# Twisting every discussion into US debate=exposng yourself as really fuckng ignorant about the world **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 7, 2010, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twisting-every-discussion-into-us-debate-exposng-yourself-as-really-fuckng-ignorant-about-the-world/538612 "2010-05-07T08:56:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twisting-every-discussion-into-us-debate-exposng-yourself-as-really-fuckng-ignorant-about-the-world/538612/81 "2010-05-10T16:28:55Z")
Pop quiz: who’s the President of Mexico? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twisting-every-discussion-into-us-debate-exposng-yourself-as-really-fuckng-ignorant-about-the-world/538612/82 "2010-05-10T17:03:42Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Oddly enough, even though I used a lot of primary research sources from the Kansas State Historical Society in my research, I found no mention of the Kent family. At least, not the Kents who settled in Smallville. 🙂 > > Interestingly, DC did publish [_The Kents_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kents), by John Ostrander, which explained how the Kent family arrived in Kansas, and what they did there. While fictional, the story takes the historical events, and places the characters in them–for example, the Kent family arrived in the Kansas Territory as part of the anti-slavery emigration from New England; and the printing press destroyed during the sack of Lawrence belonged to Pa Kent’s ancestor, Nathaniel Kent. An interesting, and historically accurate, effort; and perhaps because I knew the history as well as I did, a quite enjoyable read also. You really ARE a Kansasophile. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twisting-every-discussion-into-us-debate-exposng-yourself-as-really-fuckng-ignorant-about-the-world/538612/83 "2010-05-10T17:21:21Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > Nitpick- Colosseum. Flavian Amphitheatre. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twisting-every-discussion-into-us-debate-exposng-yourself-as-really-fuckng-ignorant-about-the-world/538612/84 "2010-05-10T17:22:37Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > You really ARE a Kansasophile. 🙂 I guess so. 🙂 Where’s that thread about the Waltzing Bear, where people talk about things nobody would have guessed about them? ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twisting-every-discussion-into-us-debate-exposng-yourself-as-really-fuckng-ignorant-about-the-world/538612/85 "2010-05-10T17:27:26Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Pop quiz: who’s the President of Mexico? Carlos “Slim” Whitman. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twisting-every-discussion-into-us-debate-exposng-yourself-as-really-fuckng-ignorant-about-the-world/538612/86 "2010-05-10T20:09:32Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Flavian Amphitheatre. Don’t think we didn’t see that, mister. **Gaudere** [sup]2[/sup]. While we’re at it, _Amphitheatrum Flavium._ ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twisting-every-discussion-into-us-debate-exposng-yourself-as-really-fuckng-ignorant-about-the-world/538612/87 "2010-05-10T20:18:04Z")
> [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > Carlos “Slim” Whitman. Heh! ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2010, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twisting-every-discussion-into-us-debate-exposng-yourself-as-really-fuckng-ignorant-about-the-world/538612/88 "2010-05-17T01:16:31Z")
There’s no question that Americans (I am one, in case some of the newer people don’t know) tend to be a lot more insular, but I think it’s more a default result of physical distance and isolation than any willfully chauvinistic attitude. Until the advent of high speed internet access, the difficulty of obtaining foreign news and other materials was a real impediment to obtaining a non-America-centric view of things. Having to consume this material in a language other than English is an obvious impediment for many as well; here again, the difficulty of obtaining current material in many foreign languages is no longer a problem. But because it was a problem for so long, the vast majority of people decided it wasn’t worthwhile investing the effort to solidly learn a foreign language as they weren’t going to be able to use it. I’ve made the point before that outside of world-class tourist areas, America doesn’t get foreign travelers, it gets immigrants. Immigrant communities may have vibrant enclaves and news outlets, but these tend to be focused on the interests of that community in America or whatever city you happen to be in. They may or may not take an interest in the news back home, but generally emigrating means leaving your country behind. Cultural exchange often takes a back seat to more pressing needs. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2010, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twisting-every-discussion-into-us-debate-exposng-yourself-as-really-fuckng-ignorant-about-the-world/538612/89 "2010-05-17T02:36:53Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > , but I think it’s more a default result of physical distance and isolation than any willfully chauvinistic attitude. That certainly can be true, but I can’t see why that is the default setting. There would be a view that us antipodeans have a stronger case of physical distance, cultural separation and isolation in our history but (without claiming we are an arcadia of enlightenment) that doesn’t flow over into what you’ve termed as"willfully chauvinistic attitude". Didn’t need high speed internet, or even the internet at all. The “_difficulty of obtaining foreign news and other materials was a real impediment to obtaining a non-America-centric view of things_” might be closer to the mark. But the question is why is it difficult to obtain? In the world’s leading market driven economy, could the question be better phrased, “Why was/is the demand obtaining foreign news low?”. Because if there was a demand, I’m confident that the US media would find a profitable way to fill that market niche. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2010, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twisting-every-discussion-into-us-debate-exposng-yourself-as-really-fuckng-ignorant-about-the-world/538612/90 "2010-05-17T02:46:17Z")
Then there’s the whole “Cultural Cringe” thing, too. Not helped when the TV and film of the culture in question really aren’t that good to begin with… sort of puts everything in a vicious circle of sorts. ---
