and there goes the dignity... [Archive]

Melon

8 Jan 2007, 20:51

They probably asked hundreds and hundreds of people all of those questions. If you ask enough people, you're bound to find ones that give silly answers. Then you just show the ones who give dumb answers.

That said, the thing they did with the world map, swapping Australia with other countries, was quite clever.

Xinos

8 Jan 2007, 21:30

I don't think the ratio is hundreds to those, most americans simply don't care about the world around them.

bonz

8 Jan 2007, 21:35

Hehe!
I have seen similar things with on German TV with Germans.
It was enough to simply paint a different country in pink and they would stick the pin there in search of the capital Berlin. :D

Regardless if all this was manipulated statistics and misleading tricks, if you don't know that your own country starts with a "U", you must be quite dimwitted.
More so as they are planting their flags and USA stickers everywhere... :-/

Plasma

8 Jan 2007, 21:50

Now that's just sad...
Friggin' hilarious, but sad...

Slick

9 Jan 2007, 00:56

Congratulations, they found ignorant people in the USA. :)
I'm confident that every person they interveiw in the UK would know every answer and could never be fooled. :rolleyes:

FutureWorm

9 Jan 2007, 05:34

Congratulations, they found ignorant people in the USA. :)
I'm confident that every person they interveiw in the UK would know every answer and could never be fooled. :rolleyes:
I love it when people take a small sample of stupid Americans and claim that it is representative of the entire population

GrimOswald

9 Jan 2007, 06:18

I love it when people take a small sample of stupid Americans and claim that it is representative of the entire population

Yeah, cause that was totally serious right? :p

MtlAngelus

9 Jan 2007, 08:03

I didn't think much of this until I saw the guy place a flag on australia thinking it was Iran... ROFL.
And the guy that went like "OMFG NORTH KOREA IS SO MUCH BIGGER THAN SOUTH KOREA" was freakin hilarious.

Akuryou13

9 Jan 2007, 12:54

I don't think the ratio is hundreds to those, most americans simply don't care about the world around them.oh I'm sure hundreds were involved. it would take quite a few people to get answers that were QUITE that stupid.

I mean, granted, most americans are complete retards, and I couldn't answer ALL of those questions either, but the level of stupidity that was shown in that video far exceeds that of your average american.

that map segment where people put a flag on australia and called it france just made me sad....also made me laugh....I love watching stupid people being made fun of :D

AndrewTaylor

9 Jan 2007, 13:11

I love it when people take a small sample of stupid Americans and claim that it is representative of the entire population

The sad fact is that they are representative, to a point. People do surveys and things, you know. Proper scientific ones. And almost every time the result comes up that Americans are desperately ignorant. Watch:

Americans don't know when 9/11 was (though they can recall the month and day):
http://arabist.net/archives/2006/08/10/poll-30-of-americans-dont-know-which-year-was-911/
11% of Americans can't point to America on a map, and 49% couldn't find New York on a map of America:
http://archives.cnn.com/2002/EDUCATION/11/20/geography.quiz/
That page also mentions that America scored second to last on the survey of a number of countries I didn't bother counting.

Okay, so they're not as ignorant as an edited highlights reel of ignorant people, but it's pretty shocking nonetheless. And doing a survey and finding out we're not better (which CNN says we are anyway) won't make America any better either.

Star Worms

9 Jan 2007, 13:26

And the guy that went like "OMFG NORTH KOREA IS SO MUCH BIGGER THAN SOUTH KOREA" was freakin hilarious.Yeah, that bit was great.

Paul.Power

9 Jan 2007, 16:31

I think it's rather scary that only half of American adults know that the Earth orbits the Sun once a year (NSB, 2000).

But then, a 1988 survey in Britain found only a third of British adults knew that.

So, uh...

pilot62

9 Jan 2007, 18:58

I was shocked when I read a few weeks ago that about 40% of Americans definately don't believe in evolution, with 10 or so percent being unsure, and a third are sure they never landed on the moon.

Statistics like that are all well and good, but I'm not that sure how much better Britain would fare in similar tests, especially if you went to Stains or Slough or somewhere.
I'd like to think we're not quite that bad though.

MrBunsy

9 Jan 2007, 19:00

I'd like to think we're not quite that bad though.So long as we beat the French, most people wouldn't give a toss. :rolleyes:

Liketyspli

9 Jan 2007, 19:45

lol, how much Eiffeltowers does France have.. uhhh about 10 or something... pretty funny.

Preasure

9 Jan 2007, 20:47

Say whut?

