# "Americans - the most brainwashed people of the World" **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 25, 2010, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685 "2010-05-25T09:37:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/61 "2010-05-25T22:02:17Z")
> [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](#): > > Who’s attacking the US? If your military is sufficiently big, no one wants to attack you because they know theirs is too small to win. “If you want peace, prepare for war.” If you are spending _just barely_ enough, that means sooner or later, someone _ **will** _ attack, because they mistakenly believe they will win. Then, you have to spend more in order to actually conduct and win the war than you would have if you had spent a bit more prior to it, to have a military good enough to actually dissuade them from attacking in the first place. If you spend a bit less than the “_just barely_”, then you’ve bought the world’s most expensive luxury item: a 2nd best military. All that money, straight down the shitter, because someone attacks and you lose. “Who’s attacking?” is a ridiculously _ **bad** _ standard on which to judge your military spending level. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/62 "2010-05-25T22:06:50Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Fuck! Somebody call Descartes! Bibito, ergo sum. It’s Jack Daniels thinking. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/63 "2010-05-25T22:12:11Z")
> [@No\_Man](#): > > Let’s put these two Big Gs aside and have a few ideas not controlled by Brainwashington: how can politicians do any good? Yes, I think Jack Daniels (or **No Man** ’s local equivalent) is thinking, here… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/64 "2010-05-25T22:15:43Z")
> [@No\_Man](#): > > a few ideas not controlled by Brainwashington I _loved_ that episode of Futurama. ---
**Author:** ![Marmite\_Lover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Marmite\_Lover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marmite_Lover)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/65 "2010-05-25T22:18:07Z")
> [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](#): > > Who’s attacking the US? 😃 All those bogeymen:eek: ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/66 "2010-05-25T23:13:22Z")
> [@Marmite\_Lover](#): > > 😃 > > All those bogeymen:eek: Umm, which “bogeymen” are you referring to? The ones who occupy the worms at the bottom of your tequila bottle, perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![Marmite\_Lover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Marmite\_Lover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marmite_Lover)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/67 "2010-05-25T23:44:00Z")
[http://pakalert.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/ok\_dees.jpg?w=488&h=435&h=435](http://pakalert.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/ok_dees.jpg?w=488&h=435&h=435) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![SecretaryofEvil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@SecretaryofEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecretaryofEvil)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/68 "2010-05-26T01:36:09Z")
> [@No\_Man](#): > > Based on the number of Google-hits. There were about 40000 of them and most of them claimed Americans to be the most brainwashed. My opinion is that we all are too inactive what comes to social issues. Fighting ignorance is pretty much the same as fighting social inequality. Well, most of my issues can be found in North Korea, too. Maybe, there can one man own 40% of everything. I really don’t know. But the figures don’t look good for the US either. Yep, that one man’s name is Kim Jung Il. And based on your figures, one man does not control 40 percent of the wealth in America, roughly 3 million people would. ---
**Author:** ![kidneyfailure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9f8e36/32.png) [@kidneyfailure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidneyfailure)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/69 "2010-05-26T01:53:24Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Well, duh, you wrote it in English and came back with the largest English-speaking nation. Try translating your query into German or Cantonese. I tried it with Google China (or Google HK, I guess) and, predictably, got an error screen ☹ ---
**Author:** ![No\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@No\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_Man)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/70 "2010-05-26T03:25:28Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > This is just to wrap up some loose ends. We want oil (War on terror), we get oil (Gulf of Mexico). But if you put that 1,5 million personnel in a factory, you get a whole lot of new cars. And less bodies. ---
**Author:** ![No\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@No\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_Man)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/71 "2010-05-26T03:42:35Z")
> [@SecretaryofEvil](#): > > Yep, that one man’s name is Kim Jung Il. And based on your figures, one man does not control 40 percent of the wealth in America, roughly 3 million people would. The richest man should not earn more than ten times than the poorest fellow. And No Man should have more than 100 wives. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/72 "2010-05-26T03:44:08Z")
> [@Marmite\_Lover](#): > > [http://pakalert.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/ok\_dees.jpg?w=488&h=435&h=435](http://pakalert.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/ok_dees.jpg?w=488&h=435&h=435) > > 😃 That’s pretty sad - actually US military leaders recently complained that recruits were too chubby, ok they didn’t say chubby: [http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/5649541-obese-us-military-recruits-pose-a-national-security-risk-school-lunches-blamed](http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/5649541-obese-us-military-recruits-pose-a-national-security-risk-school-lunches-blamed) From the article: “A lot of farmers aren’t able to get the fresh vegetables and whole fruits to schools because they can’t afford the transportation. The produce rots in the fields.” Hmmm - they need fuel. **Cheshire Human** - that marmite is strong stuff - just a dab of it on my tequilla worm please. I drink therefore I am. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![SecretaryofEvil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@SecretaryofEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecretaryofEvil)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/73 "2010-05-26T04:21:40Z")
