Alan Jackson, America, and Ignorance

[gnomon]

The OP is garbage. She tooted her own horn and stuck her foot in her mouth. Something I know I've done before as well as many others. Is this thread really worth any further discussion?

The truth is none of you truly know to what extent we average peole spend our times learning about. Get down from your pedestals people.

edit:spelling

 

[Ryan2065]

The truth is none of you truly know to what extent we average peole spend out times learning about. Get down from your pedestals people.

Isn't that what statistics are for? It has been shown time and time again that people in the United States are less informed on world events than most other countries...

Do you really think the average US citizen would even know who is for or against us in the war on terror? Or what other countries have lost people in the war on terror?

My old college roommate firmly believed that we should just nuke everyone over in the middle east then go in and take their oil... And no, he didn't say this jokingly... Figured this would save many American's lives because thats what we need to be worried about... American lives and no one elses.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

I think this thread has been about two separate things.

A few words in a song that demonstrate what the rest of the world knows anyway,
That the USA is rarely interested in the rest of the world, and as a result knows very little about other countries. Many american friends I have known in the past have been quite proud of this.
However it does not sit well with the role they have chosen for them selves a world policeman.

The second thing it has been about, is a supposed slight relating to 9/11.
As I read the OP I could not see any reason, to see the post as a slight on anyone involved with 9/11.

Just as literally millions of people were devastated by the Death of Princess Diana, which to many in the world must have seemed very odd indeed.
It would be easy for some people to compare the deaths in the twin towers, with the hundreds of thousands who have died in their own countries and wonder what all the fuss is about.

Peoples and nations Grief shows itself in various ways, from a personal loss to a national disaster, the grief felt is very real. For America it seems worse because it is like being raped in your own home; it was unexpected, horrendous and with out precedent.

How ever it is now perhaps time to look at it in perspective, to learn lessons from it,
to use it to educate and strengthen Americans, for a future in a quite different world.

It is not respectful to use it as a political tool, to sway public opinion in other warlike adventures.

 

[gnomon]

Isn't that what statistics are for? It has been shown time and time again that people in the United States are less informed on world events than most other countries...

Do you really think the average US citizen would even know who is for or against us in the war on terror? Or what other countries have lost people in the war on terror?

My old college roommate firmly believed that we should just nuke everyone over in the middle east then go in and take their oil... And no, he didn't say this jokingly... Figured this would save many American's lives because thats what we need to be worried about... American lives and no one elses.

There are over a quarter billion people in the United States. What percentage of these people do not know the difference between Iran and Iraq? What percentage of these people do not take an interest in worldly affairs? Which economic classes are less likely to take an interest in world affairs? Where are the studies showing the level of ignorance of Americans beyond a television program and poorly informed news broadcasts?

How many registered members of RF know about the Omagh bombing? How many know about the current situation in Somalia? How many know about what is going on in their backyard?

Who care about the quantity of people who declare themselves educated on world events but there is also quality which is far more important. I've a good idea about the quality of the OP and this thread.

 

[Djamila]

Thank you, Terry.

And, once again (and it pains me to do this), thank you to jewscout. We might disagree on practically everything but at least he doesn't imagine intentions that don't exist and actually discusses the subject at hand.

 

[lunamoth]

I think this thread has been about two separate things.

A few words in a song that demonstrate what the rest of the world knows anyway,
That the USA is rarely interested in the rest of the world, and as a result knows very little about other countries. Many american friends I have known in the past have been quite proud of this.
However it does not sit well with the role they have chosen for them selves a world policeman.

The second thing it has been about, is a supposed slight relating to 9/11.
As I read the OP I could not see any reason, to see the post as a slight on anyone involved with 9/11.

Just as literally millions of people were devastated by the Death of Princess Diana, which to many in the world must have seemed very odd indeed.
It would be easy for some people to compare the deaths in the twin towers, with the hundreds of thousands who have died in their own countries and wonder what all the fuss is about.