Love the bit where he's got them all wearing 'John Howard is my mate' stickers. :p

AndrewTaylor

10 Jan 2007, 10:44

wormthingy

10 Jan 2007, 20:02

I've seen a chart of countries listed by their acceptance of evolution. The USA ranked second from bottom.

Bottom is the Vatican City.

Somehow that doesn't suprise me..

Alien King

10 Jan 2007, 20:13

I love it when people take a small sample of stupid Americans and claim that it is representative of the entire population

Me too, it's hilarious.

FutureWorm

11 Jan 2007, 03:06

The sad fact is that they are representative, to a point. People do surveys and things, you know. Proper scientific ones. And almost every time the result comes up that Americans are desperately ignorant. Watch:

Americans don't know when 9/11 was (though they can recall the month and day):
http://arabist.net/archives/2006/08/10/poll-30-of-americans-dont-know-which-year-was-911/
11% of Americans can't point to America on a map, and 49% couldn't find New York on a map of America:
http://archives.cnn.com/2002/EDUCATION/11/20/geography.quiz/
That page also mentions that America scored second to last on the survey of a number of countries I didn't bother counting.

Okay, so they're not as ignorant as an edited highlights reel of ignorant people, but it's pretty shocking nonetheless. And doing a survey and finding out we're not better (which CNN says we are anyway) won't make America any better either.
that is very unfortunate and it makes me sad for the future of my country

AndrewTaylor

11 Jan 2007, 11:22

that is very unfortunate and it makes me sad for the future of my country

If it helps, USA scores better than UK on teenage algebra skills.

MrBunsy

11 Jan 2007, 18:23

If it helps, USA scores better than UK on teenage algebra skills.

You didn't read that in a paper this morning did you by any chance? I saw an article in the Metro saying that algebra isn't taught until secondary school, but I was certain I was taught it in Y6, even though it was only for the top set.

Although I was sure it said that the UK was higher up for numeracy skills than the US.

Paul.Power

11 Jan 2007, 18:26

The sad fact is that they are representative, to a point. People do surveys and things, you know. Proper scientific ones. And almost every time the result comes up that Americans are desperately ignorant. Watch:

Americans don't know when 9/11 was (though they can recall the month and day):
http://arabist.net/archives/2006/08/10/poll-30-of-americans-dont-know-which-year-was-911/
11% of Americans can't point to America on a map, and 49% couldn't find New York on a map of America:
http://archives.cnn.com/2002/EDUCATION/11/20/geography.quiz/
That page also mentions that America scored second to last on the survey of a number of countries I didn't bother counting.

Okay, so they're not as ignorant as an edited highlights reel of ignorant people, but it's pretty shocking nonetheless. And doing a survey and finding out we're not better (which CNN says we are anyway) won't make America any better either.To be perfectly honest, if I was given a blank, unlabelled globe and asked to point out Iraq, I probably wouldn't get it exactly right. I mean, it's not large like Russia, China, Canada or the US, and it's not a single-country island island like the UK, Japan, Australia or New Zealand. It's one of a bunch of countries all jumbled up in the Middle East. So it's a slightly unfair question.

Unless I'm reading it wrong and they just wanted the general region.

Alien King

11 Jan 2007, 18:52

To be perfectly honest, if I was given a blank, unlabelled globe and asked to point out Iraq, I probably wouldn't get it exactly right. I mean, it's not large like Russia, China, Canada or the US, and it's not a single-country island island like the UK, Japan, Australia or New Zealand. It's one of a bunch of countries all jumbled up in the Middle East. So it's a slightly unfair question.

Unless I'm reading it wrong and they just wanted the general region.

When I was watching it, it looked like he renamed Australia to Iran when someone was putting a flag on there. Mabye I saw wrong.

In fact, it looks like he renamed Australia to lots of things.

Paul.Power

11 Jan 2007, 19:03

70 percent cannot find New Jersey

Not especially surprising. The equivalent would probably be "find Buckinghamshire on a county map of England and Wales"

(Speaking of the county map, I can do some bits easy - Wales, the NW, the SW, Yorkshire and East Anglia - some bits okay - London, the Marches and the NE - but the East Midlands and the bit just North of London where there seems to be an epidemic of counties beginning with B just throw me.

AndrewTaylor

11 Jan 2007, 21:01

To be perfectly honest, if I was given a blank, unlabelled globe and asked to point out Iraq, I probably wouldn't get it exactly right. I mean, it's not large like Russia, China, Canada or the US, and it's not a single-country island island like the UK, Japan, Australia or New Zealand. It's one of a bunch of countries all jumbled up in the Middle East. So it's a slightly unfair question.

Unless I'm reading it wrong and they just wanted the general region.

