# Why are Americans...what's the technical term...dumb as shit? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 11, 2012, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-americans-whats-the-technical-term-dumb-as-shit/643756 "2012-12-11T22:10:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-americans-whats-the-technical-term-dumb-as-shit/643756/1 "2012-12-11T22:10:34Z")
Studies consistently show America lags behind most of the developed world in math, reading and the sciences. That means we are only ahead of countries that haven’t enough resources to actually build schools. A casual look at American television provides a wide range of reality shows about nouveau-riche morons, drunken idiots and competitions between attractive egomaniacs scrambling for cash. The Internet (present company excluded) has enabled millions of Americans to call each other f@g! and 100ser over topics they don’t understand Anyone who went to school in the US knows the respect those who demonstrate higher intellect receive. We have the best colleges in the world but most students use them to throw a 4 year drunken frat party. The meme of Americans being loud, anti-intellectual, lazy and stupid has been around for a long time, but now it seems that quantifyable data is starting to validate it. How did a country that half a century ago put a man on Mars and defeated the Germans after they bombed Pearl Harbor become a country where the greatest minds figure out new ways to stuff tacos into pizzas? ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-americans-whats-the-technical-term-dumb-as-shit/643756/2 "2012-12-11T22:15:00Z")
_braaaapp._ Beats me, Buddy. Hey, how 'bout them Jets? ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-americans-whats-the-technical-term-dumb-as-shit/643756/3 "2012-12-11T22:15:08Z")
Too short a school year and rampant religious anti-intellectualism. ---
**Author:** ![Modern\_Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@Modern\_Master](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Modern_Master)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-americans-whats-the-technical-term-dumb-as-shit/643756/4 "2012-12-11T22:15:31Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Studies consistently show America lags behind most of the developed world in math, reading and the sciences. That means we are only ahead of countries that haven’t enough resources to actually build schools. Cite? > [@](#): > > A casual look at American television provides a wide range of reality shows about nouveau-riche morons, drunken idiots and competitions between attractive egomaniacs scrambling for cash. Reality shows aren’t real. > [@](#): > > The Internet (present company excluded) has enabled millions of Americans to call each other f@g! and 100ser over topics they don’t understand That’s the Internet in general. Everyone has the potential to be a jerk on the Internet. It’s not limited to Americans. > [@](#): > > Anyone who went to school in the US knows the respect those who demonstrate higher intellect receive. Again, this is everywhere. > [@](#): > > We have the best colleges in the world but most students use them to throw a 4 year drunken frat party. That’s quite a big generalization. Cite? > [@](#): > > The meme of Americans being loud, anti-intellectual, lazy and stupid has been around for a long time, but now it seems that quantifyable data is starting to validate it. How did a country that half a century ago put a man on Mars and defeated the Germans after they bombed Pearl Harbor become a country where the greatest minds figure out new ways to stuff tacos into pizzas? So what? It’s a meme. There are a lot of offensive memes out there that aren’t necessarily factually correct. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-americans-whats-the-technical-term-dumb-as-shit/643756/5 "2012-12-11T22:17:09Z")
nm - mistake. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![BrokenBriton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@BrokenBriton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrokenBriton)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-americans-whats-the-technical-term-dumb-as-shit/643756/6 "2012-12-11T22:17:42Z")
Damn those Germans for Pearl Harbor. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-americans-whats-the-technical-term-dumb-as-shit/643756/7 "2012-12-11T22:19:39Z")
> [@BrokenBriton](#): > > Damn those Germans for Pearl Harbor. Forget it. She’s on a roll. ---
**Author:** ![sweeteviljesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@sweeteviljesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweeteviljesus)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-americans-whats-the-technical-term-dumb-as-shit/643756/8 "2012-12-11T22:19:59Z")
When you scrub disadvantaged kids from the results, how does the US rate against other nations? ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-americans-whats-the-technical-term-dumb-as-shit/643756/9 "2012-12-11T22:27:28Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Studies consistently show America lags behind most of the developed world in math, reading and the sciences. That means we are only ahead of countries that haven’t enough resources to actually build schools. Bullshit. You can argue we should do better, but we’re [17th out of 40 amongst industrialized countries](http://thelearningcurve.pearson.com/index/index-ranking/overall-score-highest). If Americans are dumb as shit, then Italy, France, Spain, Norway, Israel, etc are dumber. And I’m pretty sure France does in fact have the resources to build schools. Also, for a post that says we have “quantifiable data”, to prove what your saying, you don’t actually put any quantifiable data in your post. Which seems sort of silly. But then, if you went to school in Norway or Israel, you have an excuse. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-americans-whats-the-technical-term-dumb-as-shit/643756/10 "2012-12-11T22:28:12Z")
Many U.S. states have poor public education systems but it isn’t spread evenly. [Massachusetts for example scores not only near at top of U.S. states on the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) but ranks in the top 3 for the world behind only Chinese Taipei and Korea and beats all European countries some of which are a similar size](http://educationnext.org/the-international-pisa-test/). Most Massachusetts public schools are good but they still follow the same basic public school model that other states do and use the same textbooks. It isn’t like kids go to school year-round until 9 pm every night like you hear rumored about some other countries. That tells me there isn’t anything wrong with the basic structure of our school curriculum as long as it is taught well and taken seriously by the students. One argument that is supported by many of the statistics is that the issue is mostly a demographic one. If you [correct for demographic differences between countries, the U.S. as a whole does quite well internationally.](http://super-economy.blogspot.com/2010/12/amazing-truth-about-pisa-scores-usa.html) There are some large minority groups who tend to score so low on the assessment tests, it drags down the whole average. Granted, this is a serious issue on its own and should be addressed but it is different than assuming that most American high school students use all their brain power trying to remember to breathe. