# Are things "dumbed down" for Americans that aren't for other nations or cultures? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 29, 2007, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-things-dumbed-down-for-americans-that-arent-for-other-nations-or-cultures/431625 "2007-12-29T20:31:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-things-dumbed-down-for-americans-that-arent-for-other-nations-or-cultures/431625/81 "2007-12-31T00:10:17Z")
[QUOTE=Princhester] Is it not true that 'Mericans have a comparatively low per capita rate of having and using a passports? [/QUOTE] Not that surprising, when you consider that we’d have to travel hundreds and hundreds of miles to leave the country. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-things-dumbed-down-for-americans-that-arent-for-other-nations-or-cultures/431625/82 "2007-12-31T00:25:12Z")
[QUOTE=Princhester] Especially the “happen to know” bit. It implies that most people wouldn’t know. [/QUOTE] Humor. It is a difficult concept. ---
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-things-dumbed-down-for-americans-that-arent-for-other-nations-or-cultures/431625/83 "2007-12-31T00:56:39Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] When I lived in the US, I spent a long time trying to locate a stick-shift to buy because I can’t stand driving automatics, so my [del]anecdote[/del] datapoint counters yours… [/QUOTE] **jjimm** , this anecdote/datapoint doesn’t address the OP. The OP is about dumbing things down for Americans. Plenty of Americans drove manual transmissions for decades and they were certainly smart enough and skilled enough to do it. The switch from manual to automatic transmissions was not done to make cars more acceptable to the car-less. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-things-dumbed-down-for-americans-that-arent-for-other-nations-or-cultures/431625/84 "2007-12-31T01:15:16Z")
[QUOTE=elmwood] It’s a frequent meme both on the Internet and elsewhere, that cultural imports from other countries, whether television show concepts, food, or something else, are “dumbed down for Americans”, apparently because we’re collectively a short-bus riding nation. “Indian food? Oh, they dumb it doen for Americans, but everywhere else in thwe world it’s authentic.” [/QUOTE] I don’t have the cite, but I specifically recall reading a rather revealing article about international foods. Supposedly, the well-known ethnic foods we know (Chinese, Indian, Thai) are overwhelmingly inventions of the 20th century, in most cases the late 20th century, and even the exceptions did not predate the spice trade. Think about it, we talk about “real Thai” being so blazing hot with chile peppers, Indian foods with potatoes. What were these dishes before chiles and potatoes were brought back from the Americas? This makes the “dumbing down” accusation highly suspect. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-things-dumbed-down-for-americans-that-arent-for-other-nations-or-cultures/431625/85 "2007-12-31T01:25:22Z")
[QUOTE=Cosmic Relief] I don’t have the cite, but I specifically recall reading a rather revealing article about international foods. Supposedly, the well-known ethnic foods we know (Chinese, Indian, Thai) are overwhelmingly inventions of the 20th century, in most cases the late 20th century, and even the exceptions did not predate the spice trade. Think about it, we talk about “real Thai” being so blazing hot with chile peppers, Indian foods with potatoes. What were these dishes before chiles and potatoes were brought back from the Americas? This makes the “dumbing down” accusation highly suspect. [/QUOTE] Apart from the fact that you’ve missed the entire point of **elmwood’s** post, are you seriously claiming any kind of “America, fuck yeah!” over foodstuffs that were propagated worldwide by the oh… seventeenth century? ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-things-dumbed-down-for-americans-that-arent-for-other-nations-or-cultures/431625/86 "2007-12-31T01:37:08Z")
[QUOTE=Struan] Apart from the fact that you’ve missed the entire point of **elmwood’s** post, are you seriously claiming any kind of “America, fuck yeah!” over foodstuffs that were propagated worldwide by the oh… seventeenth century? [/QUOTE] My main point is that what our hypothetical European food snob considers “authentic” ethnic food is basically an exported version of fast food that originated in the 20th century. A secondary but interesting point is that these “authentic” flavors depend squarely on spices and vegetables that originated in the Americas. Not that it’s worth grabbing one’s cock and going “woohoo” as you charitably characterized me, but it does take a dent out of the argument that Americans have dumbed down someone’s so-called “authentic” ethnic fast food. ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-things-dumbed-down-for-americans-that-arent-for-other-nations-or-cultures/431625/87 "2007-12-31T01:43:40Z")