No, but you'd think they could find New York. I'm pretty sure I could. You can actually buy t-shirts (or at least you used to be able to) in America that say "9-11-2002 never forget" on them. And they say Americans can't do irony.

Paul.Power

11 Jan 2007, 22:09

No, but you'd think they could find New York. I'm pretty sure I could. You can actually buy t-shirts (or at least you used to be able to) in America that say "9-11-2002 never forget" on them. And they say Americans can't do irony.True, I guess. It's the big triangular one up in the top right.

EDIT: Wikipedia does a whoopsie;

New York is a state in the northeastern United States. It is occasionally referred to as New York City when it is distinguished from New York City.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York

wigwam the

12 Jan 2007, 10:23

When I was watching it, it looked like he renamed Australia to Iran when someone was putting a flag on there. Mabye I saw wrong.

In fact, it looks like he renamed Australia to lots of things.

I think it was supposed to be like that. none of the people on the video noticed that he swapped the names.

Akuryou13

12 Jan 2007, 15:36

"9-11-2002 never forget"wasn't is 2001? or am I missing a joke here?

AndrewTaylor

12 Jan 2007, 15:51

wasn't is 2001? or am I missing a joke here?

No joke. The attacks were indeed in 2001, and the shirt did indeed say 2002, and then next to that it said "never forget".

The ship had somewhat sailed on that sentiment, I think.

Akuryou13

12 Jan 2007, 16:10

No joke. The attacks were indeed in 2001, and the shirt did indeed say 2002, and then next to that it said "never forget".

The ship had somewhat sailed on that sentiment, I think.awww man! I SO want one of those shirts! that would be just amazing.

Plasma

12 Jan 2007, 18:01

I think it was supposed to be like that.
...
You seem to be a little slow today...

Kelster23

12 Jan 2007, 20:47

Triangle with one side hahaha... even a line technically has four. :rolleyes:

Liketyspli

12 Jan 2007, 20:57

even a line technically has four. :rolleyes:

A line has no sides. it isnt a... uhm... how you call that in English? Dutch: ''Ruimtelijk Figuur''

Preasure

12 Jan 2007, 21:01

A line has no sides. it isnt a... uhm... how you call that in English? Dutch: ''Ruimtelijk Figuur''
A true mathmatical line has only one side. There's just no such thing as a 2D pencil to draw it with. :p ;)

Paul.Power

12 Jan 2007, 22:17

Triangle with one side hahaha... even a line technically has four. :rolleyes:That's remarkably smooth paper you've got there, to produce a line with only four sides.

Akuryou13

12 Jan 2007, 23:56

Triangle with one side hahaha... even a line technically has four. :rolleyes:nope. pencils draw rectangles. a line is invisible to the human eye as it has no sides. 1D is as invisible to us as 4D.

wormthingy

13 Jan 2007, 00:00

A line has no sides. it isnt a... uhm... how you call that in English? Dutch: ''Ruimtelijk Figuur''

3d object?

Kelster23

13 Jan 2007, 00:11

That's remarkably smooth paper you've got there, to produce a line with only four sides.
Does the number of sides have to exact? I though four because lines are like little rectangles like what Akuryou said...

nope. pencils draw rectangles. a line is invisible to the human eye as it has no sides. 1D is as invisible to us as 4D.

That's odd.
In some store I saw a 4-D puzzle!:-/

Star Worms

13 Jan 2007, 00:17

A line doesn't have an area or a volume. It's just a theoretical line which is infinitely fine. The lines we draw are there to represent them - their volume is irrelevant.

Alien King

13 Jan 2007, 00:19

Does the number of sides have to exact? I though four because lines are like little rectangles like what Akuryou said...

Well that would mean that they're rectangles and not lines. What Starworms said is correct.

Paul.Power

13 Jan 2007, 00:41

Does the number of sides have to exact? I though four because lines are like little rectangles like what Akuryou said...Well, it's just that if you're going to split hairs about the lines we draw not being 1D, I think I'm entitled to point out that paper isn't a smooth plane, and that it has bumps, causing the pencil to wobble minutely and give the line more than four sides.

wormthingy

13 Jan 2007, 00:45

Well, it's just that if you're going to split hairs about the lines we draw not being 1D, I think I'm entitled to point out that paper isn't a smooth plane, and that it has bumps, causing the pencil to wobble minutely and give the line more than four sides.

who said anythign about a paper or a pencil?

Lines are just an illusion...

Paul.Power

13 Jan 2007, 00:49

who said anythign about a paper or a pencil?

Lines are just an illusion...Possibly, but if we all stopped believing in things that don't exist, where would we be, eh?

