Why People Believe Americans are Stupid

[superluser]

OK.  Now this is a trick question, so think carefully.  What is the capital of Australia?

Well, googling it returns "Canberra" in the first few posts.

No, no.  The answer is of course Ottawa, the capital of Canada.  That was the trick part of the question.

Can't give that one to you, but I can offer it to anyone else.

[Alondro]

*sighs*  If I had my way, France would be located at the South Pole... stupid Frenchies!  I should know!  Last name:  de Charleroy. 

*ZOMG!  His real name!*    

Anyway, I'm quite sure there are quite a number of people in other countries who don't know anything either.  Especially in those countries that don't even have a functional educational system.  Buuuut, we can't say anything about those countries, cuz that's insensitive!   

[TheGreyRonin]

(...won't comment, won't comment, won't...hell with it...)

Information is increasing faster than an individual can absorb it, let alone usefully retain it. In the society of better-developed nations, it is becoming increasingly easier for people to simply look up information, freeing their minds from the necessity of carrying around bits of data that they do not need on a daily basis.

In reality, how often does the average person need to know that the capitol of South Dakota is Pierre? Or that Dakotans habitually mispronounce it as "peer"? It's less stupidity than simple ignorance, and ignorance of facts that are not necessary to that individual's life.

I find it interesting that they equate intelligence with carrying around knowledge that is generally useless in a day-to-day situation. By that logic, good Trivial Pursuit players must be gods among men. LOL

[Kasarn]

On the other hand, if you are going to support the invasion of another country then you should probably know something about it. Of course, some people are just bigots...

CNNNN is also an Australian show and the jokes are loosely based on Australian current affairs.
John Howard likes to talk up his close relationship with George Bush and the USA in general. Thus the joke is that nobody in the USA knows or cares who John Howard is and barely know where Australia is.


"As long as there are absolutely no follow up questions, then yes."

[Stygian]

*sighs*  If I had my way, France would be located at the South Pole... stupid Frenchies!  I should know!  Last name:  de Charleroy. 

*ZOMG!  His real name!*    

Anyway, I'm quite sure there are quite a number of people in other countries who don't know anything either.  Especially in those countries that don't even have a functional educational system.  Buuuut, we can't say anything about those countries, cuz that's insensitive!   

Please, go ahead and say anything you want about sweden and the swedish educational system. This place is messed up, I tell you. Finally, we've got a liberal government at last, but it's going to take more than a political shift to rework this place...

[Brunhidden]

is anyone here aware that there was a survey sent to china. on this survey people were asked by the surveyors such things as "do you know what an aeroplane is?", "have you ever seen or hear a radio?", "do you know who the leader of your country is?" and my personal favorite "do you know what china is?"

theres chunks of china the size of cuba where maybe one person in twenty has any clue what china is, where it is on a map, or that they live in it.

is anyone aware that years ago when people were afraid of the population explosion in affrica a group was sent in the intrest of public health to give away free vasectomies? after they had no takers they offered cheap crappy transistor radios that may catch one or two channels on a good day.  you know the africans had no clue what was going on, because after they had a vasectomy they would GET BACK IN LINE. i feel sorry for them because many of them probably spent the next five years wondering why the gods of fertility frowned on them.

no, im not picking on the third world. china is right now the most dynamic economy in the world, has the most pervasive infusion of public relations and civic programs anywhere, and is deadset to make sure every man woman and child in china knows enough to be productive and loyal. and africa, well, can you really excuse them if they dont know something about two minutes after they got a full lecture telling you what it is? no, thats just not careing cause you will be given a transistor radio.

please understand that theres stupid people in every country. the three reasons why people think americans are stupider then anywhere else is
1- weve elected our head idiot as leader. sadly he does not represent the country. in fact he never won either election.
2- due to americans haveing grown so used to free speach the loudest voice that america, americans, american government, and the suchlike is idiocy...well, the loudest voice is the americans. seriously, more americans are vocalising that america is stupid, and with more accuracy,  then anyone else on the world.
3- everybody just likes to insult america. it used to be france, but apperantly thats not politically correct anymore to make jokes about frogs and serving cats to tourists