Peoples and nations Grief shows itself in various ways, from a personal loss to a national disaster, the grief felt is very real. For America it seems worse because it is like being raped in your own home; it was unexpected, horrendous and with out precedent.

How ever it is now perhaps time to look at it in perspective, to learn lessons from it,
to use it to educate and strengthen Americans, for a future in a quite different world.

It is not respectful to use it as a political tool, to sway public opinion in other warlike adventures.

That's a very good post Terry with more than one valid point. It is much much worse for President Bush to capitzalize on the 911 tragedy to justify some highly questionable actions by our nation; it's not even comparable to a simple lack of sensitivity on the part of someone who feels hurt by America's brutishness. However, timing is everything. The anniversary of massive death is not the time to kick people over their weaknesses. I will say in defense of Dja, however, that she has grown up in a world much much scarier than the one most Americans (including myself) have, so this indiscretion is understandable.

lunamoth

 

[Willamena]

My point, again, is that Americans had every reason to know about politics in the Middle East because those politics directly affected their every day lives. It wasn't until we went to war that people started to learn =) It seems kinda silly.

How did those politics directly affect their daily lives?

 

[Ryan2065]

There are over a quarter billion people in the United States. What percentage of these people do not know the difference between Iran and Iraq? What percentage of these people do not take an interest in worldly affairs? Which economic classes are less likely to take an interest in world affairs? Where are the studies showing the level of ignorance of Americans beyond a television program and poorly informed news broadcasts?

Wow, taking so much offense to what the world already knows...

Here is just a recent study reported by CNN...
http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/05/02/geog.test/index.html

Thirty-three percent of respondents couldn't pinpoint Louisiana on a map.
Fewer than three in 10 think it important to know the locations of countries in the news and just 14 percent believe speaking another language is a necessary skill.
Two-thirds didn't know that the earthquake that killed 70,000 people in October 2005 occurred in Pakistan.
Six in 10 could not find Iraq on a map of the Middle East.
Forty-seven percent could not find the Indian subcontinent on a map of Asia.
Seventy-five percent were unable to locate Israel on a map of the Middle East.
Nearly three-quarters incorrectly named English as the most widely spoken native language.
Six in 10 did not know the border between North and South Korea is the most heavily fortified in the world.
Thirty percent thought the most heavily fortified border was between the United States and Mexico.

In the Middle East, 63 percent could not find Iraq or Saudi Arabia on a map, and 75 percent could not point out Iran or Israel. Forty-four percent couldn't find any one of those four countries.
Inside the United States, "half or fewer of young men and women 18-24 can identify the states of New York or Ohio on a map [50 percent and 43 percent, respectively]," the study said.
On the positive side, the study noted, seven in 10 young Americans correctly located China on a map, even though they had a number of misconceptions about that country. Forty-five percent said China's population is only twice that of the United States. It's actually four times larger than the U.S. population.
When the poll was conducted in 2002, "Americans scored second to last on overall geographic knowledge, trailing Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan and Sweden," the report said.

Who care about the quantity of people who declare themselves educated on world events but there is also quality which is far more important. I've a good idea about the quality of the OP and this thread.

Well thats nice... So the quality of the people who know about the world events in the US is better than other countries?

 

[Ryan2065]

How did those politics directly affect their daily lives?

Gas prices are directly affected by politics in the Middle East...

 

[Willamena]

Gas prices are directly affected by politics in the Middle East...

And they in turn affect us in our daily lives, which makes the politics an indirect effect.

Since we cannot do anything about the cost of oil, gas or the politics of the region, what is our motivation to learn about Iraq, beyond simple curiosity?

 

[Buttercup]

Wow, taking so much offense to what the world already knows...

Here is just a recent study reported by CNN...
http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/05/02/geog.test/index.html

Ummm, this survey is about 18-24 year olds....doesnt reflect everyone in the US.

And...you misquoted gnostic btw.

