Civic Duty - DivX Version (Normal Quality), iPod/iPhone Version
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IMDB rating: 6.50 Plot: An American accountant bombarded with cable news and the media’s obsession with terrorist plots in the post 9-11 world, receives a jolt when an unattached Islamic graduate student moves in next door. |
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Actors: Krause Peter,Abol Naga Khaled,Schiff Richard,Tracey Ian,Brandon Mark,Docherty Mark,Duncan Allan,Murdoch Laurie,Roberds Michael,St. John Smith Michael,Verdoni Bruno,Thriller,
Are most Americans ignorant?
Hi. I would like to hear from different people’s opinions. I am a 30 year old woman who has an education, but often times feel it has failed me. For instance, every time I speak to a European, they seem far more superior in their knowledge in politics, business, geography, history, etc.
Is a European education far more superior than America’s? For instance, why is that Al Gore received a Nobel Prize for his documentary "An Inconvenient Truth"? The knowledge he shared was great, in fact it’s his civic duty to do so, but how come this information was not taught in schools in America. This knowledge is so common thread in European countries. I mean most Americans viewed this documentary with surprised awe and shock, as if they weren’t aware or ever heard of global warming.
This is just one example. But I guess I just want to hear from other people on their thoughts of the matter. Is America dumb?
Education is held to a higher standard in other countries. Especially teaching when children are young, much more advanced concepts. The US seems like the only country that doesn’t teach our children about other countries and nationalities, yet other countries are forced learn everything about us in their education systems.
However, as a 30yr old, you have ample opportunity to learn for yourself what you feel is lacking in the knowledge dept. You can’t blame it on the news, because the News in the US are all media corporation anyway, they don’t report real news that won’t get them ratings. Start off by reading articles created by journalists that are world renowned yet not as famous as the tv news anchor you see on the screen. In order to not to be ignorant, you must seek knowledge. And most of the knowledge and wisdom you will obtain in your life, will not be from school or lower education. Considering you forget about 60% of what you hear daily.
As far as the Doc by Al Gore, are you kidding me? This is a bad example, because there are people who still believe Global Warming is a conspiracy. In fact, I know a few of parents that would be outraged if that movie was shown to their kids while in school.
salsburymae | Nov 11, 2009
yes, european’s education is better than america’s, they stay at school longer, they have a high attendance rate, low dropped out rate. is not that americans are ignorant, is just that the american culture does not value education as much as other culture.
AFR-CAM | Nov 11, 2009
Yes.
I think we tend to have less voter turn out as well. Additionally, most Europeans are at least bilingual.
Education in America is lacking, and so is just general awareness and curiosity.
Allen is really lost | Nov 11, 2009
I wouldn’t say that we are dumb. I would just say that most equate knowledge with money. If you’re not rich in America then you’re not smart. So in saying that, most Americans only want to know how to become rich. Everything else is irrelevant until you become rich. Then you can learn about all the other stuff. In the US its mostly about STANDARD OF LIVING, in Europe and other places its about QUALITY OF LIFE.
TS | Nov 11, 2009
It’s not that Americans are dumb.
Our school system is pretty crappy, though. It, and our culture in general, over-emphasize us, and too often ignore the rest of the world.
Also, US politics is very narrow compared to most countries, so most views get no hearing, that in other countries are part of common public discourse.
There’s a segment of US society that has preventing quality science education in many areas (climate change is one; evolution is another) — most of us call them wing-nuts. Because they turn out for all elections, and share info on which candidates share their views, they were able to take over school boards in lots of places. That influences what gets taught in those places, and because textbook publishers want to appeal most broadly, influences what gets into textbooks all students use.
We also spend less time in school than Europeans.
tehabwa | Nov 11, 2009
I think most Americans don’t value education like other countries. I notice as a student in college that foreign students put a lot of effort into their academics
Sweets | Nov 11, 2009
Well I’m not from america but I hear most Americans are idiots. This is mainly from people who have visited the country that I know. I dn’t know if this is true. It probably is since Americas smartest people working at universities are non-Americans…
But yeah you’re right. Europe is more free than America. Although the ideal of freedom in America is spread people abuse that freedom and hence suppression of information happens. Ironic huh? I suppose having too much freedom can be a bad thing. (I mean would you want someone else to have the freedom to punch you? Its like that.)
Goku | Nov 11, 2009
and so students from all around the world come to U,S. colleges and when foreigners need special medical care they come to our hospitals. and the space station is U.S. design and etc. etc. i suggest your ego outstrips your education.
dipsydoodle | Nov 11, 2009
Yes, yes and yes. some of us can really be ignorant and stupid half the time, sadly.
Precious | Nov 11, 2009
i also asked this question and it got deleted
Sinziana | Nov 11, 2009
Well, there are a few ways you can look at this.
I personally went to a International academy for highschool, granted it was a private one. There were only 3 other American students besides myself. Those foriegn students were sent here to America to get educated because it opens many doors of opportunity in their home counties for them or at least that is how they explained it to me.
So that being said if our schools are so crappy how come getting a American diploma is such a valuable asset?
However, when you look at us we are ignorant to the rest of world. We are on our own little continent so all we see is what happens here and half the time it’s so awful we don’t even want to see it.
Our house holds place a skewed view on education so our children rebel against it. We place emphasis but it’s more like a drill sergant attitude or some families just don’t care. Our teachers are also becoming less and less qualified and are servely underpaid for what we pay in taxes. Our tax dollars go to paying fat cat politican sallaries instead of educating our youth.
Our circulum is based around mostly American and English history and goverment with the exception of Spain regards to Colombus’s exploration. We midly touch on the romans and the ancient greeks but rarely do we hear of any other important moments in history.
Our Literture in middle througj highschool revolves around basically only english and american authors until you get to college and that’s IF you select that class.
Our cirriculum lacks substance these days. While abroad they touch on many many things.
It’s also a mind set too though. Europeans think in a whole other mind set. They are far more laid back.
We on the other hand protest everytime something new is brought in to the cirriculum.
Some conservative hill billy bible thumper starts screaming bloody murder for us adding a french author to a reading list.
So in that sense we are our own worst enemy when it comes to this.
Danabell | Nov 11, 2009
we are all ignorant about something.
but when it comes to education the europeans have it better. maybe Obama could fix it for you!!
Luke | Nov 11, 2009
Don’t compare yourself with the Europeans you have a chance to meet via internet or tourism. That is not a fair sampling of the average performance of all Europeans.
America performs abysmally in comparisons of educational success around the world. What is not generally talked about (for some MYSTERIOUS reason), is that WHITE Americans actually perform quite well in these comparisons, on the average. Our very large minority population drags down our performance averages.
End_Libtardation | Nov 11, 2009
I’m still trying to figure this out: if American education is so bad, why are at least 13 of the top 20 universities American, and only 1 or 2 on continental Europe. When you add the UK, that gets you Cambridge and Oxford, so only two more.
You probably only meet Europeans who travel, so of course they’re better educated. US primary schooling isn’t bad, it’s just uneven. White kids in the suburbs test as well as students in Singapore in math. It’s just the poor parts of the country that aren’t well provided for.
If you actually travel in Europe, you’ll find Europeans are just as ignorant as the average American. The only difference is that Europeans view America with a hostile ignorance, not to mention a smug sense of superiority that evaporates quickly when you remind them that the average income of a person in the EU is 60% of the average American.
andyr | Nov 11, 2009