Stupid is as stupid does, and theres a whole lotta stupid going on right here

[Eldoran]

"Hey, if I give you twenty dollars, would you act like a complete idiot in front of a camera? Thanks." Because I don't think anyone is as stupid as the people who accepted the map test thing. There is noone that stupid here in Hattiesburg (:

Also, I liked how he asked someone a question about war tactics (: It made me feel really gushy inside.

[Alondro]

1- weve elected our head idiot as leader. sadly he does not represent the country. in fact he never won either election.
2- due to americans haveing grown so used to free speach the loudest voice that america, americans, american government, and the suchlike is idiocy...well, the loudest voice is the americans. seriously, more americans are vocalising that america is stupid, and with more accuracy,  then anyone else on the world.

Stupid is as stupid does, and theres a whole lotta stupid going on right here

Little problem there.  First, Bush very clearly did win the second time by majority vote. 

Second, he's not the head idiot.  Paris Hilton, Brittary Spears/K-Fed (loser), Madonna, Anna Nicole Smith, Tom Cruise, John Travolta... (the list of stupid 'celebrities' goes on and on) all have an overwhelming lead over him in the dumb-ass category and are rather on the wrong side of the century mark on the ol' IQ chart. 

[Hilary]

I don't think this is a reflection on the level of intelligence of American people, but a reflection of the nature of our society. These days people just don't want to learn. They're smart enough, if they'd just try. But the American lifestyle these days is not particularly conducive to learning. (The reason I want to get out of America isn't the people-- it's the lifestyle.) I'm sure that if some of those people had lived most of their life in another country, they could answer those questions.

On the other hand, a lot of facts such as those mentioned in the video get ingrained in your head, whether you want to learn or not. I mean, three world wars? Good grief. With many people, it is simply stupidity. Just not most people.

*Still wants out of this country* When I'm old enough, G.B., here I come. Brace yourselves.

[Alan Garou]

I live in Austin. It is the only smart city in Texas, and the most beautiful, culture-oriented, and wierd. And yet every day when I listen to the radio I still get an earfull of the antics of the bigoted morons running this countries. They're always yapping on and on about how only they will be "saved" during the Rapture. You know what I think? I think the Rapture is God's plan to finally get rid of them so the rest of us can finally set things right.

[xHaZxMaTx]

When I'm old enough, G.B., here I come. Brace yourselves.

And that was the last anyone ever heard from Hilary.

[Alondro]

Heh, those who believe in the Rapture have obviously never actually read the Bible.  They've taken one passage of a parable entirely out of context and ignored several chapters worth of actual descriptions of the prophecied Second Coming.

Speaking of silly beliefs, what on earth is with the martyrdom so you can get 72 virgins?  Talk about being sex-crazed.

*Bill Clinton*  72?  

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Who wants a virgin, anyway. Give me an experienced woman, anytime. Virgins squeal too much.

*cough*

[Vidar]

Who wants a virgin, anyway. Give me an experienced woman, anytime. Virgins squeal too much.

*cough*

If you do the often enough, they will become experienced, eventually.

Heh, those who believe in the Rapture have obviously never actually read the Bible.  They've taken one passage of a parable entirely out of context and ignored several chapters worth of actual descriptions of the prophecied Second Coming.

Meh. The Rapture, and the rest of Revelation should have been shoveled out of the bible along with the rest of the apocrypha. It doesn't make any sense, no matter what angle you look at it from.

Of course, that's just what I as an atheist says. *cough*

I live in Austin. It is the only smart city in Texas, and the most beautiful, culture-oriented, and wierd. And yet every day when I listen to the radio I still get an earfull of the antics of the bigoted morons running this countries. They're always yapping on and on about how only they will be "saved" during the Rapture. You know what I think? I think the Rapture is God's plan to finally get rid of them so the rest of us can finally set things right.