[QUOTE=GoneTheSun] I don’t think you actually offered anything. Is there Paris, Australia? No. Moscow, Austalia? Nope. So what the heck are you talking about? Of course Australians don’t feel a need to cite the countries associated with these cities. [/QUOTE] Was Australia settled by the French and the Russians? Nope. It was settled by the **English.** And it has already been pointed out that there are a metric buttload of English place names replicated in Australian lands. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-things-dumbed-down-for-americans-that-arent-for-other-nations-or-cultures/431625/88 "2007-12-31T01:53:05Z")
During the '80s and early '90s video games made in Japan would regularly be dumbed down for American / Western audiences. A famous example is Super Mario 2 for the NES, which was not released in the U.S. originally. Instead, Doki Doki Panic had its cast of characters replaced by Mario characters and sold as Super Mario 2 in the U.S. and Europe, since Nintendo execs thought the real Mario 2 was too difficult for Western audiences. The real Mario 2 wasn’t released in the West until it was bundled in Mario All Stars for the SNES. Rampant censorship of ‘mature’ elements was the norm for quite some time. References to God, alcohol, sex, flirting, and drugs were either cut or replaced. Suggestive double entendres and adult humor in general also went out the window. Well into the late '90s it wasn’t unusual for the Japanese version of any given game to be a fair amount more difficult than the American version. I don’t think this happens much anymore, though. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-things-dumbed-down-for-americans-that-arent-for-other-nations-or-cultures/431625/89 "2007-12-31T01:54:09Z")
My biggest gripe is with cable news. CNN, Fox News, MSNBC and Headline News certainly seem dumbed-down compared to CNN International, or BBC News. (It was not always thus. CNN and Headline News have grown steadily more stupid since Ted Turner sold out to Time-Warner.) ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-things-dumbed-down-for-americans-that-arent-for-other-nations-or-cultures/431625/90 "2007-12-31T03:27:51Z")
[QUOTE=Struan] Apart from the fact that you’ve missed the entire point of **elmwood’s** post, are you seriously claiming any kind of “America, fuck yeah!” over foodstuffs that were propagated worldwide by the oh… seventeenth century? [/QUOTE] Yes, those things have been all over the world for a long time, and it’s not really the point, anyway. But to say that “they” dumb down Indian food in the U.S. is a pretty big generalization. Usually it depends a lot on the circumstances. The only Thai restaurant in a small town is not going to serve things the same way as a place in the middle of Thai Town. Even a typical westside restaurant is different. I haven’t been to China, but friends that have tell me that a typical Chinese person rarely eats anything like what you find in an American Chinese restaurant–not because it’s dumbed down–on the contrary, it’s the opposite, because of the standard of living. Who in the States goes to a restaurant to eat noodle soup with an egg in it? ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-things-dumbed-down-for-americans-that-arent-for-other-nations-or-cultures/431625/91 "2007-12-31T03:39:06Z")
[QUOTE=Fish] Was Australia settled by the French and the Russians? Nope. It was settled by the **English.** And it has already been pointed out that there are a metric buttload of English place names replicated in Australian lands. [/QUOTE] Nitpick: Because Australia was settled by the English and not the French, it’s actually an _Imperial_ buttload (1.6 metric buttloads). Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Throatwarbler_Mangrove)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-things-dumbed-down-for-americans-that-arent-for-other-nations-or-cultures/431625/92 "2007-12-31T03:47:25Z")
> [@](#): > > Cars. When I came to the US, I discovered that Honda was pulling one over on the collective populous by renaming their cars Acuras so that the well-heeled yank would think that they’re not buying a Honda. It worked. They bought Acuras (which were Hondas everywhere else) and drove around thinking they were in a car comparable to a Benz. [The Cadillac Cimarron - let me show you it](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac_Cimarron) With few exceptions, Acura/Infiniti/Lexus vehicles are NOT rebadged versions of equivalents Honda/Toyota/Nissan products - not in their respective markets. There is no Toyota equivalent to the Lexus IS in North America. Sure, it was once sold in other markets as a Toyota Altezza, but at least in those markets, it DID compete with Mercedes (well, more with BMW really). The Japanese were actually a bit more honest about it than the Detroit Big 3, instead of slapping a new badge on a Corolla and selling it for double the price. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-things-dumbed-down-for-americans-that-arent-for-other-nations-or-cultures/431625/93 "2007-12-31T04:01:09Z")
I would think Indian food places would be more likely to be dumbed down in England than in the US. It’s not fast food or takeaway in the US. All the ones I’ve seen are real restaurants. ---
