# Are Americans Less Globally Aware? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 14, 2003, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-less-globally-aware/181828 "2003-06-14T13:55:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-less-globally-aware/181828/101 "2003-06-18T15:30:06Z")
(_Young_ adults polled. Should have qualified that.) ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-less-globally-aware/181828/102 "2003-06-18T15:40:14Z")
I find it alarming that anybody can’t get at least 18 out of 20 on that test. The only one that that’s dodgy is the religion one. Other that that every non-mentally handicapped adult in the western world should IMO be able to answer the rest. It is a very very easy quiz. It’s even multiple choice for feck sake. Other than that I really don’t want to enter in this debate as it as always has turned into a pissing contest between the US and Europe with people taking offence etc. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-less-globally-aware/181828/103 "2003-06-18T15:58:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by spoke- \* > \*\*The other lesson from that survey is that British posters to this thread might want to consider whether to throw any more stones. \*\* Presuming this is directed towards me, I point you to my earlier post in the thread where I have already acknowledged that the UK performance is piss-poor, and remind you once again that this is NOT me saying “woohoo we’re better than you”. For goodness sake. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-less-globally-aware/181828/104 "2003-06-18T16:12:03Z")
I am not trying to get into a pissing match with you, **jimm**. Just poking some gentle fun. I think US citizens and British citizens alike are victims of a tabloid media cultue endemic to both nations. ---
**Author:** ![elfje](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19b73/32.png) [@elfje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfje)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-less-globally-aware/181828/105 "2003-06-18T16:21:44Z")
jjimm, so tell me, why is it again you can’t speak French? 😃 sorry, just couldn’t resist. I wonder how the belgians would’ve done. I got 19/20, as I was convinced Islam was the religion with most followers. Only after the result came back did I remember it was the fastest _growing_ religion, not necessarily the biggest one. 🙂 so I’m right on par with yojimbo! ---
**Author:** ![Riboflavin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Riboflavin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riboflavin)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-less-globally-aware/181828/106 "2003-06-20T05:35:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by OliverH \* > [Yawn. Is all you have in line of arguments putting things in other people’s posts? I never said Americans _don’t_ do such things. But the percentage, especially of people doing so on their own, rather than being shipped out by a US company or authority is, to my knowledge, a lot lower. And are you, or anyone else, ever going to get around to providing something vaguely resembling a cite, or is it just going to be a reiteration of your beliefs and feelings? > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjimm \* > I believe this phenomenon to be true. 2. I do not feel myself superior to anything or anybody whatsoever due to this phenomenon. Since it’s not GD appropriate for me to have brought up I apologize for it and retract any statements about your motivation. Of course, I still stand by all but that one sentence of the two paragraphs you quoted and angrily called a strawman. You still haven’t provided anyone with step 2 in the underpants gnomes saga. > [@](#): > > Yes, on the whole I believe there is a trend towards insularity greater than in many other national populations.I am offering a few random examples out of the many hundreds of encounters I have had. So, do you have any actual evidence, as opposed to mere anecdotes filtered through your prejudices? Do you even have a comprable anecdote set for some other region on the globe since the “less” in the title is a comprative? > [@](#): > > I’ve lived several years in the US, and visited dozens more times (I love the place). I spent part of my childhood in Texas, my family lives there, I’ve lived and worked in Connecticut, I have travelled to all 48 contiguous states. During all this time and travel, I’ve seen nothing to make me think that the premise is false. > > It’s just an observation of a trend, **Ribo** , and doesn’t reflect on individuals. It is certainly not a prejudice. Well, it certainly reads like one - you’ve traveled around, seen nothing (not ‘an insignificant amount’, but “nothing”) that shifts your view at all. Your evidence for your beliefs are simple anecdotes of running into ignorant people, which you can do in any country. You don’t offer anything to compare those anecdotes with in order to justify the ‘less’ appelation but the fact that you believe it. ---
**Author:** ![Riboflavin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Riboflavin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riboflavin)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-less-globally-aware/181828/107 "2003-06-20T05:40:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by OliverH \* > [Yawn. Is all you have in line of arguments putting things in other people’s posts? I never said Americans _don’t_ do such things. But the percentage, especially of people doing so on their own, rather than being shipped out by a US company or authority is, to my knowledge, a lot lower. And are you, or anyone else, ever going to get around to providing something vaguely resembling evidence for your beliefs? Jesus H Christ on a popsicle stick, this is a GD thread on aboard dedicated to fighting ignorance, and the arguments are all a bunch of “I feel” and “here’s a single fact which I will declare proves my case”. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-less-globally-aware/181828/108 "2003-06-20T13:20:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by spoke- \* > \*\* > I think US citizens and British citizens alike are victims of a tabloid media cultue endemic to both nations. \*\* Now, this, I can heartily agree with. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-americans-less-globally-aware/181828.md?page=5)