask you some questions.. he got them all right, they told him flat out that he wouldn't make the final edit because of it.

[ExtremoMania]

I'm a Filipino and I'm aware that some fellow Filipinos are ignorant of what's happening in foreign affairs. Even in our country, Filipinos tend to be very ignorant and skirmish on what's happening on the Philippine government and economy with their primary concern being just to elevate their livelihood and lessen prices on most products. I doubt that Americans are far more ignorant than us.

[Triple Vacuum Seal]

 

I think the people below the Mason-Dixon line ruin it for us with their assbackward politics truthfully. I have a lot of friends in Canada and they only really have a good impression of states they know to be liberal (e.g. California).

This regional elitism also plagues the US though. Everyone thinks their ideas are better just because they come from somewhere more glorified or positively portrayed by the media (remember the entertainment media industry is based in California). We must find a common ground considering the fact that every region has its politically admirable qualities. To be honest, California is overrated in a lot of ways. I love the place, but it's also a culture where America's poor values are the most evident. By national standards, there is no middle class in most parts (Californians are either rich of poor), it's the most materialistic culture in our entire nation, many people in LA are very plastic/shallow, the California government is one of the most fiscally irresponsible, college tuition costs have run amuck, and everything is overpriced.

 

 

I live in a southern metropolitan area full of "yanks" (in my community this refers to the arrogant limousine liberals of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maryland who permeate our suburbs and now hold a political majority); and their ideas can be just as ridiculous. I agree that the Bible clinging nut jobs on the far right are ruining our social fiber especially in the eyes of the world. But we also must not ignore the fact that the cultural landscape of the south is changing fast. For one, most of the jobs and economic influence is shifting this way. Secondly, the major cities of the south have been liberalizing for some time now. It's just the old guard right-wingers who are still desperately clinging to power. They are dying out as people become more educated. We have to rid ourselves of this notion that California and New York are the main cornerstones of political progress because they simply aren't. This is a nation-wide effort.

 

 

Melchoir and GTA_stu pretty much summed up the dynamics of the American ignorance perfectly. The only thing I can really add is that the medium of information is very one-directional. If a European wants to stay globally informed, they simply listen and read. If an American wants to stay globally informed, they must deviate from the mainstream media and do research despite living in a very busy fast-paced culture. We also must remember that this is the "Americas". Central and South American cultures are heavily influential in US culture nowadays. The relevance of South and Central American happenings often take precedence over the European, African, and Asian affairs unless our national security is greatly at stake. The drug war and illegal immigration issues are a direct result of America undermining it's role in the Americas.

Edited August 12, 2013 by canttakemyid

[Daz]

 

If you haven't before, watch Chomsky's film Manufacturing Consent. It shows pretty well how, empirically, less information reaches the American public than the European and Australian publics. It does seem like the American public are intentionally cut off from the decision making process, which is pretty obvious when you observe the US's comparatively low scores on democracy indexes.

Great point there.

 

The US is practically self sustaining where it counts, I would guess the average American might not have ever been out of the country or have experienced much else that is foreign aside from a Taco. But it is understandable due to how such a large land mass is practically isolated in the middle of the ocean. I guess it is that the average person has never needed to know anything about the rest of the world.

 

Besides, it is totally different not knowing or caring about politics or news from other countries (as I guess not a lot happens in some of the more stable well developed countries), and not knowing basic facts about anywhere else in the world. I don't know if this is just down to what children are taught at schools, or just having no avenue to find these things out. But no matter where I was, I would always want to learn more about other places.

 

I remember not long ago an American was totally shocked that a British person did not know some specific facts about the American civil war. I don't know which side this speaks for, but either way I think it is just very apparent that what we learn in schools is usually just about our own country's history.

 

It could be down to that a lot of good things have come from America, it creates a lot of what we live with day to day, so I doubt without Hollywood and Branding we would know a lot less about the landmass.

 

Though it is very frustrating having to constantly explain things about British culture that Americans always seem to find extremely bizarre.

Edited August 12, 2013 by Daz

[IslaVista]

I honestly hate America right now. Mainly the Government (Republicans) and the ignorant people who live in the U.S. who have no knowledge of politics or are too ignorant to look into politics.

 

To the people who will say "You don't like America? Move out and see how much you enjoy not being free" I will GLADLY move to Australia or Germany. Australia's market is much more free than ours and they're not divided.