**Author:** ![ntcrawler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/34f0e0/32.png) [@ntcrawler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ntcrawler)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-things-dumbed-down-for-americans-that-arent-for-other-nations-or-cultures/431625/94 "2007-12-31T04:01:13Z")
[QUOTE=marshmallow] Well into the late '90s it wasn’t unusual for the Japanese version of any given game to be a fair amount more difficult than the American version. I don’t think this happens much anymore, though. [/QUOTE] The only reason why this has been toned down is because of increased consumer demand as video game players and otaku alike, thanks in no small part to the internet have gotten increased exposure as to what happens and is available in Japan, as well as travelling back and forth and purchasing games and other material overseas to bring it back. Eventually the demand for these goods and the amount purchased has gotten to the point that the companies in Japan could no longer ignore. But it still doesn’t work for the movie industry, who continues to release the same movies in Europe, Asia, in Australia with additional scenes, more material, and special edition tins or packages that are just not available here in the States. A case point would be the X-Men 3 movie. The European and Australian releases which contained 10 extra scenes than the release here in the States. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-things-dumbed-down-for-americans-that-arent-for-other-nations-or-cultures/431625/95 "2007-12-31T04:06:00Z")
[QUOTE=CaveMike] **jjimm** , this anecdote/datapoint doesn’t address the OP. The OP is about dumbing things down for Americans. Plenty of Americans drove manual transmissions for decades and they were certainly smart enough and skilled enough to do it. The switch from manual to automatic transmissions was not done to make cars more acceptable to the car-less. [/QUOTE] This doesn’t really address the OP either, though. I don’t think anybody is saying Americans as individuals are going to be any smarter or dumber than the citizens of any other country. The question is whether things are “dumbed down” for them, which is a bit different. You could dumb down something for Stephen Hawking if you thought he’d be more inclined to buy it. It’s pretty much established that the US motoring public prefers automatic transmissions. This is not the same as saying that they are somehow genetically incapable of figuring out a gearstick and a clutch. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-things-dumbed-down-for-americans-that-arent-for-other-nations-or-cultures/431625/96 "2007-12-31T04:07:14Z")
On reflection, Stephen Hawking might have a bitch of a time with a stick shift… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ntcrawler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/34f0e0/32.png) [@ntcrawler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ntcrawler)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-things-dumbed-down-for-americans-that-arent-for-other-nations-or-cultures/431625/97 "2007-12-31T04:31:19Z")
[QUOTE=TheLoadedDog] On reflection, Stephen Hawking might have a bitch of a time with a stick shift… 😃 [/QUOTE] But he can still [rap!](http://www.mchawking.com/)🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Long\_Time\_First\_Time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@Long\_Time\_First\_Time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Long_Time_First_Time)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-things-dumbed-down-for-americans-that-arent-for-other-nations-or-cultures/431625/98 "2007-12-31T04:53:17Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] . Hell, Shiner Bock is nationally distributed, and it’s very lightly hopped (and quite delicious, to boot!). [/QUOTE] Nationally distributed, my ass. I love that beer and look for it everywhere. I have never seen it outside of Texas. If you know some place in Indiana that sells it, I’d love to hear of it. ---
**Author:** ![Long\_Time\_First\_Time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@Long\_Time\_First\_Time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Long_Time_First_Time)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-things-dumbed-down-for-americans-that-arent-for-other-nations-or-cultures/431625/99 "2007-12-31T04:56:14Z")
If you’ve ever seen the International CNN channel vs. the American CNN channel there is no doubt that the news in this country is extremely dumbed down. I don’t believe spending hours and hours on celebrity screw-ups are a mainstay of TV in other countries. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-things-dumbed-down-for-americans-that-arent-for-other-nations-or-cultures/431625/100 "2007-12-31T04:58:34Z")
[QUOTE=Long Time First Time] I don’t believe spending hours and hours on celebrity screw-ups are a mainstay of TV in other countries. [/QUOTE] Why don’t you think that? I’ve lived in a few countries, including England and China. It’s a mainstay there too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-things-dumbed-down-for-americans-that-arent-for-other-nations-or-cultures/431625.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-things-dumbed-down-for-americans-that-arent-for-other-nations-or-cultures/431625.md?page=6)