 

[RaceKitty]

The OP is garbage. She tooted her own horn and stuck her foot in her mouth. Something I know I've done before as well as many others. Is this thread really worth any further discussion?...

Garbage yuppers and no it's not worth any more.

The Cappy told me about this ridiculous thread trashing Alan Jackson's song and I had to check it out for myself. Why would someone get so bent out of shape over some words in a song that they miss the entire point of it? That's very sad. Try opening your heart and mind a little.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

And they in turn affect us in our daily lives, which makes the politics an indirect effect.

Since we cannot do anything about the cost of oil, gas or the politics of the region, what is our motivation to learn about Iraq, beyond simple curiosity?

Apart from being shot by a fanatic that's about as direct as politics gets.
To deny it effects every one of us, is to join the ostriches.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Ummm, this survey is about 18-24 year olds....doesnt reflect everyone in the US.

People are not expected to get more intelligent as the get older, hopefully wiser , but that's hard to measure.

 

[Ryan2065]

And they in turn affect us in our daily lives, which makes the politics an indirect effect.

Since we cannot do anything about the cost of oil, gas or the politics of the region, what is our motivation to learn about Iraq, beyond simple curiosity?

If you are up on world politics you can potentially see a increase in gas prices before it happens (say one nation randomly attacks another that supplies oil to America).

Knowing ahead of time when oil prices are going up/down is good. =)

Ummm, this survey is about 18-24 year olds....doesnt reflect everyone in the US.

Right... But it is a good indication of what the rest of the US thinks...

And...you misquoted gnostic btw.

How so? He said:
"Who care about the quantity of people who declare themselves educated on world events but there is also quality which is far more important. I've a good idea about the quality of the OP and this thread."
Ah, i see what you are saying...

Alright... how about this... The polls do not ask people "Hey, do you think you know stuff about world events or are you stupid?" They ask people about certain world events and then compare. On average, the United States does not score so good in these kinds of tests. People who create polls aren't usually stupid enough to rely on someones own opinion of themselves.

 

[Buttercup]

People are not expected to get more intelligent as the get older, hopefully wiser , but that's hard to measure.

I'm thinking this thread right here gives you a fairly good idea of why kids in that age range don't care much about the world....Some do sure, but the majority probably don't.

http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38231

 

[Buttercup]

How so? He said:

It's gnomon that made those comments, not gnostic.

 

[gnomon]

Wow, taking so much offense to what the world already knows...

Here is just a recent study reported by CNN...
http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/05/02/geog.test/index.html




Well thats nice... So the quality of the people who know about the world events in the US is better than other countries?

Congratulations. A poll of just over 500 people specifically aimed at 18-24 year olds is representative of the entire American population. Look. I personally do believe that most people, the world over, generally don't really care much about what goes on outside their own lives.

However, I don't take an asinine five year old song and imply the stupidity of a whole class of people just to tout my own level of intelligence.

 

[kateyes]

I think the OP of this thread is ridiculous--and to measure all of the United States on 1 line out of a song is ridiculous as well. The song (like most songs) is about feelings and not knowledge.

I don't know if the intent of the thread was to be insensitive (Djarmila says not)-I would defy the average European to pick out NYC on an outline map of the United States--I live in Michigan--and when I show that to Europeans, and Asians on a map the most frequent response is--Oh you live in Canada. Let's not get snarky about who does and doesn't know geography--and let's not judge all Americans by the words of a song--that applies to Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, The Dixie Chicks or anyone else you care to name.

I don't care for generalizations--I try to avoid them where ever and when ever possible. I loved the idea of forums because I thought it gave people around the world to come together as people--not citizens of this or that country, or members of this or that religion--but just as people. I left another forum because I got tired of all Americans being generally lumped together as some great ignorant horde(or Satan). I am seriously considering leaving this one as well, sadly for the same reasons.

 

[gnomon]

Well thats nice... So the quality of the people who know about the world events in the US is better than other countries?

One can only shake their head. If that is what you read out of that quote than I can only assume you just affirmed your point.