Why 1/5 of Americans can't locate the U.S. on a world map

[Swinging Swede]

[paul secor]

I wanted to laugh, but it was just too friggin' sad.

[JSngry]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaN6Rx8X6_I&NR=1

[Brownian Motion]

Well, at least she answered the question.

[connoisseur series500]

I wonder if she even knows what a map is.

I guess there's a reason for asking questions to beauty contestants.

[connoisseur series500]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaN6Rx8X6_I&NR=1

Incredible story.

I had this discussion with a chemical engineer. He seemed to always look down on the arts and I told him that Americans were uneducated. Education in America is job-directed. There's a lot of niche education, while no one studies the liberal arts if they ever hope to get a job one day. In the meantime, our kids don't know how to find America in a world map, nor do they know what "War and Peace" is.

Throw all the money you want to in this system, but until Americans realize the value of the humanities in education, then we'll remain uneducated.

[Aggie87]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaN6Rx8X6_I&NR=1

Incredible story.

I had this discussion with a chemical engineer. He seemed to always look down on the arts and I told him that Americans were uneducated. Education in America is job-directed. There's a lot of niche education, while no one studies the liberal arts if they ever hope to get a job one day. In the meantime, our kids don't know how to find America in a world map, nor do they know what "War and Peace" is.

Throw all the money you want to in this system, but until Americans realize the value of the humanities in education, then we'll remain uneducated.

You're right - but alot of education is geared towards getting kids into paying jobs, not necessarily the arts. Does a mid-level production manager at Exxon care if prospective welders or engineers know where Slovenia is on a map, or have read War and Peace? From the manager's standpoint, will that have any effect on the employee's production?

[BruceH]

Well, at least she answered the question.

Not really.

[connoisseur series500]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaN6Rx8X6_I&NR=1

Incredible story.

I had this discussion with a chemical engineer. He seemed to always look down on the arts and I told him that Americans were uneducated. Education in America is job-directed. There's a lot of niche education, while no one studies the liberal arts if they ever hope to get a job one day. In the meantime, our kids don't know how to find America in a world map, nor do they know what "War and Peace" is.

Throw all the money you want to in this system, but until Americans realize the value of the humanities in education, then we'll remain uneducated.

You're right - but alot of education is geared towards getting kids into paying jobs, not necessarily the arts. Does a mid-level production manager at Exxon care if prospective welders or engineers know where Slovenia is on a map, or have read War and Peace? From the manager's standpoint, will that have any effect on the employee's production?

But that's the source of the problem. Our education is geared towards specific jobs. So we bow to the God of Mammon while those jobs that we became trained for eventually go overseas or become obsolete within a decade. Then it's back to school again if we don't want to make minimum wage.

If you tie your education wagon to the job market, it will leave you vulnerable and unprepared for life. The American economy is a mess as far as jobs are concerned. We no longer have lifetime employment and American corporations only want part-timers or women (because they can pay them less) or immigrants. If you are lucky enough to qualify for good jobs, then you are walking on thin ice. You will be downsized or replaced by someone cheaper.

Because the arts are downplayed, we are a nation of moral midgets. We have sacrificed everything for a mythical job market.

[Aggie87]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaN6Rx8X6_I&NR=1

Incredible story.

I had this discussion with a chemical engineer. He seemed to always look down on the arts and I told him that Americans were uneducated. Education in America is job-directed. There's a lot of niche education, while no one studies the liberal arts if they ever hope to get a job one day. In the meantime, our kids don't know how to find America in a world map, nor do they know what "War and Peace" is.

Throw all the money you want to in this system, but until Americans realize the value of the humanities in education, then we'll remain uneducated.

You're right - but alot of education is geared towards getting kids into paying jobs, not necessarily the arts. Does a mid-level production manager at Exxon care if prospective welders or engineers know where Slovenia is on a map, or have read War and Peace? From the manager's standpoint, will that have any effect on the employee's production?

But that's the source of the problem. Our education is geared towards specific jobs. So we bow to the God of Mammon while those jobs that we became trained for eventually go overseas or become obsolete within a decade. Then it's back to school again if we don't want to make minimum wage.

If you tie your education wagon to the job market, it will leave you vulnerable and unprepared for life. The American economy is a mess as far as jobs are concerned. We no longer have lifetime employment and American corporations only want part-timers or women (because they can pay them less) or immigrants. If you are lucky enough to qualify for good jobs, then you are walking on thin ice. You will be downsized or replaced by someone cheaper.

Because the arts are downplayed, we are a nation of moral midgets. We have sacrificed everything for a mythical job market.

I'm not disagreeing with you.

[couw]

[sidewinder]

Hey, that's my brain too this fine Friday morning !

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaN6Rx8X6_I&NR=1

Incredible story.

