We had a thread a few months ago in either MPSIMS or IMHO that linked to a website with a blank (no state names or lines) map and a bunch of mixed-up colored outlines of the states with names on them that you had to click and drag onto their locations on said map.
Even from the self-selected group that chose to do it and post their results, a great many missed two, three, or four. The proportion of posters that I considered intelligent, knowledgeable, and insightful really wasn’t at all dependent on whether or not they got all the positions of the states right.
I agree - knowing precisely where each state is seems to have little bearing on an individual’s knowledge (other than, well, the knowledge of where the states go). Unless you’re dealing with something very location-specific, in which case you’d have a map, knowing the general location is usually good enough.
I’ve mentioned this before, but I once had the assistant manager at the Dairy Queen where I worked centuries ago seriously argue that it was more important to know the McDonald’s Big Mac jingle (“two all beef patties,” &c.) than to know who your MP is.
Many people seem to have a limited capacity/tolerance for intellectual pursuits. They actually find mental activity beyond a certain level exhausting. In such cases it is probably better that these people utilize their capacity/tolerance in the pursuit of their profession.
The last time I was in the hospital, for major surgery, all the nurses I encountered were extremely professional, competent, and kind. I don’t know what they discussed at the nurses station when they weren’t dealing with patients. I don’t know if they could place all 50 states on the map, or knew anything about Pakistani politics. But they took excellent care of me, and I appreciate it.
I enjoy a good intellectual conversation as much as anyone, but If I had to deal with sick people all day long, I would probably prefer non-challenging fluff to a rigorous discussion of the issues of the day myself.
Another group that (gasp) also votes are those who read the back of a Noam Chomsky book and think they know politics, they sacre me more…they even think they actually are better
Maybe you have a touch of that. I know I have a strong dose of this – when I was reading the guy’s descriptions of common day-to-day problems, I was thinking “Wow, I know what he’s talking about!”
(And not being to recognize movie actors after they changed outfits is definitely one of my problems).
At least you can come up with a snappy medical explanation the next time your friend mentions the subject.
My roommate came home one night ranting about his coworker not knowing who Bhutto was. I told him it’s ridiculous that most Americans can’t even name Canada’s Prime Minister. There was a long silence.
If you ever feel like blowing their minds, one day you could tell them about Megawati Sukarnoputri, the (female) president of Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim country. (Well, she was from 2001-2004).
I can’t see any point in memorising the location of all the US states.
Knowing where to find information in case you need it is much better. I have an atlas and I know how to use it!
Why would you need to be able to locate every state by memory? If you were thinking of moving, you would look at cities, weather, job prospects, house prices, crime stats etc. It wouldn’t take long to find the state’s shape whilst doing this.
I’ve read about the Soviet Union being formed out of e.g. Russia, then collapsing back again. St. Petersburg has gone to Leningrad and back.
In my lifetime Yugoslavia has disintegrated; East Germany has come and gone, Persia has become Iran and Burma has become Myanmar.
I’m glad I didn’t memorise all that!
I mean, I was a teacher, and sat in front of rooms of kids who hadn’t the slightest curiosity about the world, geography, etc. They knew all about Britney spears though-just a quastion of priorities.
On this we are in agreement. They suck too. What’s that old quote, something essentially saying the more you learn the more you realize you are ignorant, yet still the schmucks are so damn cocksure of everything.
As someone on the left coast, they both fall into “little bitty states near DC” to me. I think that Maryland’s the one with a few arms and Delaware’s the little blob (checking Wikipedia… right!), but that’s mostly guesswork. I have the same problem with NH, VT, CT, RI, and all the little states on the east coast. Here’s why, I think: When I was learning the states in elementary school, and we got a map of the US to label and color in, they were all the ones that were too damned small to see, hardly, and just had little extending lines out to write their names on. So when I picture those little states, I have a mental image of a few little hard-to-color dots with name-lines extending into the Atlantic.
Again, Im not sure how my OP has become a geography game thing. Not saying I mind, its related, but for me, not knowing facts is forgivable, but not having any curiosity about the world around you or even accepting that certain things have happened/exist is not. Glee has a point in memorizing is not as important as being aware of the encyclopedias /atlas/internet/google and how to use it. That countries do not exist in isolation and what goes on at home can impact the neighbouring countries too.
I don’t think its an egg-headed thing to be aware of the countries that have “Noo-clee-yar”
capability, and to be concerned about political stability in the mid-east/arabian peninsula/indian subcontinent region.
As for the comments about subserviant nurses… be it from an historical or contemporary view, I am rather shocked that you do not see that nurses are a self regulated profession, have our own and a shared body of knowledge and expertise.
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The current entry to practice for a Registered Nurse in my province is no less than a four year university degree and for Registered Practical nurses, it is a two year Community College programme. We are the largest female dominated profession in Canada, and the largest self-regulated profession. (CNO)
A work place is a work place. Mine might involve giving medicine and planning care for adults with dementing illnesses. Yours might involve maintaining a computer network. Its still a work environment, and ours demands teamwork, and relying on the knowledge and judgement of your co workers. I just would like to occasionally have a conversation with someone who doesnt stick their head in the sand about any event further away than the local walmart.
Again, Im not sure how my OP has become a geography game thing. Not saying I mind, its related, but for me, not knowing facts is forgivable, but not having any curiosity about the world around you or even accepting that certain things have happened/exist is not. Glee has a point in memorizing is not as important as being aware of the encyclopedias /atlas/internet/google and how to use it. That countries do not exist in isolation and what goes on at home can impact the neighbouring countries too.I don’t think its an egg-headed thing to be aware of the countries that have “Noo-clee-yar” capability, and to be concerned about political stability in the mid-east/arabian peninsula/indian subcontinent region.
As for the comments about subserviant nurses… be it from an historical or contemporary view, I amd dismayed about the status of nursing in the eyes of some posters.
As found on the College of Nurses of Ontario website:
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The current entry to practice for a Registered Nurse in my province is no less than a four year university degree and for Registered Practical nurses, it is a two year Community College programme. We are the largest female dominated profession in Canada, and the largest self-regulated profession. (CNO) Nurses as “life long learners” is a huge mantra for us, we always have generous continuing education plans, and opportunities. No manager or doctor has ever had anything negative to say about any education Nursing or Non nursing that I have chosen to persue. So this “subserviant female” thing is 45 years out of date, despite what you think you know about nurses from soap operas and pornography.
A work place is a work place. Mine might involve giving medicine and planning care for adults with dementing illnesses. Yours might involve maintaining a computer network. Its still a work environment, and ours demands teamwork, and relying on the knowledge and judgement of your co workers. I just would like to occasionally have a conversation with someone who doesnt stick their head in the sand about any event further away than the local Walmart.
Didn’t mean to hijack the thread, Julie. Being a nurse, I feel your pain.
Lots of people don’t know what nurses do–I’d say most people. A whole lot of people see us as glorified secretaries for the doctors–even today. But that’s another thread, entirely!