It's stuff like that, that makes the rest of the world think the Americans are idiots, because they elect religious nuts like that to rule over them, and make important decisions for them.
When are you going to run them out of office, and banish them to Alaska?

Other thing your leaders get pegged for are: closed minded anti-gay sentiments, starting wars in the middle east, and granting tax-benefits to the wrong people.

Also, America spawned things like Britney Spears and Paris Hilton.

[Valynth]

I don't think this is a reflection on the level of intelligence of American people, but a reflection of the nature of our society. These days people just don't want to learn. They're smart enough, if they'd just try. But the American lifestyle these days is not particularly conducive to learning. (The reason I want to get out of America isn't the people-- it's the lifestyle.) I'm sure that if some of those people had lived most of their life in another country, they could answer those questions.

Do I have to point out to you that the American lifestyle is that you can pick what ever lifestyle you want?  Thats why America is "free."   The reason Communist coutries have 100% literacy is because they kill or jail everyone who doesn't immediately spew back their propaganda.

[Tapewolf]

I wanted to stay out of this but I can't hold back anymore...

Heh, those who believe in the Rapture have obviously never actually read the Bible.  They've taken one passage of a parable entirely out of context and ignored several chapters worth of actual descriptions of the prophecied Second Coming.

Meh. The Rapture, and the rest of Revelation should have been shoveled out of the bible along with the rest of the apocrypha. It doesn't make any sense, no matter what angle you look at it from.

It does if you consider that the Revelation ends with something akin to "do not edit this bit out of the Bible or God will kill you".  But IMHO that's the only angle that really makes sense to me...

One of the things which I find utterly incredible is the concept that every word in the Bible is literally true despite the fact that it's been re-translated and re-edited so many times.
And sadly this seems to be a US-centric belief, which is as you say, one of the unfortunate reasons for other people's perception of the US.

I live in Austin. It is the only smart city in Texas, and the most beautiful, culture-oriented, and wierd. And yet every day when I listen to the radio I still get an earfull of the antics of the bigoted morons running this countries. They're always yapping on and on about how only they will be "saved" during the Rapture. You know what I think? I think the Rapture is God's plan to finally get rid of them so the rest of us can finally set things right.

Ooh, I like that spin on it.  I'll have to remember that one 

[Stygian]

Who wants a virgin, anyway. Give me an experienced woman, anytime. Virgins squeal too much.

*cough*

"For my talent portion..." *Spot the quote!*

Why is it that people run down religion in general? I'm anti-religious. I'm not against the concept of a god, but I think all forms of organized superstition are destructive. And still, I could consider leaving nearly all other religions alone, if only for one thing; if we could get rid of the bloody christians, and the bloody muslims.

Why? Well, who's making the most noise right now? Whose beliefs are stated in all the modern world as the prime examples of religion, and similarily in some places as the prime examples of corruption and degenerate human thinking? Whose beliefs have been the most prolific, in terms of spawning a good number of large, exploitative undergroups?

In all, you can say what you want about religion in general, but two of them in particular seem to dominate the bullshitting and groin-punching leagues, and those are Christianity and Islam. There are a lot of f-ed up parts of Judaeism too, sort of the root of them both, that I don't like, but say what you want; Judaeism doesn't promote the same kind of "worship" as its ugly children.

And why these two then? Well, you can look at it all from a cultural perspective, and go on and on about history, development through time and all that. And you'd be right. But all you'd do was rehash what has already been said, and right now I don't feel like coming off like some sort of professor. I want to have a bit of sting, so I'll say this instead:

Christianity and Islam (and Judaeism, yeah...) are the only two religions that have genuinely convinced a really large mass of people that there is a big, allmighty guy who sits in the sky or wherever, and knows and sees all, but doesn't even rub his nose in it. And they're the only ones that have convinced people that this guy has a list of things that he wants you not to do, and that he has a special place full of anguish and torment where he sends you off to after you die if you've done some of these things. But he loves you.