**Author:** ![put\_down\_the\_sabre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/da6949/32.png) [@put\_down\_the\_sabre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/put_down_the_sabre)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2010, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twisting-every-discussion-into-us-debate-exposng-yourself-as-really-fuckng-ignorant-about-the-world/538612/91 "2010-05-17T04:14:30Z")
I must admit, I have noticed this tendency among Americans. Especially, in the last few months, on reddit there would be some news about some new medical procedure or breakthrough in some country. _Inevitably_, people would turn it into a discussion of American healthcare reform, and the original and interesting topic would quickly get lost. I haven’t noticed it amongst Americans in person, though. Perhaps it is due to the sort of person one tends to meet online, at places like the SDMB: more intelligent and informed than their friends, but not as intelligent or informed as they think they are. So even though they don’t know anything about the situation, they can’t resist chipping in. pdts ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2010, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twisting-every-discussion-into-us-debate-exposng-yourself-as-really-fuckng-ignorant-about-the-world/538612/92 "2010-05-17T07:32:17Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > That certainly can be true, but I can’t see why that is the default setting. > > There would be a view that us antipodeans have a stronger case of physical distance, cultural separation and isolation in our history but (without claiming we are an arcadia of enlightenment) that doesn’t flow over into what you’ve termed as"willfully chauvinistic attitude". Didn’t need high speed internet, or even the internet at all. One reason might be that Australians and Kiwis belong to a great officially defined community of nations sharing the same language, much of the same history, the same kind of government broadly speaking, and the same monarch. Wouldn’t this, from the beginning, have tended to foster more awareness at least of your co-Commonwealth members? I’m not saying that the absence of such a community is an excuse for ignorance, but it makes it harder to fight it. > [@](#): > > The “_difficulty of obtaining foreign news and other materials was a real impediment to obtaining a non-America-centric view of things_” might be closer to the mark. But the question is why is it difficult to obtain? In the world’s leading market driven economy, could the question be better phrased, “Why was/is the demand obtaining foreign news low?”. Because if there was a demand, I’m confident that the US media would find a profitable way to fill that market niche. A market driven economy doesn’t necessarily spit out any conceivable product that a person might want and then adjust production and price levels according to demand. I’d say the German speaking population of my ZIP code probably doubles when my stepdaughter comes to visit; if there are not more than two German speakers among 65000 people, they aren’t going to be selling _Der Spiegel_ at the local newstand (or more likely the supermarket which is where most magazines are sold). Those who do want the magazine can get it, but it is expensive and they may have to drive far to find it. In short, there are numerous products that would be desirable in many places and situations, but they are not because there isn’t enough local demand. For instance, try getting Guiness beer and some Szechuan in Beatty, Nevada. As for the Anglophone countries, the language is not an issue and you would think there’d be more interest than there seems to be. I honestly don’t have any answer for that than idle speculation. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2010, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twisting-every-discussion-into-us-debate-exposng-yourself-as-really-fuckng-ignorant-about-the-world/538612/93 "2010-05-17T09:40:12Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > One reason might be that Australians and Kiwis belong to a great officially defined community of nations sharing the same language, much of the same history, the same kind of government broadly speaking, and the same monarch. Well YMMV, but I would thought most of the angst over the American War of Independence would have been laid to rest by now. You’re been on the same side of every war in the past 150 years. And more recently an awful lot more Brits and Europans emigrated to USA and Canada than went the whole 9 yards to Aust/NZ. Why would our lot maintain an interest in the broad spectrum of socio-politials happenings in their homelands and your lot didn’t? > [@](#): > > A market driven economy doesn’t necessarily spit out any conceivable product that a person might want and then adjust production and price levels according to demand. I’d say the German speaking population of my ZIP code probably doubles when my stepdaughter comes to visit. The comment was about interest and news, not products. Your stepdaughter may double the German speakers, but she won’t double the number of those of German descent. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twisting-every-discussion-into-us-debate-exposng-yourself-as-really-fuckng-ignorant-about-the-world/538612/94 "2010-05-18T21:40:53Z")
> [@put\_down\_the\_sabre](#): > > I haven’t noticed it amongst Americans in person, though. Perhaps it is due to the sort of person one tends to meet online, at places like the SDMB: more intelligent and informed than their friends, but not as intelligent or informed as they think they are. So even though they don’t know anything about the situation, they can’t resist chipping in. When someone in person doesn’t comment on something, you see them standing silent. You don’t notice all the people on a message board who don’t post when they don’t feel they have anything to contribute. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2010, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twisting-every-discussion-into-us-debate-exposng-yourself-as-really-fuckng-ignorant-about-the-world/538612/95 "2010-05-19T01:31:55Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Flavian Amphitheatre. That was going to be my answer to “Who is the president of Mexico?” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twisting-every-discussion-into-us-debate-exposng-yourself-as-really-fuckng-ignorant-about-the-world/538612.md?page=4)