Risky
Saw a very interesting video on Tash’s site.
So I decided to share. I know I am so going to be bashed by my mates in the USA. But this is just too interesting. Plus I am putting it up to question, the importance of quality education.
Before we go further, Oprah once’s did an episode regarding how the American public school system has failed the American public. In the clip, questions were posted to American school going kids as well as kids from all over the world. Surprisingly, the non American kids knew more about the good ole USA compared to their American counterparts.
I do not think Americans are stupid but just somehow blissfully ignorant of what is happening in the world. Something that I can claim many others all around the world have in common. With personal daily problems, who has time for the world right?
Alright, alright. I am talking about the ‘normal’ folks, which do not include NGO activists, the ruling class, politicians, so-called educated ***tards (Who preach non-stop on something that is irrelevant), people who are generally concern of the way the world is run and orang-orang yang sewaktu dengannya.
I do believe at some point education has indeed failed the American school going child. My personal experience was when I was in the USA, 2 years ago. Someone from college asked me where Malaysia was. I am already used to the fact that a lot of people out of Asia are not sure where Malaysia is located on the world map. So I was not too annoyed. Anyway, V told her that it was in South East Asia. The girl, who still could not grasp the exact location of S.E.A., gave us a blank look. Trying to make things clearer for her, V offered the simplest explaination I could think of.
“It is the region between China and Australia!” V said.
Guess what was the reply…
“Umm, where is China?”
I was taken aback. (If I wanted to be more dramatic, I would term it as FAINTED)
With so many Chinese made products stocking Target and Wal-marts all across the USA, one would at least think that a college going individual would at least know where the clothes, jewelry and etc is coming from.
But what I mention was just my experience. Watch the video clip below and be entertained (or not)
If you cannot view it here. Please checkout this link instead, People Believe Americans Are Stupid
Anyway, I am somewhat blessed with the standard of education that I have received in Malaysia. Yes, I would agree that it is not the best in the world and no doubt there is a lot of improvement to be made. However, I have studied most of my life in Malaysia and have quite a level head when it comes to a lot of things.
I think the average American is rather stupid. Then again, it’s the 3rd largest (in terms of population) so that leaves a lot of room for stupid people to exist.
Also, I think that the States are so big that the people living there literally have everything they need within the confines of the country. This means they don’t need to look or think about things going on outside of their country as much as Europeans or Asians (where regional politics play an important role and knowing your neighbors is essential). The USA has two oceans separating it from the rest of the world and our only notable neighbors are the Canadians and Mexico.
Well said Aren.
The United States is so big that Malaysia is about the size of Texas. That is a lot to think about, isn’t it?
I bet if I made a documentary about South East Asians, I would probably get a similar result or worse.
However, I cannot tackle the topic of Malaysia without fearing for my life. The laws are just too strict about people displaying anything neagtive about the nation.
See as an American, I can support the idea of never having to look outside their own country idea with the fact of how many people I know who have a passport. I can just about count the number of people I know with a passport using only the fingers on my hands. When you actually get an American passport currently (a friend of mine just got one so I know) you only get 12 pages for stamps and visas. Which does not get you very far before you have to turn it in, mail your original birth certificate, and wait six weeks to six months for them to get it back to you.
American news and media panders to an audience who does not like to feel stupid and thereby attempts to talk as little about things outside of the country as possible, in an average half hour show for the news one minute of time will be devoted to things happening outside our country.
There are a lot of people here who do not know what is going on more or less and in other countries as well. There are plenty of people like those shown in the video though not usually at that level of stupidity, close though, far to close.
In my travels I have found most people know what is going on in the world but due to laws they would rather not speak of, they would rather not talk, and many times know anything about their own country that they live in.
~Spike~