[Aridas]

Do I have to point out to you that the American lifestyle is that you can pick what ever lifestyle you want?

...As long as what you want is what they want you to want. Otherwise you're scum. Try a few other countries; they work the same way and then some.

[superluser]

Heh, those who believe in the Rapture have obviously never actually read the Bible.  They've taken one passage of a parable entirely out of context and ignored several chapters worth of actual descriptions of the prophecied Second Coming.

Meh. The Rapture, and the rest of Revelation should have been shoveled out of the bible along with the rest of the apocrypha. It doesn't make any sense, no matter what angle you look at it from.

Well, if what Alondro says is true, then the Rapture is not mentioned in the book of Revelation.  Revelation has no parables.  A quick look at the Wikipedia entry suggests that Alondro is referring to Lk 17:30-35, though the word `rapture' only comes from 1 Thess 4:15–17.  There seems to be no basis for it in the book of Revelation, but it's been a while since I read it.

As for chucking that, I'm of the opinion that both the book of Revelation and the letter to the Hebrews should be demoted.  Neither is credibly of apostolic character, which was a criterion for inclusion.

Other thing your leaders get pegged for are: closed minded anti-gay sentiments, starting wars in the middle east, and granting tax-benefits to the wrong people.

Yeah, we know.  We're trying to change that.

[Valynth]

Do I have to point out to you that the American lifestyle is that you can pick what ever lifestyle you want?

...As long as what you want is what they want you to want. Otherwise you're scum. Try a few other countries; they work the same way and then some.

bzzzzt, wrong, that real culprit is "you can choose what ever life style you want so long as you produce something."  And guess what?  THATS TRUE EVERY WHERE!  No matter where you go, even if you are by yourself you are expected to at least produce SOMETHING, like food or other resources nessecary for the lifestyle of your choice.


Also, trivia time, How many solar systems are there?

[Tapewolf]

Well, if what Alondro says is true, then the Rapture is not mentioned in the book of Revelation.  Revelation has no parables.  A quick look at the Wikipedia entry suggests that Alondro is referring to Lk 17:30-35, though the word `rapture' only comes from 1 Thess 4:15–17.  There seems to be no basis for it in the book of Revelation, but it's been a while since I read it.

Bear in mind that the Rapture is pretty much a US idea, so most of what I've learned of it is from The Unexplained, a series of magazines dedicated to the investigation of the paranormal published from around 1980-1982 and bound into ten volumes.

According to their series on the End Times, the Rapture is derived from two segments of the Bible, the first book of Thessalonians which you've already mentioned (which, for the benefit of anyone else who's idly reading this, is the source of the part about everyone floating up to Jesus) and this:

First Book of Corinthians 15:50-53
015:050 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit
        the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit
        incorruption.

015:051 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we
        shall all be changed,

015:052 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump:
        for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised
        incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

015:053 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal
        must put on immortality.

..which seems to be saying two things:
1. Flesh cannot enter paradise
2. Come the final hour, the living and the dead shall both instantly transformed into immortal thingies which are able to enter heaven

Admittedly to my paranoid mind this sounds awfully like "No-one gets to Heaven alive, so God's gonna come and kill ya", but maybe that's just me.

[superluser]

Bear in mind that the Rapture is pretty much a US idea

Well, I'm a Christian from the US, and I don't believe in any sort of rapture.  Just so you don't associate me with the premillennial dispensationalists.

I believe that there will be some sort of parousia, and that sometime around then, there will be a great judgment which could as easily be instantaneous or a million years, but that's about as close as I can state anything definitively.

The 19th century was the source of a bunch of nutso religious theories in the US.  The Oneida community, the anti-evolutionists, the flat earth society...

[bill]

Are there any Preterists in the house?