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-americans-whats-the-technical-term-dumb-as-shit/643756/11 "2012-12-11T22:31:45Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > A casual look at American television provides a wide range of reality shows about nouveau-riche morons, drunken idiots and competitions between attractive egomaniacs scrambling for cash. Are you of the impression popular TV is any different anywhere else? ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-americans-whats-the-technical-term-dumb-as-shit/643756/12 "2012-12-11T22:43:27Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Studies consistently show America lags behind most of the developed world in math, reading and the sciences. That means we are only ahead of countries that haven’t enough resources to actually build schools. > > A casual look at American television provides a wide range of reality shows about nouveau-riche morons, drunken idiots and competitions between attractive egomaniacs scrambling for cash. > > The Internet (present company excluded) has enabled millions of Americans to call each other f@g! and 100ser over topics they don’t understand > > Anyone who went to school in the US knows the respect those who demonstrate higher intellect receive. > > We have the best colleges in the world but most students use them to throw a 4 year drunken frat party. > The meme of Americans being loud, anti-intellectual, lazy and stupid has been around for a long time, but now it seems that quantifyable data is starting to validate it. How did a country that half a century ago put a man on Mars and defeated the Germans after they bombed Pearl Harbor become a country where the greatest minds figure out new ways to stuff tacos into pizzas? Damn I must be dumb because I didn’t know we put a man on Mars or that that Germany bombed Pearl Harbor. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-americans-whats-the-technical-term-dumb-as-shit/643756/13 "2012-12-11T22:43:40Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Are you of the impression popular TV is any different anywhere else? Yes, if only we could have classy tv like [this.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q86Zpx6VkBA) ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-americans-whats-the-technical-term-dumb-as-shit/643756/14 "2012-12-11T22:47:26Z")
Anti-intellectualism - religious and otherwise - combined with a general hatred of doing anything for the public good. Those are the two biggest factors I think. Most Americans hate having to pay for public education at all, much less for a _good_ public education. And teaching is hardly a respected profession; “those who can’t do, teach”. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-americans-whats-the-technical-term-dumb-as-shit/643756/15 "2012-12-11T22:53:45Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Are you of the impression popular TV is any different anywhere else? My thoughts exactly. He does realize that most of the reality shows we have in the US are ripoffs of reality shows from other countries, usually the UK. I know some Americans tend to think people in the UK sit around sipping tea, eating crumpets and discussing Shakespeare, but quite a few would rather spend their time watching _The Only Way is Essex_. ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-americans-whats-the-technical-term-dumb-as-shit/643756/16 "2012-12-11T23:15:43Z")
> [@sahirrnee](#): > > Damn I must be dumb because I didn’t know we put a man on Mars or that that Germany bombed Pearl Harbor. The Germans faked the Moon landing on Mars. Are you [del]stupid[/del] dumb as shit? ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-americans-whats-the-technical-term-dumb-as-shit/643756/17 "2012-12-11T23:16:16Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Yes, if only we could have classy tv like [this.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q86Zpx6VkBA) That was AWESOME! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-americans-whats-the-technical-term-dumb-as-shit/643756/18 "2012-12-11T23:17:50Z")
Who cares why we’re so dumb? We’re still better than everybody else. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-americans-whats-the-technical-term-dumb-as-shit/643756/19 "2012-12-11T23:27:03Z")
> [@Modern\_Master](#): > > Cite? Some typical “Americans lagging behind” articles: [Education At A Glance 2012: OECD Report Finds U.S. Lags Behind Other Countries In Higher Education Attainment Rate](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/11/oecd-education-at-a-glanc_n_1874190.html) [U.S lag in science, math a disaster in the making](http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/09/opinion/bennett-stem-education/index.html) [U.S. Students Still Lag Globally in Math and Science, Tests Show](http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/11/education/us-students-still-lag-globally-in-math-and-science-tests-show.html) > [@Simplicio](#): > > Bullshit. You can argue we should do better, but we’re 17th out of 40 amongst industrialized countries. If Americans are dumb as shit, then Italy, France, Spain, Norway, Israel, etc are dumber. And I’m pretty sure France does in fact have the resources to build schools. So sort of average, according to their methodologies. At what point would you say it becomes a real issue? Or does it matter? > [@sahirrnee](#): > > Damn I must be dumb because I didn’t know we put a man on Mars or that that Germany bombed Pearl Harbor. Those events must have wooshed past you. DrFidelius got the reference (but then again, he is a doctor). ---
**Author:** ![cougar58](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@cougar58](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cougar58)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-americans-whats-the-technical-term-dumb-as-shit/643756/20 "2012-12-11T23:41:30Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Bullshit. You can argue we should do better, but we’re [17th out of 40 amongst industrialized countries](http://thelearningcurve.pearson.com/index/index-ranking/overall-score-highest). If Americans are dumb as shit, then Italy, France, Spain, Norway, Israel, etc are dumber. And I’m pretty sure France does in fact have the resources to build schools. > > Also, for a post that says we have “quantifiable data”, to prove what your saying, you don’t actually put any quantifiable data in your post. Which seems sort of silly. > > But then, if you went to school in Norway or Israel, you have an excuse. Interesting chart on that link. I think we should edit the OP to ask “Why are Muslims dumb as shit?” because only two Islamic countries made that list (see link above) and they were close to the bottom. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-americans-whats-the-technical-term-dumb-as-shit/643756.md?page=2)