[Nah Tso Gud]

I honestly hate America right now. Mainly the Government (Republicans) and the ignorant people who live in the U.S. who have no knowledge of politics or are too ignorant to look into politics.

 

To the people who will say "You don't like America? Move out and see how much you enjoy not being free" I will GLADLY move to Australia or Germany. Australia's market is much more free than ours and they're not divided.

What if politics don't interest them though? You would hold that against them?

[GTA_stu]

but I'd rather a culture where people eat a lot of fries than one where you're encouraged to drink yourself sick and get into pub fights like in the UK.

Yh but at least our disgraces are usually kept hidden away inside the pubs, rather than waddling down the street in their sweat pants with their chins hanging lower than their balls.

 

 

[Clem Fandango]

I don't know which side this speaks for, but either way I think it is just very apparent that what we learn in schools is usually just about our own country's history.

tbh, from what I've seen, kids in America are taught a very farcical version of American history. Particularly the whole "wiped out the Indians" thing, which didn't really happen; it was a possibly unrelated disease that wiped out the vast majority (something in the neighbourhood of 90%) of the population, the Native Americans that the yanky settlers had to deal with were just the remnants.

 

Then there's all that stuff about "settlers braving the wilderness" when really they just exploited the convenience left behind by the Native Americans, while actively seeking help from them- all those unsuccessful settlements can probably thank their sh*tty attitude towards the natives, but I guess "our forefathers braved the wilderness with no help from anybody" sounds a lot better, nevermind that it gives kids a horribly skewed historical perspective.

 

Then there's the strange way Americans are taught to view the revolution. The way they see it, it's like all the other countries were doing it wrong, so a few men got together, and worked out the proper way to organise and govern a country, and since apparently these "Founding Fathers" were quasi-messianic, divine architects of the perfect nation, the American underdogs just had to win. When in reality, it was more like the American colonies fought a comparatively unremarkable war of separation so that they could have the freedom of self-determination (although the scale was indeed very impressive), which they won thanks to colluding with the French, then the independent colonies decided to avoid infighting and provide more progressive freedoms by literally doing exactly what their "savage" neighbours did. And nobody seems to see anything wrong with teaching kids about their countries historical and ideological foundations through a very racist, nationalistic (and somewhat religious) lens.

[El Dildo]

wait I'm confused.

 

are we talking about ignorance or apathy?

something tells me there's a very fine line between the two. at least in the US.

 

is ignorance still ignorance if it's willing?

maybe it's just that America is more lazy than anything. and apathy is certainly a form of ignorance for which there's no excuse. but sometimes it seems like this trend is almost universal amongst a certain age group.

 

young people around the world are generally apathetic and relatively ignorant.

but young American people tend to be the most vocal, the most loud, and the most visible

[Clem Fandango]

young people around the world are generally apathetic and relatively ignorant.

No, not at all. Young people these days are much more informed and aware than the older generation.

[Tommy Corelli]

I'm not intentionally trying to sound like an uneducated dick but now days, determining whether something is worth your time revolves around personal gain. What do you gain by knowing the political situation in Ukraine? Is knowing the day to day operations of the British Parliament gonna put money in my pocket or fulfill my desires of the day? Besides having something to talk about at the coffee shop, I never really found a need to worry about what's going on in the world because there's enough sh*t happening in front of me and to worry about another countries problems and events take away from me spending time fixing my own problems. I mean, from time to time I'll flip on the news channel and catch what's going on in the world today but its not a priority.

[CryptReaperDorian]

People are talking about the geography of Europe. Seriously, there's already a crap load of geography in North America. No, it's not just the U.S.A., Canada, and Mexico. If we're being taught North American geography, then we'll have to remember fifty states, possibly different parts of certain states (like the individual islands of Hawaii), the ten provinces and three territories of Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean islands, other small islands owned by the U.S.A., and possibly even the countries in Central America (if that's to be included with North America).

[evh5150vanhalen]

People are talking about the geography of Europe. Seriously, there's already a crap load of geography in North America. No, it's not just the U.S.A., Canada, and Mexico. If we're being taught North American geography, then we'll have to remember fifty states, possibly different parts of certain states (like the individual islands of Hawaii), the ten provinces and three territories of Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean islands, other small islands owned by the U.S.A., and possibly even the countries in Central America (if that's to be included with North America).