Alien King

13 Jan 2007, 00:52

Lines are just an illusion...

Er...? Just because something is infinitly thin doesn't mean it isn't there. Although it is probably more sensible to say they're more theoritical.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_(mathematics) - Yayz for pointless links.

Possibly, but if we all stopped believing in things that don't exist, where would we be, eh?

Belief makes the world go round. That or Physics.

wormthingy

13 Jan 2007, 00:53

Possibly, but if we all stopped believing in things that don't exist, where would we be, eh?

*feels temtepd to say" in an atheist world" but wont say it because it will cause a flamewar-ish situation*

erm..

dunno

Er...? Just because something is infinitly thin doesn't mean it isn't there. Although it is probably more sensible to say they're more theoritical.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_(mathematics) - Yayz for pointless links.

see? to quote with superblob (I think..) : "If it ain't on wikipedia, 't ain't real"

EDIT; i feel not responsible for typos and grammar stuff.. im tired.

Akuryou13

13 Jan 2007, 03:49

*feels temtepd to say" in an atheist world" but wont say it because it will cause a flamewar-ish situation*atheists don't believe in god. last I checked lines aren't god, so I think it's safe to assume that atheists have nothing against believing in lines :p

Bolton

13 Jan 2007, 05:26

I don't know why people hate Americans, it was unfair how they interviewed unknowlegable people and say 'That's what every American is like' A good example is Eli Roth's 'Hostel' Slovakia is portrayed as a underdevloped country, in real-life, there is some underdevloped parts, but Roth commented that he portrayed Slovakians as old stereotypes to show American's ignorance. But in the movie "Flushed Away" Americans were parodied.

Alien King

13 Jan 2007, 10:16

see? to quote with superblob (I think..) : "If it ain't on wikipedia, 't ain't real"

I greatly disagree with the above statement.

I don't know why people hate Americans, it was unfair how they interviewed unknowlegable people and say 'That's what every American is like' A good example is Eli Roth's 'Hostel' Slovakia is portrayed as a underdevloped country, in real-life, there is some underdevloped parts, but Roth commented that he portrayed Slovakians as old stereotypes to show American's ignorance.

Anti-Americanism is very high throughout most of the world. Throughout most of Europe, America is disliked by people.

Preasure

13 Jan 2007, 10:35

Anti-Americanism is very high throughout most of the world. Throughout most of Europe, America is disliked by people.
And when you look at their foreign and environmental policies, who can blame them?

It's just a mercy that the people with their fingers on the button have a higher level of education that those guys.

Bolton

13 Jan 2007, 10:37

If you think Anti-Americanism is bad in Europe, look in Australia! I am disgusted by the Australian's way of life, they consider Americans and Englishmen "stupid and pathetic" and where an Englishman would let a pram or a elder cross, Australians consider such positive beheavior weak, and even if a elderly person was about to cross, a Australian would just zip.

Edit: I was joking! :) Although I think I'm right in some parts. HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE

Preasure

13 Jan 2007, 10:43

We english are rather more polite in some respects, if you'll excuse me saying so. ;)

Alien King

13 Jan 2007, 10:47

an Englishman would let a pram or a elder cross

You sound so certein. From immediate observation, I don't find that to be always the case.

But in any case, Anti-Americanism is high across most of the world for a number of reasons, which do not include them being stupid. That just came as a result.

AndrewTaylor

13 Jan 2007, 11:03

You sound so certein. From immediate observation, I don't find that to be always the case.

He never said that; you just took a quote out of context then said it was wrong.

Edit:

Speaking of things that are wrong...
Triangle with one side hahaha... even a line technically has four. :rolleyes:
No, if it has four sides it's a quadrilateral, not a line.

If you draw a line on a bit of paper and then look at it magnified many times you end up with more like a somewhat deformed sausage shape. Which has no sharp corners and therefore only one side. If you can use a pencil to draw a rectangle on that scale then you're some kind of superhuman. With some kind of superpencil.

Alien King

13 Jan 2007, 11:36

He never said that; you just took a quote out of context then said it was wrong.

Whoops. Didn't notice the 'where' in that statement he made.

SuperBlob

13 Jan 2007, 13:21

I just get annoyed by those Americans who think every English person is either posh or has a cockney accent. :p

Also, that wasn't me who said that WT

pilot62

13 Jan 2007, 15:12

I just get annoyed by those Americans who think every English person is either posh or has a cockney accent. :p

Did you by any chance read that joke letter to the US revoking their independance in light of their faliure to elect a decent president, because that was one of the points?

If not, google it, because it was pretty funny.