U.S. Politics

[Paleo]

Not really, the US News networks are pretty corrupt and focused on themselves or (in my opinion) silly things.

"Ay, look who won the Superbowl!" "Wow, crazy celebrity story!" "Ooo, shocking info of things that'll kill you...after these advertisements for things you don't need!"

 

[metis]

My experience as one who taught anthropology for 30 years and political science for 25 years is that the average American is not very good at much of anything outside our borders. OTOH, since I had many European students over the years, they overall seemed much better equipped about what was going on outside their own borders.

 

[9Westy9]

I get all of my information on the US elections from Triumph the insult comic dog. Much more entertaining

 

[Revoltingest]

My experience as one who taught anthropology for 30 years and political science for 25 years is that the average American is not very good at much of anything outside our borders. OTOH, since I had many European students over the years, they overall seemed much better equipped about what was going on outside their own borders.

Well of course!
They all live in tiny countries cheek by jowl, & regularly perpetrate or endure invasion.
They don't pay attention to foreign countries because they're better than we are.
They do so out of fear, avarice, or simple neighborly interest....like watching the state next door.

 

[Sultan Of Swing]

Well of course!
They all live in tiny countries cheek by jowl, & regularly perpetrate or endure invasion.
They don't pay attention to foreign countries because they're better than we are.
They do so out of fear, avarice, or simple neighborly interest....like watching the state next door.

And the next thing after that is holidays. Want to go skiing? Just visit another part of America. Want to go sunbathing? America. Deserts? America. Big cities, nightlife? America.

Where as a poor Brit has to go to Spain to get some sunshine, and that naturally results in knowledge of surrounding countries.

 

[Kori]

I get all of my information on the US elections from Triumph the insult comic dog. Much more entertaining

The people of the USO never fail to depress me.

 

[Revoltingest]

And the next thing after that is holidays. Want to go skiing? Just visit another part of America. Want to go sunbathing? America. Deserts? America. Big cities, nightlife? America.

Where as a poor Brit has to go to Spain to get some sunshine, and that naturally results in knowledge of surrounding countries.

So you're saying they have the advantage of geographical poverty?
Yes.....yes!

 

[Sultan Of Swing]

So you're saying they have the advantage of geographical poverty?
Yes.....yes!

We didn't fight a war over America for nothin'.

 

[Curious George]

First of all, I don't mean any offence to any of our U.S. posters here so please don't take it the wrong way.

I live in the U.K. and on the news I see all sorts of discussion of the U.S. elections and so on. Now, I feel more connexion to Europe than I do to the U.S., and I honestly care more about who is the German Chancellor or the French President or the Russian Leader than I do about who's in charge of the U.S. Granted, it does affect the U.K. but I don't think it affects us half as much as, say, Germany and the European Union. Yet when the French elections or especially any Eastern European elections are taking place, it's barely front page news. If I want to know who's in charge of the Czech Republic I have to Google it.

So I'd like to ask:

Are U.S. televisions bombarded with the U.K. elections every five or so years?

Why are U.K. T.Vs blasting Brits with elections in a country that, to be brutally honest, few Brits really give a toss about?

Blasted? No. It makes news though. I think you are in the minority though. Granted some of your pub mates might rather be watching something else on the telly, but bottom line television and news media is great at capitalizing on what sells. So, if it's on, well people are interested or entertained. Granted it might have a Jerry Springer element, but if you're not interested then you are in a group of people less relevant to the media. If there were more of you, they would take notice.

 

[Rival]

Blasted? No. It makes news though. I think you are in the minority though. Granted some of your pub mates might rather be watching something else on the telly, but bottom line television and news media is great at capitalizing on what sells. So, if it's on, well people are interested or entertained. Granted it might have a Jerry Springer element, but if you're not interested then you are in a group of people less relevant to the media. If there were more of you, they would take notice.

I'm not sure. In the UK we have to pay our tv license fee for the BBC or else we have no telly. We have therefore no choice.

 

[Sultan Of Swing]

I'm not sure. In the UK we have to pay our tv license fee for the BBC or else we have no telly. We have therefore no choice.

Good point, though the BBC still needs to maintain viewing ratings that at least match up with its rivals, otherwise the government steps in and starts chopping off a few parts here and there, haha.

 

[Sunstone]

I think they're begging to be recolonised sometimes.

Don't tease us! You might find rushing back to the fold.

The best way to confuse Americans is to show them a map without labels and ask them find the US, let alone the UK. We just aren't a people knowledgeable about the world.

I once heard an explanation for that which seemed to make sense to me. In the US, the pressure on people to assimilate is relatively intense compared to most places. Multiculturalism has never been much of a force here. As part of that pressure, people are encouraged to forget the old county, to forget anything, really, outside the US. "You're an American now, start acting like one!" That's something I've heard people say to immigrants when they talk about preserving their customs.

 

[Sundance]

Don't tease us! You might find rushing back to the fold.

The best way to confuse Americans is to show them a map without labels and ask them find the US, let alone the UK. We just aren't a people knowledgeable about the world.

I once heard an explanation for that which seemed to make sense to me. In the US, the pressure on people to assimilate is relatively intense compared to most places. Multiculturalism has never been much of a force here. As part of that pressure, people are encouraged to forget the old county, to forget anything, really, outside the US. "You're an American now, start acting like one!" That's something I've heard people say to immigrants when they talk about preserving their customs.

“Some” Americans, but I agree.

 

[Yerda]

Why are U.K. T.Vs blasting Brits with elections in a country that, to be brutally honest, few Brits really give a toss about?

American politics is more interesting than our own. It's even more interesting than normal just now. I'll fill ye in...

There's some pensioner that got himself lost on the way home from the bingo, where he seemingly had a few, and started promising all sorts of revolutions. There's also an angry toupee who, as forfeit for losing whatever bet he made, has to run for president while on whatever medication it was that prevented my grandad from keeping his mortifying opinions to himself while in company. Tune in tomorrow to hear Bernie promise to skin a billionaire and Trump pledge to outlaw the moon.

Edit: You might have to listen to Hilary Clinton at some stage if you aren't careful.