On average 9 out of 10 Americans when they ask me where I'm from and I say Nova Scotia ask me "where the hell is that?" And when I ask if they were taught about Canada in school they say no. But yet here in Canada they make us learn the states and about American history.

[Devyl]

A lot of our (America) problems stem from our current economic crisis as well as severe funding cuts in places that need MORE money already; such as the education system & more scientific programs such as NASA. A lot of jobs are currently being automated and shipped to foreign countries. The poor and lower middle class are being more and more oppressed by the upper elite. Healthcare is a joke. We have a sorry excuse for gun control. We have our government in a deadlock because some of the people don't want to work with the President because he isn't white or whatever their thinly-veiled excuse is. We used to be a super-power. Now we're not just slowly climbing down the ladder down; we're practically jumping and falling off.

[El Dildo]

Young people these days are much more informed and aware than the older generation.

says who?

 

I disagree.

[The Pizza Delivery Guy]

Young people these days are much more informed and aware than the older generation.

says who?

 

I disagree.

I think it's because of the youth's constant exposure to current events through announcements on social networks and the internet in general.

[The-King]

People are talking about the geography of Europe.  Seriously, there's already a crap load of geography in North America.  No, it's not just the U.S.A., Canada, and Mexico.  If we're being taught North American geography, then we'll have to remember fifty states, possibly different parts of certain states (like the individual islands of Hawaii), the ten provinces and three territories of Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean islands, other small islands owned by the U.S.A., and possibly even the countries in Central America (if that's to be included with North America).

On average 9 out of 10 Americans when they ask me where I'm from and I say Nova Scotia ask me "where the hell is that?" And when I ask if they were taught about Canada in school they say no. But yet here in Canada they make us learn the states and about American history.

I think it's safe to say that on average nine out of ten non-Americans ask me where the f*ck Kansas is when I tell them where I live.

[El Dildo]

I think it's because of the youth's constant exposure to current events through announcements on social networks and the internet in general.

scrolling through a bunch of headlines doesn't make you informed

[Moth]

But yet here in Canada they make us learn the states and about American history.

First off, I don't remember having to learn all 50 American states. Only ones that were really taught, were the 13 colonies. And American History, for the most part was an option credit in Highschool. The parts that were taught, had something to do with Canada.(Usually trying to make Canada the better country)

 

Secondly, ask any Canadian a question about a state that isn't New York, California, Texas, Florida or any state that has a lot of media attention. 9 times out of 10, they won't know a f*cking thing.

[JOSEPH X]

It depends where you get your media from and how you interpret it.

 

If you are studying any of the sciences at university in the UK, chances are that your go to text book that covers the course is written and published in the US. There may be a lot of ignorance over there, but they also have the brains.

 

I studied ecology and this book was a compulsory purchase - I had to buy it.

 

 

Everything you need to know about life on Earth, and it was made in the land of the Bible Belt.

 

 

[Clem Fandango]

Young people these days are much more informed and aware than the older generation.

says who?

 

I disagree.

You could ask some of the participants in the massive youth movements that seek fundamental change.

[Triple Vacuum Seal]

 

It depends where you get your media from and how you interpret it.

 

If you are studying any of the sciences at university in the UK, chances are that your go to text book that covers the course is written and published in the US. There may be a lot of ignorance over there, but they also have the brains.

 

I studied ecology and this book was a compulsory purchase - I had to buy it.

 

 

Everything you need to know about life on Earth, and it was made in the land of the Bible Belt.

To piggy back on this, I think it's important to point out how the United States' perceived ignorance doesn't indicate a shortage of knowledge. It's more of a poor distribution of knowledge. This is another reason why I don't buy into the populist argument that we should throw money at our educational problems. Schools in China and India are "falling apart" in some sections of the building as well. Their teacher salaries make our teachers look like royalty. Yet their kids outperform the US academically. It starts with values. Maybe if the family unit and culture as a whole wasn't so disengaged in the education process and distracted with our vain pursuits of materialism, then we wouldn't be so uneducated. You don't close the wealth gap by giving poor people money. You close the wealth gap by closing the financial-education gap. This gives everyone access to sound financial principles and balances the socioeconomic dynamics by placing financial knowledge in the hands of historically exploited lower class. It's almost criminal how business-related courses are "electives" instead of "core courses" in our school system.

 

 

 

There's a flip side to that coin though...

 

 

When people abroad harp on America for being stupid, I get the urge to ask them, "Where is your space program?"

