Why People Believe Americans Are Stupid
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Don't worry. I still think you are special.
http://www.shoutfile.com/v/gSfSsCpR/Why_People_Believe_Americans_Are_Stupid
http://www.shoutfile.com/v/gSfSsCpR/Why_People_Believe_Americans_Are_Stupid
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On balance though, if you did the same thing in any country you'd probably get similarly inane answers. I'm sure they interviewed a ton of people and just cut out the correct answers. It's not like everyone you talk to has no idea about anything.
Also, lol @ "invade italy"!
Although, using this little snippet to judge the intelligence of the entire nation is like believing Canadians don't lock their doors because Michael Moore opened 4 of them.
Alex
movie-guy: ok, how about a stupid guess?
While the video is obviously not representative of America's intelligence as a nation, I think there's certainly some measure of isolationism in our mindset. It seems like a lot of Americans just don't really care about happenings (or history) outside of our borders. I'm embarrassed to admit that I myself wouldn't be able to recognize the prime minister of Australia on sight, though I'd catch on soon enough if he acted like that
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=the+chaser+war+on+everything&search=Search
It would be a whole lot different if America was invaded, I'm sure people would wise up about the world
...The world is generally exposed to american culture a lot more through it's widespread film and media. If it somehow makes you feel better about yourself by pointing that out you make yourself just look like a jack ass by spending your time trying to prove a point.
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Amen. As soon as an American can grow up watching television, music, music videos, movies, and commercials, produced in other countries with their history, culture, and language built in, then you can be critical of Americans not knowing as much. I daresay half of what most people know about America, isn't from reading text books or studying up on the matter. It just comes naturally from watching all the many media exports from this country. Growing up, I didn't have a single non american produced channel to pick from, or I might have grown up knowing more about other countries.
I wish that guys interviewed me and asked me all of those questions,i definatly would have seen that tosser wasnt the PM of Austrailia and i could name multiple countries that start with U but im sure i would have been edited out because my lack of ignorance wouldnt be as entertaining as theirs.
Alex
http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/display.article?id=6553
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The Former Republic of the United States of America, 2012AD!
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...The world is generally exposed to American culture a lot more through it's widespread film and media. If it somehow makes you feel better about yourself by pointing that out you make yourself just look like a jack ass by spending your time trying to prove a point.
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Amen. As soon as an American can grow up watching television, music, music videos, movies, and commercials, produced in other countries with their history, culture, and language built in, then you can be critical of Americans not knowing as much. I daresay half of what most people know about America, isn't from reading text books or studying up on the matter. It just comes naturally from watching all the many media exports from this country. Growing up, I didn't have a single non american produced channel to pick from, or I might have grown up knowing more about other countries.
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I was going to write something to this effect (no doubt quite a bit longer), until I read this, so I'll just quote it.
Oh and you'll note I'm being very careful not to set a foot on either side of the fence here, I just wanted to point out that its not safe to assume that ignorance is always what breeds hatred!
Europeans are always going to think americans are stupid, just like americans are always going to dislike the french, like the scots and the english will always distrust each other in ways and the dutch and the belgians will think the other is the asshole.
I'd just get over it, stupidity is america's cross to bear, each country has one, noones special!
r.
Actually, most europeans get taught the history of america , as well as information relative to current social events. They tend to base their opinions more on american tourists in order to form their opinion of america, just the same as they base their opinions on scots, english, irish and so on based upon the tourists from each respective country that visit them.
Oh and you'll note I'm being very careful not to set a foot on either side of the fence here, I just wanted to point out that its not safe to assume that ignorance is always what breeds hatred!
Europeans are always going to think americans are stupid, just like americans are always going to dislike the french, like the scots and the english will always distrust each other in ways and the dutch and the belgians will think the other is the asshole.
I'd just get over it, stupidity is america's cross to bear, each country has one, noones special!
r.
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aye that is true,ive seen my share of those types of views on other nationalities. I thought Americans were gonna be embarresing travelling abroad until i got to see english tourists,man what a rowdy bunch. hehe have i got tales.
I think part of the reason a lot of Americans don't care about the rest of the world is because they are to damn busy trying to survive in this country. If you don't have a decent paying job you don't really have the time to give a damn
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OK, let me just stress that I don't for one second subscribe to the dumb Americans stereotype. In fact, I tend to look past peoples nationalities for the most part after so many years of being amongst an international crowd. Honestly people are just people to me.
But that little paragraph of yours just made me chuckle. 'Trying to survive'? There are many reasons why Americans tend to be somewhat insular as a nation, some of which are mentioned here, but income isn't a) any real kind of a reason and b) a decidedly odd thing to say about one of the the richest countries on the planet. No matter how bad you think you have it, comparitvely, you really don't.
Seriously though, i think the best cure for these sort of misconceptions is being around people of all sorts of nationalities. Even if you take into account that obviously location and culture can shape personality up to a degree, i'm always surprised to hear people describe ALL of a nations people as being 'stupid' or 'cocky'. Generalisations like that just scare me. Around here it's mostly the 'the polish are all lazy wankers'-theory.
And i get equally pissed off by people saying shit like 'oh no, i LOVE black people. They're all so charming!'
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and im sure 9/11 has been added to that list
It is however concerning all the times I hear about the education in this country being some of the lowest ranked in the world.
I've always just assumed (apparently it's true) people are stupid in general. I mean, it's not exactly fair putting them on the spot like that, but still...
Edit: Here it is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUP9Jm9SqvY
Enjoy the hollow pang of stupidity, good sirs