I've seen a lot of these things thrown about here on Clutchfans so I guess CF.net is representative of the US. http://www.newsweek.com/photo/2010/08/24/dumb-things-americans-believe.html?gt1=43002
Man Americans don't know their geography. It reminds me of this video <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xyYx9ELZogM?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xyYx9ELZogM?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
Americans believe a lot of dumb things, creationism is the biggest in my mind, but no part of the world is exempt from believing stupid things. Stupid knows no nationality.
I won't defend the ignorance of so many of my fellow countrymen, but it's equally ignorant to think that outside the US people are way more enlightened. I've encountered more flavors of dumb in the world than Baskin Robbins has flavors. It's a myth that somehow ignorance is something indigenous to Red State USA. Not that it excuses the bible-thumping xenophobic rants or a basic lack of knowledge of one's own history, but I find that kind of belligerent stupidity everywhere. Most of the irritating hipster kids I encountered in the US were just as stupid and just as clueless as to how the world worked. Maybe they weren't as beholden to a literal interpretation of the New Testament, but I doubt most of them would pass a fifth grade geography exam. The same can be said for Israelis, Palestinians, Jordanians, Egyptians, Japanese, Koreans, South Americans, Russians, and no small number of Europeans I've encountered in my life...especially the English, most of which knew less about their country than I did from a history minor and watching BBC sitcoms as a kid. I don't say that with any pleasure. It can be very lonely to find an intelligent conversation. Most people in the world are provincial, xenophobic, nearsighted and at least to some degree, lacking the fundamental self-awareness to admit it.
What separates American stupidity for me is the way so many Americans seem to be proud of being stupid. They realize they're ignorant, but they think this somehow makes them better people. Maybe I just haven't met enough stupid people from other countries, but this seems uniquely American to me. Is there any other country in which a person could become a political superstar solely by flaunting his or her ignorance?
True its not a uniquely American problem but as an American I am most concerned about it. If I lived in another country I would very concerned about their ignorance too.
Is this where the discussion lies at this point? Because I believe the universe has a creator, I'm dumb? Holy batcrap.
Faith does not equal stupidity, I think that is excused, because there is no way to prove one side right or the other wrong. But radicalism is stupid.....even when it is based on the bastardization of said faith. Does that make sense? DD
agreed...but that wasn't what was being said, above, was it? it's not what i was responding to at all.
MadMax, I never said I had a problem with theistic evolution arguments. If you think the universe was created in 7 days 6,000 years ago, and you think evolution is a "load of crap" like a lot of people I know, then yeah, I consider that viewpoint dumb. Sorry if that makes me judgmental.