[Tapewolf]

Bear in mind that the Rapture is pretty much a US idea

Well, I'm a Christian from the US, and I don't believe in any sort of rapture.  Just so you don't associate me with the premillennial dispensationalists.

Urrr.. what I was saying was that the Rapture concept doesn't seem to have gained any traction outside the US, therefore most of my information comes from unorthodox sources.  It's not something many people in the UK have even heard of in my experience.

As it happens I'm agnostic and while I can't bring myself to believe in the Bible, it does fascinate me.  I just thought you (and anyone else who's curious) might find the other passage useful.

[bill]

Likely cause being the effectiveness of the Rapture as an exploitation tool for Benny Hinn and the like. Far easier to get money from the flock if you set a deadline.

[Aridas]

Do I have to point out to you that the American lifestyle is that you can pick what ever lifestyle you want?

...As long as what you want is what they want you to want. Otherwise you're scum. Try a few other countries; they work the same way and then some.

bzzzzt, wrong, that real culprit is "you can choose what ever life style you want so long as you produce something." And guess what? THATS TRUE EVERY WHERE! No matter where you go, even if you are by yourself you are expected to at least produce SOMETHING, like food or other resources nessecary for the lifestyle of your choice.


Also, trivia time, How many solar systems are there?

They wouldn't be trying to make laws against certain lifestyles if that were true. >_>

Also: One.

[Vidar]

Do I have to point out to you that the American lifestyle is that you can pick what ever lifestyle you want?

...As long as what you want is what they want you to want. Otherwise you're scum. Try a few other countries; they work the same way and then some.

bzzzzt, wrong, that real culprit is "you can choose what ever life style you want so long as you produce something." And guess what? THATS TRUE EVERY WHERE! No matter where you go, even if you are by yourself you are expected to at least produce SOMETHING, like food or other resources nessecary for the lifestyle of your choice.


Also, trivia time, How many solar systems are there?

They wouldn't be trying to make laws against certain lifestyles if that were true. >_>

As in :
*gay people* : Hi, we like other people of the same gender as we are!
* prez * : You defile our marriages! I'm going to make laws to make your lives more difficult than they already are! No marriage for you! Also, I'm going to invade middle-eastern countries, because I want to.
*gay people* :  Why! 
*reverent Phelps* : God hates fags!
*gay people*: 

Yeah. Land of the free, indeed. As long as you conform to some standard, and not deviate from it too much.

[xHaZxMaTx]

This is funny.

[bill]

You forgot about Pat Robertson. Even Christians think know he's a complete idiot.

[Valynth]

Do I have to point out to you that the American lifestyle is that you can pick what ever lifestyle you want?

...As long as what you want is what they want you to want. Otherwise you're scum. Try a few other countries; they work the same way and then some.

bzzzzt, wrong, that real culprit is "you can choose what ever life style you want so long as you produce something." And guess what? THATS TRUE EVERY WHERE! No matter where you go, even if you are by yourself you are expected to at least produce SOMETHING, like food or other resources nessecary for the lifestyle of your choice.


Also, trivia time, How many solar systems are there?

They wouldn't be trying to make laws against certain lifestyles if that were true. >_>

As in :
*gay people* : Hi, we like other people of the same gender as we are!
* prez * : You defile our marriages! I'm going to make laws to make your lives more difficult than they already are! No marriage for you! Also, I'm going to invade middle-eastern countries, because I want to.
*gay people* :  Why! 
*reverent Phelps* : God hates fags!
*gay people*: 

Yeah. Land of the free, indeed. As long as you conform to some standard, and not deviate from it too much.

*cough*gaysdon'tproducechildren*cough*
But thats not the point.  It isn't law, and never shall be so long as I can vote.  You've been listening a bit too much to republican propaganda, that law really doesn't have the support they wished it did.

Also, more states are making sperate rules for gay marriages, which should be done.  You guys get to marry, and we don't have to worry about you taking Gov. funds away from our children.  Everyone wins.