Americans know nothing of the world - the evidence

[B_johnschlong]

Someone said Americans know a lot about the world. Now from all kinds of polls, studies and research we know that this is a sad joke.

The truth, of course, is that Americans are blind, deaf and indoctrinated.

There is no better way to illustrate this, then by showing what they actually get to see in their media.

Have a look:

Alisa Miller shares the news about the news | Video on TED.com

These 4 minutes will give you a clue.

If they don't, you are deeply indoctrinated and you can't be saved.

 

[D_Geffarde Phartsmeller]

It's true. Not enough Americans travel around the world to really know just how stupid they are. They think hopping the border to Canada counts as international experience. This country is a cesspool and if I could, I'd be out of here without hesitation.

 

[B_bowtie-teen]

I heard only like 5% of you guys even have passports.

 

[ManlyBanisters]

Some Americans are insular, it's true - however, all the Americans I've met and had more than a 5 minute conversation with have been well educated and had quite an even view of their country and its place in the world. Of course, neither extreme of insular ignorance nor well-educated perspective reflects the entire populace accurately - but then generalising is stupid so that's no real surprise.

 

[D_Chocho_Lippz]

Wow. I agree that our media is a pile of horse shit. However, just because our media is worthless, that automatically makes us "blind, deaf and indoctrinated?"

Thanks for stereotyping you ass...

 

[D_Marazion Analdouche]

Someone said Americans know a lot about the world. Now from all kinds of polls, studies and research we know that this is a sad joke.

The truth, of course, is that Americans are blind, deaf and indoctrinated.

There is no better way to illustrate this, then by showing what they actually get to see in their media.

Have a look:

Alisa Miller shares the news about the news | Video on TED.com

These 4 minutes will give you a clue.

If they don't, you are deeply indoctrinated and you can't be saved.

Not to mention was are what the 3rd highest populated country. So yes we will have more morons than a country such as. well just pick one. I am not discounting that some Americans have a lack of wanting to know how the rest of the world works.

I've traveled more of less all over and I've met a lot of morons in Europe and other places as well. It's all relative.

 

[agnslz]

Ugh.

 

[D_Geffarde Phartsmeller]

Wow. I agree that our media is a pile of horse shit. However, just because our media is worthless, that automatically makes us "blind, deaf and indoctrinated?"

Thanks for stereotyping you ass...

Our media is a reflection of our beliefs and if it wasn't popular with the masses, it wouldn't even exist.

 

[D_Marazion Analdouche]

Our media is a reflection of our beliefs and if it wasn't popular with the masses, it wouldn't even exist.

Using that logic, Europe is nothing more than sex crazed individuals that do nothing but think about boobs all day and are very immoral. Since nudity is more available on regular tv channels and not to mention naked women doing the weather. Europe is a lot more liberal on nudity as a whole, a decent amount of people in the US would considered it indecent. So it must be true, Europe is full of indecent and immoral people....come on people, think beyone Youtube videos.

You can look into any culture and make generalizations about it. The US is just a target everyone can aim at.

 

[B_johnschlong]

Our media is a reflection of our beliefs and if it wasn't popular with the masses, it wouldn't even exist.

Mmm, that would mean Americans are really dumb and ignorant by birth. I wouldn't say that.

Don't you think that the American media rather reflect the agenda of the small clique that controls the country? The multinationals, the agro-food complex, the pharma-complex, the military-industrial complex, the guys who forcefed you the nonsense about Iraq, the doctrinary economic fundamentalists who want you to shop until you drop?

I think Americans are just as interested in the world as other people. But they are being controlled by a complex of forces that want to keep them dumb, fat and idiotic. So the citizens can be sold crap, be fed fat, sugar and salty horror food, be told bogus dribble about being patriottic, and be kept autistic so then can function as cannon fodder when the elite wants them to go to war.

 

[Industrialsize]

Sad,but true fact....only 25% of Americans posses a valid passport

 

[Skull Mason]

There are nations around the world that collectively behave in a way that if one man were to act that way he would be considered a sociopath or schizophrenic, and thrown in prison or killed. Not just the US. But at least America (NJ in particular) is responsible for Steely Dan, which no one else can say.

 

[Principessa]

I heard only like 5% of you guys even have passports.

Yeah, so what; and your point would be what exactly dumbass? England, Scotland and Ireland could fit inside Georgia with room to spare. Most Americans don't have passports because we don't need them. International travel is frightfully expensive and the economy sucks. Unless you are planning a vacation abroad there is not point in wasting $100 on something you will never use.

FYI- If you live in the UK you can hop on a plane and in 2-3 hours be in any one of a dozen different countries. I hop on a plane and in 2-3 hours I an either in Key West, FL, New Jersey, or Arizona; and I get to pay about $350+ for the privilege. So back off on the passport business dude. It is not a good indicator of anything except possibly wealth.

Wow. I agree that our media is a pile of horse shit. However, just because our media is worthless, that automatically makes us "blind, deaf and indoctrinated?"

Thanks for stereotyping you ass...

QFT!

Our media is a reflection of our beliefs and if it wasn't popular with the masses, it wouldn't even exist.

Not quite. Our media is a reflection of the lowest common denominator of our society. Tjhat's why shows like Jerry Springer and Roseanne not only existed but suceeded.

As an educator we are often taught to only teach as fast as the slowest learner in the class. The same thing applys to television. If nothing were on but PBS and CNN, 3/4 of the country would be alienated.

 

[D_Geffarde Phartsmeller]

Tjhat's why shows like Jerry Springer and Roseanne not only existed but suceeded.

I'm sorry but it seems like you're trash talking Springer. Without that show, how would I see trans midget cousins getting married while having a thanksgiving food fight?