> [@No\_Man](#): > > The richest man should not earn more than ten times than the poorest fellow. And No Man should have more than 100 wives. Um, says who? Not so much the wives thing but the earning thing. Some people ten times more, why shouldn’t they earn ten times more? Lots of people are useless, and lots of people are detrimental. The United States doesn’t exactly rank well as far as income equality, but lots of countries are worse. > **[List of countries by income inequality](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_income_equality)** > > This is a list of countries and territories by income inequality metrics, as calculated by the World Bank, UNU-WIDER, OCDE, and World Inequality Database, based on different indicators, like the Gini coefficient and specific income ratios. Income from black market economic activity is not included. > The Gini coefficient is a number between 0 and 100, where 0 represents perfect equality (everyone has the same income). Meanwhile, an index of 100 implies perfect inequality (one person has all the... Check out this thread, [What does China want with Tibet anyway? - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=564419) particularly the posts by Yogsooth and Even Sven. The reasons given by Chinese people as to why China should have sovereignty over Tibet and Mongolia smack of ignorance and brainwashing to me. ---
**Author:** ![No\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@No\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_Man)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/74 "2010-05-26T05:08:35Z")
> [@SecretaryofEvil](#): > > ignorance and brainwashing to me. > **[StockExaminer - AI-Powered Stock Chatbot](https://examiner.com)** > > Discover Stock Examiner, the AI-powered chatbot delivering instant, interactive stock charts, real-time financials, breaking news, stock screeners, and more—all in one seamless experience. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/75 "2010-05-26T05:27:13Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > To add a smiley, click ‘go advanced’ and look around. Or just do it the old-fashioned way and type 🙂 for a smile, ☹ for a frown, 😉 for a wink, and :o for a blow job. When you post, the board software will convert them automatically, unless you tell it not to. ---
**Author:** ![No\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@No\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_Man)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/76 "2010-05-26T05:51:45Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > Nothing? …to legimate a state authority, but there is none or (people near)the government (are) is violating it. In Anarchy the fittest survive, not the wealthiest/people near the government. ---
**Author:** ![SecretaryofEvil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@SecretaryofEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecretaryofEvil)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/77 "2010-05-26T07:13:59Z")
> [@No\_Man](#): > > [StockExaminer - AI-Powered Stock Chatbot](http://www.examiner.com/x-18425-LA-County-Nonpartisan-Examiner~y2009m12d2-Afghanistan-war-surge-Nondefensive-wars-are-unlawful-orders-US-military-must-refuse-and-stop) Um, the article you linked to has nothing to do with what I was talking about. Do you honestly expect anyone to take you seriously when you present your arguments like this? Look through some other Great Debates threads. Do you notice anything different about the way others make their arguments from your rather abstract and minimalist approach? If someone writes something about economic inequality or simplistic Chinese views of sovereignty and nationalism, it is not generally considered a rebuttal to take 5 words they said out of context and link them to an article debating the legality of the War in Afghanistan. ---
**Author:** ![No\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@No\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_Man)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/78 "2010-05-26T07:53:00Z")
> [@SecretaryofEvil](#): > > If someone writes something about economic inequality or simplistic Chinese views of sovereignty and nationalism… Not a connection, there. Have you got any idea how they are rebuilding in Iraq? Something similar happened in Russia after Gorbatchev. Did the local oligarchy earn billions of dollars in ten years by working? No the government sold ownership of everything to their buddies. And so did GWB in Iraq. Correct me if I’m wrong, but sounds like Chinese Democracy to me. ---
**Author:** ![Camus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ba8739/32.png) [@Camus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Camus)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/79 "2010-05-26T09:43:58Z")
> [@No\_Man](#): > > Not a connection, there. Have you got any idea how they are rebuilding in Iraq? Something similar happened in Russia after Gorbatchev. Did the local oligarchy earn billions of dollars in ten years by working? No the government sold ownership of everything to their buddies. And so did GWB in Iraq. > Correct me if I’m wrong, but sounds like Chinese Democracy to me. The Chinese aren’t so big on selling or giving away state companies or assets to anyone. As for most brainwashed people in the world, after North Korea (and perhaps China), I’d vote for [here](http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/26/world/asia/26pstan.html?hp): [QUOTE=New York Times] “When the water stops running from the tap, people blame America,” said Shaista Sirajuddin, an English professor in Lahore. The problem is more than a peculiar domestic phenomenon for Pakistan. It has grown into a narrative of national victimhood that is a nearly impenetrable barrier to any candid discussion of the problems here. In turn, it is one of the principal obstacles for the United States in its effort to build a stronger alliance with a country to which it gives more than a billion dollars a year in aid. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Perciful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Perciful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Perciful)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/80 "2010-05-26T12:56:24Z")
> [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](#): > > Who’s attacking the US? It’s an inside job. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685.md?page=5)