Can't find the US on a World map.

Originally Posted by Jodum5

Click to expand...

Two things are obvious after watching that.

1. She is not very intelligent
2. She froze.

1 + 2 = She gave an inane answer to an inane question because she wasn't prepared for it and wasn't smart enough to improvise. It really isn't that spectacular a screw up. Think about it, you are not very sharp and are in front the spotlight for the most important competition of your life. It's very likely you'll do or say something equally foolish.
I agree. It's funny and embarrassing, but I feel for the girl. I don't think it necessarily means she's as dumb as a box of rocks, she's not a good public speaker. She was nervous as hell, flubbed and couldn't recover (she quite possibly has been smoking the same **** I have as well). I did think she sounded high on something for real, but I guess that's unlikely(?). Gorgeous face, btw, reminiscent of Britney back in the gold ole days.

wow Europeans may fair slightly better in a similar study, but only when one discusses europe, much like us citizens should know the geography of you own country states and capitals etc. But even than thhe knowledge would be limited, an italian or french youth woulld be proably be not be able to draw a map of germany and all its bundeslandes with capitals, nor could a german or italtian to the same with france or belgium.

Discussing more global knowledge the europeans would not fair better at all though. For example The last tiem i was at home I spoke to a girl that attends the poli di milano and she stated that the country bordering italy to the east is jugoslavia.

Ignorance of these things is common in all parts of the world. The general public is more interested in waht is happening to the celebrities and the developments of the latest puntata of what ever merda they are watching on the tv.

Originally Posted by gdl203

Click to expand...

Are you serious Ed?

Look at this chart. I do find that surprising that 12% of Americans between 18 and 24 cannot locate Mexico on a map. I may agree somewhat on your Indonesia point, but 65% cannot locate the UK on a world map?

Yep, I'm serious.

We live in what is essentially an isolated country, where we are considered to be the world economic and military power, things we have been for as long as I can remember. Most Americans also probably believe that we are pretty self sustaining as a country. Add all that up and I can see where people wouldn't care about where Europe/Middle East/Asia is on a map. As others have mentioned, Europe has many countries within a short car ride of each other, hence they should know their geography better than us. How many Europeans can pick out Nebraska, Wyoming and Utah on a map of the USA? Just saying that the author is stretching to make a useless point. So a large percentage of Americans don't know where Indonesia and Egypt are, and? As for the UK, all we needed to know about them we learned back in the 1770's

Originally Posted by edmorel

Click to expand...

Yep, I'm serious.

We live in what is essentially an isolated country, where we are considered to be the world economic and military power, things we have been for as long as I can remember. Most Americans also probably believe that we are pretty self sustaining as a country. Add all that up and I can see where people wouldn't care about where Europe/Middle East/Asia is on a map. As others have mentioned, Europe has many countries within a short car ride of each other, hence they should know their geography better than us. How many Europeans can pick out Nebraska, Wyoming and Utah on a map of the USA? Just saying that the author is stretching to make a useless point. So a large percentage of Americans don't know where Indonesia and Egypt are, and? As for the UK, all we needed to know about them we learned back in the 1770's

Nebraska is not a country, Ed, Egypt is. Sorry you lost Miss Teen USA, better luck next year.

Originally Posted by Joel_Cairo

Click to expand...

Nebraska is not a country, Ed, Egypt is. Sorry you lost Miss Teen USA, better luck next year.

Fine you guys win. Us American be stupid. I'll take that Miss Teen USA over the brightest that Egypt has to offer any day.

Originally Posted by edmorel

Click to expand...

Fine you guys win. Us American be stupid. I'll take that Miss Teen USA over the brightest that Egypt has to offer any day.

I dunno, man, Egypt is a pretty big continent. I bet they have a lot of pretty girls.

Originally Posted by Saucemaster

Click to expand...

I dunno, man, Egypt is a pretty big continent. I bet they have a lot of pretty girls.

I thought Egypt was an island???

Originally Posted by edmorel

Click to expand...

We live in what is essentially an isolated country, where we are considered to be the world economic and military power, things we have been for as long as I can remember. Most Americans also probably believe that we are pretty self sustaining as a country. Add all that up and I can see where people wouldn't care about where Europe/Middle East/Asia is on a map. As others have mentioned, Europe has many countries within a short car ride of each other, hence they should know their geography better than us. How many Europeans can pick out Nebraska, Wyoming and Utah on a map of the USA? Just saying that the author is stretching to make a useless point. So a large percentage of Americans don't know where Indonesia and Egypt are, and? As for the UK, all we needed to know about them we learned back in the 1770's

Ed - I agree with all your points about why the US youth's knowledge of world geography is subpar. These are all good reasons. I was just a bit surprised by some of these results -that's all.

Jodum/Ed - There's no need to get all defensive about that BTW, that's certainly not a statement about young Americans being dumb or smart - world geography is just one piece of the puzzle and I understand is not felt as very important.

Originally Posted by edmorel

Click to expand...

I thought Egypt was an island???

It's an island that's a continent. Like New Guinea, or Cleveland.

Originally Posted by gdl203

Click to expand...

Ed - I agree with all your points about why the US youth's knowledge of world geography is subpar. These are all good reasons. I was just a bit surprised by some of these results -that's all.

Jodum/Ed - There's no need to get all defensive about that BTW, that's certainly not a statement about young Americans being dumb or smart - world geography is just one piece of the puzzle and I understand is not felt as very important.
To get through sixth grade, we were required to be able to name, on a blank map, 80% of the 150 or so countries recognized at that time. Since I made it through, I am sure that I was able to do so, just as I was able to name all of the states and capital of US states. Nowadays, while better than most Americans and likely most Europeans, I would not be able to come close to 80% of the current countries recognized. Nevertheless, I know how to use a map and especially the index where I can find coordinates and that is probably more important than finding Indonesia (which I can do).

I think the moral of the story is that most people, around the world, don't know their ass from a hole in the ground.

Originally Posted by iammatt

Click to expand...

To get through sixth grade, we were required to be able to name, on a blank map, 80% of the 150 or so countries recognized at that time. Since I made it through, I am sure that I was able to do so, just as I was able to name all of the states and capital of US states.

Nowadays, while better than most Americans and likely most Europeans, I would not be able to come close to 80% of the current countries recognized. Nevertheless, I know how to use a map and especially the index where I can find coordinates and that is probably more important than finding Indonesia (which I can do).

ditto - our teachers must have picked that up together, because the other classes in my school didn't require that, but it was very very helpfull, event today.

My four-year old son can find many Asian and African countries on a map, including Indonesia and Egypt; he can even recognize their flags and name their capital cities. It's just a question of being interested and curious about it, not necessarily smart. It's probably not the most useful knowledge either but when you're good at storing and retrieving useless facts and trivia from your brain, it's a shame not to practice that skill.

Originally Posted by Joel_Cairo

Click to expand...

I agree in general, yes the hand-wringing is a bit forced, but it is a fact that Europeans are far better informed than Americans w/r/t geography and cartography. This is what happens when you live in a place that has different countries a 2 hour's drive in every direction vs. a big, sprawling manifest landmass with oceans on either side.

Then how do you explain that Canadians or Russians are much more informed about geography and foreign cultures than Americans?
I blame schools first, parents second and TV programming third.
Having internet almost universally available , there is no excuse for not knowing most basic things about a planet that you live on.

Image Macro'd