American Ignorance?

I think that Ricky has made a very good point here.

 

I have split the discussion on aid/giving/Marshall Plan etc into a new topic, as well as Gunter's question about NATO. Both are in the Member's Lounge.

The split was not 100% clean, as a couple of posts had a bit of both, so I stuck them in the topic that they were most relevant to.

 

Just want to clarify some things.

If Americans are so smart how come 60+ percent of people between ages 18-24 couldn't find Iraq on a map of the world? After all their government is offering them an all expanse paid trip there. (Paraphrase from Colbert Report a couple of weeks back)

If America is so rich how come on average an American is $8,000 in credit card debt? So an estimated 300 million people X 8000 and wow thats a lot of money!!!!!!!

Now thats a lot of 0s

2 400 000 000 000
2.4 trillion!!!!

 

Have you found any such research about any other country? Who knows, maybe 60% of the entire world doesn't know where Iraq is. There is no conceivable limit to people's ignorance, because they start out knowing nothing and most are reluctant to learn.

The US was also the richest country in the world during the 1929 Wall Street disaster. Economic prosperity encourages people to spend beyond their actual means; spending borrowed money is a sign of wealth.

 

Gunter_Viezenz wrote:

But do the statistics state how many of those in debt have the means to pay?
AFAIK the UK average per citizen is £6,000 (more than the US) excluding mortgage. Currently I am in debt to about 2/3 of this but since my earning power is effectively zero (the job finished, boo hoo) I get "threatening" letters every week , my sister who owes more than I do but is earning is left alone since the credit companies know she can pay...
There's a vast difference between being able to pay debts and not being able to pay.
From what little bit I do know of economics, getting citizens into (some) debt helps the economy because then they are charged interest which makes money.

And how may Brits had to look up Falkland Islands 20+ years ago? I know I did....

 

My sister, who is 30 and a maths teacher, cannot tell you what countries border Iran. She is not exactly insular, either, having been to India, South Africa (several times), and most of Europe.
All retained knowledge is relevant to what you need, or want, to know. I took 'A' level Futher Maths (roughly equivalent to first year of a maths degree, apparently) at 6th Form, but I cannot remember what a Poisson distribution is, or how to calculate it. I just don't need, or want, to know it.

Hands up everybody here who can reliably point to Khazakstan on a map.

 

I know where it is, but only because I got so bored in primary school that I spent whole days leafing through atlases and participating in topography tests two years beyond my class and beating everyone there.

You can't expect everyone to have had this luxurious position...

 

I call myself a 'Wellspring of useless information'.I know all kinds of tidbits and trivial facts about all kinds of stuff.If I find something interesting,it's relatively easy to retain the information.Personally,I hate numbers unless they are factual such as distances,amounts,etc...
I love mountain biking,but my eyes will quickly glaze over if an article goes into the angle of the top tube or forks.My attention will waver over the degree of slope on any given glacis plate.I always hated mathematics in school.It just bores me.I find history to be fascinating.On this side of the pond,we have very little of it.As far as I'm concerned you guys over on the other side of the Atlantic are fortunate indeed.

 

We'z 'mericans ain't all ignerunt. :lol:

I think we have the same problems all western countries are having. In some way, the education systems are becoming easier and easier so that more and more students can pass rather than requiring them actually learn. We do not want to offend anyone by making school at least somewhat challenging. We are also told that there should be computers in every classroom but nobody brings up that the students can't read what's on it.

 

If your country was to invade another country, and it is on the tele and every night or so, the map of the country on the tele, you should at least realize where it is.

By the way the debt does not include mortgage.

 

Why? Most news shows don't show the location of the country in global terms, just usually a local or regional section. I have to admit, and I'm ashamed almost to do so, but whilst I could point out Iraq on a globe quite readily, I probably would struggle with many other Middle Eastern countries, in all honesty it's just as bad on a more local level too, I doubt I could reliably put my finger on many of the Eastern European nations given a blank map.

I doubt even with all the press Iraq has got that given a blank map of the country I could even point out the major cities.

It doesn't necessarily make me ignorant, I just have no real need or desire to accumulate that kind of knowledge when a standard globe or world Atlas will easily provide it for me.

As for the Falklands, well, I didn't look it up myself, but then I was 3 when that first kicked off...

 

True or not, this is still no measure of an entire nations ignorance.

 

Is there evan a way to measure a nation's ignorance? As far as I know there is none, unless you know something I dont know.

 

"Ignorance" as far as I know means not knowing about a subject. Thus it is easily measured: take a representative group of people from a larger group, and ask them questions. However, these tests can only determine ignorance about a certain subject that is being asked about.

 

Why don't you get a representative group from each nation and just tell them to write down everything they don't know? That should provide a good guide...