 

...or "Where are your obstacles?" I understand every nation has problems. But I would like to see other cultures juggle with a similar cultural landscape before condescendingly judging the US. All of these "best places to live in the world" seem to be disproportionately northern European small nations that are very isolated from the global problems of poverty, colonialism, drug production, naroctrafficking, narcoterrorism, gang violence, political instability, and cultural clashes/coexistence that plague the Americas. Canada is geographically insulated from much of this as well. The United States is right in the middle of it.

[HolyGrenadeFrenzy]

To begin to answer such a question holds that one is fit to learn how to examine such an answer. I offer only these items toward such analysis.

 

Grammar, Logic and Rhetoric, a.k.a.,

, in that order and plenty of work therein will bring all you need to the surface regarding the misconceptions of the world with plenty of continuous work in the area of testing your interpretation of reality vs the world of interpretation and the world of agreement. Escaping misdirection and error requires much research and work to recognize

, and put them in the context they belong in to allow for a less obtrusive path to clarity.

 

 

Now, normally when I instruct this there is the suggestion to go directly into

and for those willing to brave the waters next in line is

to complete your introduction into organizing an intellectual free mind before going into and further discussions or topics to complete these lessons with Jan Irvin and Gene Odening.

 

Yet today, after the trivium I suggest a very important detour or addition to the above if you will.

 

 

 

 

The status quo and the difficulties with it are all understandable if you apply ,

(same as above linky) then consider the differences then examine

and then continue with the following.

 

Some starting areas for this processing of data!

 

Edit and insertion--------------------------------------------------

 

The history of the issues in the education system and the problems with it today, requires a working knowledge of what has been to disseminate and analyze. Refereed to in The Trivium Method vs The Classical Trivium: a briefing by Kevin Cole interview which is linked above, these two pieces are vital in understanding the status quo in the USA education system today.

 

The Ultimate History Lesson: a weekend with John Taylor Gatto

 

 

 

*The following addition is added for the sake of Grammar (Knowledge) according to the Trivium Method.

 

 

 

--------------------------------------

 

Lastly do your homework regarding State of Mind: the psychology of control. in relation to the previously linked lessons above.

 

 

There is enough data for several lifetimes on the topic yet that will get you started on sorting it much more quickly.

 

 

For those that desire the extended version of State of Mind: the psychology of control

 

State of Mind Full Version with commentary

 

 

 

After all of this, once you absorb and process it, there will likely be alingering desire of a means out from under the monstrosity of the problem in "America" or the USA proper, if you will, and I leave you with this as an last inspiration from this post.

 

Weapons of Mass Instruction -John Taylor Gatto

 

--------------------

 

In closing, after viewing and listening to these in sequence it becomes clear to understand the status quo of the education, the role of schools, the world's intended yet directed opinion and both sides of the positions arguing intelligence, vs nescience and ignorance, including the origins of this as well.

 

---------------------

 

"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."

-Aristotle , Metaphysics (384 BC – 322 BC)

Edited August 17, 2013 by HolyGrenadeFrenzy

[El Dildo]

You could ask some of the participants in the massive youth movements that seek fundamental change.

yes I could ask one of them.

but it wouldn't change my point.

 

the people who participate in those 'movements' are NOT representative of the majority of young people. those are actually a distinct MINORITY of young people.

if I was talking to one of them I wouldn't be talking to an average young person.

 

my point remains.

[LibSity]

Today's youth in America just doesn't seem to care about things other than their cell phone, Twitter, etc. I'm sure this is a worldwide problem though.

[Clem Fandango]

You could ask some of the participants in the massive youth movements that seek fundamental change.

yes I could ask one of them.

but it wouldn't change my point.

 

the people who participate in those 'movements' are NOT representative of the majority of young people. those are actually a distinct MINORITY of young people.

if I was talking to one of them I wouldn't be talking to an average young person.

 

my point remains.

Well that point certainly went over your head.

 

Tell me, are there any massive "30 something" movements seeking social change?

[El Dildo]

Tell me, are there any massive "30 something" movements seeking social change?

yes.

yes there are.

 

and 40 something, and 50 something.

Occupy Wall Street and the Tea Party are good examples.

[Clem Fandango]

Occupy Wall Street is largely a youth movement, so I don't see your point there. And the Tea Party is hardly an example of people who are aware and informed.