I had this discussion with a chemical engineer. He seemed to always look down on the arts and I told him that Americans were uneducated. Education in America is job-directed. There's a lot of niche education, while no one studies the liberal arts if they ever hope to get a job one day. In the meantime, our kids don't know how to find America in a world map, nor do they know what "War and Peace" is.

Throw all the money you want to in this system, but until Americans realize the value of the humanities in education, then we'll remain uneducated.

You're right - but alot of education is geared towards getting kids into paying jobs, not necessarily the arts. Does a mid-level production manager at Exxon care if prospective welders or engineers know where Slovenia is on a map, or have read War and Peace? From the manager's standpoint, will that have any effect on the employee's production?

But that's the source of the problem. Our education is geared towards specific jobs. So we bow to the God of Mammon while those jobs that we became trained for eventually go overseas or become obsolete within a decade. Then it's back to school again if we don't want to make minimum wage.

If you tie your education wagon to the job market, it will leave you vulnerable and unprepared for life. The American economy is a mess as far as jobs are concerned. We no longer have lifetime employment and American corporations only want part-timers or women (because they can pay them less) or immigrants. If you are lucky enough to qualify for good jobs, then you are walking on thin ice. You will be downsized or replaced by someone cheaper.

Because the arts are downplayed, we are a nation of moral midgets. We have sacrificed everything for a mythical job market.

Well, you're not wrong - I'd be the last to deny the value of a liberal education. But Britain seems - to me anyway - not markedly superior in terms of the general level of knowledge. And the economic results for Britain of having a liberal education system are clearly inferior to those of the US. But to what extent those results are caused by the education system isn't clear, and can't be proved, I think.

What I think you have in the US is a very Americo-centric education system, which gives rise to stupid responses like that of the South Carolina bimbo. But it reflects a very Americo-centric viewpoint generally. The tiny proportion of Americans who have passports is a first class symptom of this - and it's NOT irrational or stupid. Not at first glance, anyway. America has so much and in such variety, why go abroad for your holidays? And, as for holidays, so for much else - why look abroad?

I had what I think was very much an Anglo-centred education - what do you expect? But that is the view of a small nation that has always had to look outwards. That is nothing like America. But what it may generate (but not always; I'm reading E M Forster at present) is a sense of perspective and that is what seems to be lacking in America.

I think.

MG

[Rosco]

The girl is a genius!

Think about it. She gets asked why 1/5th of Americans can't find the US on a map. The obvious answer to give is: 'Because 1/5th of Americans are dumb fucks'. Ain't nobody winning a beauty contest with an answer like that.

So, she turns it around and manages to blame South Africa. Brilliant, I say! She should go into politics.

[sal]

She's hot, so it doesn't matter.

[catesta]

haha

On a serious note, she did get applause after the answer.

Edited August 31, 2007 by catesta

[7/4]

She's hot, so it doesn't matter.

That's what I was thinking...I saw her on the Today show. I didn't hear a word she said.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

She's hot, so it doesn't matter.

Bimbos aren't hot.

MG

[sal]

She's hot, so it doesn't matter.

Bimbos aren't hot.

MG

Hey, I'm not trying to marry her or anything....it is what it is.

[Brownian Motion]

Bimbos aren't hot.

MG

This is my position as well, but I believe I'm in the minority around here.

[J.A.W.]

She's hot, so it doesn't matter.

Bimbos aren't hot.

MG

They're not.

Edited August 31, 2007 by J.A.W.

[Rooster_Ties]

Question: "Recent polls have shown that one-fifth of Americans can't locate the U.S. on a world map. Why do you think this is?"

Answer: "I personally believe that U.S. Americans are unable to do so because … some people out there in our nation don't have maps and … I believe that our … education like such as in South Africa, and … the Iraq, everywhere like such as, and I believe that they should … our education over here in the U.S. should help the U.S., or should help South Africa, it should help the Iraq and the Asian countries so we will be able to build up our future, for our children."

Pure poetry!!

[Noj]

She's hot, so it doesn't matter.

Bimbos aren't hot.

MG

They're not.

They're hot until they speak!

[Aggie87]

They're hot until they speak!

Anybody see her on Today? Did her "defense" of her map answer clarify whatever she was trying to say? Or does she still have no clue?

[Alexander]

I agree that a liberal arts education is crucial for the creation of a well-rounded, well-informed populace, but then I'm an English and Social Studies teacher.

I also think that education has become far too job and career centered. You have to do SOMETHING after work, besides watching TV. A person with a rich intellectual life will never lack for things to do, even if it's only reading for pleasure or keeping up with world events.

And lest you think that the liberal arts are useless in the work world, I can't tell you how many people I encountered back when I was working retail who had absolutely abysmal spoken and written communication skills. If you want to go anywhere in any career, you have to know how to write. And no one who doesn't read is going to write well.