 

[2322]

Sad,but true fact....only 25% of Americans posses a valid passport

Not sad so much as unnecessary. One wasn't needed until recently to visit most of the countries Americans travel to, namely Mexico, Canada, and the Caribbean nations/possessions. Europe is, and has been for a long time, an expensive and time-consuming vacation destination. Unlike Europeans, we work for a living and don't have the luxury of two months off a year. When you get only two weeks, you want to get in, get out, and get your money's worth. Minimizing jet lag only increases the enjoyment of what short time you have. In any event, plenty of places in the US are suitable for destinations in themselves. You can have tropical beaches, tall mountains, deep forests, or fun cities all without leaving the country.

Besides, if johnschlong is representative of European attitudes toward Americans, then why put up with that bullshit on vacation?? Let them have their crumbling castles, padded bills, incomprehensible languages, and ghastly plumbing all to themselves.:biggrin1:

 

[Swordie]

U guys do know that this is the LARGE PENIS SUPPORT GROUP, right? Just checking....

HugoB - If u can't stand the cesspool, u should leave, buddy. This Country allows those freedoms, the freedom of exiting.

If you TRULY believe the MEDIA is different in ANY other country, please step forward AND REALLY GET THE DEBATE GOING.

Lets begin with JOHNSCHLONG telling us what country he/she is from, unless its too embarassing...

 

[yngjock20]

Yeah, so what; and your point would be what exactly dumbass? England, Scotland and Ireland could fit inside Georgia with room to spare. Most Americans don't have passports because we don't need them. International travel is frightfully expensive and the economy sucks. Unless you are planning a vacation abroad there is not point in wasting $100 on something you will never use.

FYI- If you live in the UK you can hop on a plane and in 2-3 hours be in any one of a dozen different countries. I hop on a plane and in 2-3 hours I an either in Key West, FL, New Jersey, or Arizona; and I get to pay about $350+ for the privilege. So back off on the passport business dude. It is not a good indicator of anything except possibly wealth.


<SNIP!>


As an educator we are often taught to only teach as fast as the slowest learner in the class. The same thing applys to television. If nothing were on but PBS and CNN, 3/4 of the country would be alienated.

You tell it, mamma!!! *Three snaps in "z" formation*

That's exactly what I was going to say.

 

[D_Marazion Analdouche]

Yeah, so what; and your point would be what exactly dumbass? England, Scotland and Ireland could fit inside Georgia with room to spare. Most Americans don't have passports because we don't need them. International travel is frightfully expensive and the economy sucks. Unless you are planning a vacation abroad there is not point in wasting $100 on something you will never use.

I was going to go there as well.

I've been stationed in Germany and I also worked for a company in the civilian sector that sent me Switzerland about 3-4 times a year.

When I was in Switzerland I could jump in a car and be in France, Germany, Italy or Austria in the same amount of time most of us here in the US sit in rush hour traffic just to drive 15 miles.

We would cross the border to Germany just to go out to a bar. So I would say the need for people in Europe to have a passport is slightly more common.

So NJQT is correct, why own a passport unless going on vacation. Now as I say that, don't mind me as I start packing for my trip to Fiji :tongue:.

 

[mindseye]

These 4 minutes will give you a clue.

Anything can be proven using four minutes of video; your so-called evidence is wanting.

As for the point others have made about so few Americans owning passports, bear in mind that Americans may visit all of its immediate neighbors without a passport, and the cost of travelling somewhere where a passport is needed is high.

This is different from the case in Europe, South America, or Africa, where a foreign country is at most few hours away by train. For Americans, it's geographically impractical to take a weekend trip to a foreign country. For, say, Albanians, a day-trip to Venice is entirely feasible.

Criticizing the American people for an artifact of its geographical isolation is like complaining that Singaporeans build sucky snowmen. Let's get our math, reading, and other fundamental skills up to where they should be before worrying about less tangible areas of study.

edit: This is what happens when the phone rings while I'm typing a post -- njqt466 and wartrac both beat me to the point.

 

[agnslz]

Yeah, so what; and your point would be what exactly dumbass? England, Scotland and Ireland could fit inside Georgia with room to spare. Most Americans don't have passports because we don't need them. International travel is frightfully expensive and the economy sucks. Unless you are planning a vacation abroad there is not point in wasting $100 on something you will never use.

FYI- If you live in the UK you can hop on a plane and in 2-3 hours be in any one of a dozen different countries. I hop on a plane and in 2-3 hours I an either in Key West, FL, New Jersey, or Arizona; and I get to pay about $350+ for the privilege. So back off on the passport business dude. It is not a good indicator of anything except possibly wealth.

Not sad so much as unnecessary. One wasn't needed until recently to visit most of the countries Americans travel to, namely Mexico, Canada, and the Caribbean nations/possessions. Europe is, and has been for a long time, an expensive and time-consuming vacation destination. Unlike Europeans, we work for a living and don't have the luxury of two months off a year. When you get only two weeks, you want to get in, get out, and get your money's worth. Minimizing jet lag only increases the enjoyment of what short time you have. In any event, plenty of places in the US are suitable for destinations in themselves. You can have tropical beaches, tall mountains, deep forests, or fun cities all without leaving the country.

Besides, if johnschlong is representative of European attitudes toward Americans, then why put up with that bullshit on vacation?? Let them have their crumbling castles, padded bills, incomprehensible languages, and ghastly plumbing all to themselves.:biggrin1:

I love these two posts.

I might've said something similar myself if I hadn't been so annoyed by johnschlong's two posts about America and Americans today and just opted for the "ugh" in my first post.:biggrin1: