US people and geography

[Karin]

well... long time is known, most in Europe, that US people (maybe whole America) has really miserable knowledge about the geography in the world... most about the countries in world.

Its not a fiction by me, but real fact which I and many other can see everyday.

The most fresh, after the bomb attack in Boston, where people think the attackers where from OUR COUNTRY! Our news are filled with screenshots from twitter, where people want a war with us or invasion. And why? cause they have really no idea, how look the world.
Some information said, the attackers where from Chechen, but dont know why, many US confuse it with Czechoslovakia (which btw. dont exist 20years!) or with Czech or Slovak.

Well, maybe its sound really funny this whole thing... but its doesn't make really good name for USA (which was never good) and really make some people here worried. Really don't understand, how in the era of internet and Google, can happen something like this.

Really would like to know, what you think about it.

[Lili4ever]

i don't think we are any better than americans. Sure we know our continent, but how many US states could an average european name ? Could you point at map where is Wyoming ?

My danish cooworker could not understand how could i travel from Lithuania to Denmark by ferry. I had to show her a fucking map wich she must have seen first time in her life.

[Jordy]

Originally Posted by Lili4ever

i don't think we are any better than americans. Sure we know our continent, but how many US states could an average european name ? Could you point at map where is Wyoming ?

Well, as an example... if you ask me to name all the US states, sure I'll forget about some, but if you tell me the name of the state, I know it is one of the US states, and with some not so well known states I have at least rough idea where it is. And the same goes to every country in the world, in school we learned about every single country and we had to know where every country is. Even Costa Rica, Togo, Bahrein and Laos... and even if I didn't know, I'd at least look up for some informations if I wanted to make some offensive post about that country for some reason.

The problem is, that most of the people don't bother to check for the facts, they just believe they know the facts and then they make posts on twitter where they want an immediate invasion to Czechoslovakia... which doesn't exist, but even if it did it's very offensive to us. It's like if someone from Georgia made bomb attack in Europe, and we all would start with posts that we want to nuke the USA... without even checking the fact, that it's actually different Georgia...

[SpanishFan]

So instead of criticising a bunch of ignorant and inexact comments on twitter, you extrapolate those comments to a whole country... Makes sense






You do realise that is a joke and not a serious claim... right?

[Karin]

Originally Posted by SpanishFan

So instead of criticising a bunch of ignorant and inexact comments on twitter, you extrapolate those comments to a whole country... Makes sense






You do realise that is a joke and not a serious claim... right?

yea, but did you realized the most people dont take it as good joke?

Edit:

Originally Posted by Future Raptor Ace

You are very anti-american to the point that it is actually disgusting! Stop stereotyping my country :

learn your country world geography, then it will be everything ok

[SpanishFan]

Originally Posted by Karin

yea, but did you realized the most people dont take it as good joke?

Yes Karin, I understand you don't like it. And I understand you don't want the name of your country or a country next to yours to be involved in all this tragic incidents, but I think you are very angry or upset right now. The joke is about the former U.S. president, not about any particular country...
Anyway, I am glad the people who put the bombs won't cause more pain, that is the most important thing.

[Future Raptor Ace]

Originally Posted by Karin

yea, but did you realized the most people dont take it as good joke?

Edit:



learn your country world geography, then it will be everything ok

I know my world geography .. and it doesn't ONLY involve Europe miss!

[Ray4AJ]

Originally Posted by Jordy

The problem is, that most of the people don't bother to check for the facts, they just believe they know the facts

^^^^^ I think this is the big problem in this case.

When I went to school we did learn quite a bit a world geography, and how to use maps. I've always loved maps and whenever something occurs in the news or I hear about some place I'll look it up and try to learn some things about it. But that is me, and not everyone. Some people are very interested in sports teams, and know much about that. I know nothing about it and have no interest to know.

Also, as has been mentioned in other posts, this is a large place and there are many places to visit without obtaining an expensive passport, and purchasing expensive airline tickets. I've visited 41 of the US states through the years, and have only seen a small fraction of the things. I've been to several provinces in Canada. If I lived in Europe I'd have visited all the countries there and I'd know much more about them than I do. Much of it is about where you are and what you deal with in your day-to-day life.

Just a few of my thoughts. I'm not saying anyone else is right or wrong.

[Karin]

well, I dont tell I know every country in Europe, but most yea... most have problem with Latvia and Lithuania.

And Im talking about a country, and not states in the country... so point of my post is, how can people confuse 1 country with other, which does not exists 20years or it separated in 2 countries?! Its like you would confuse US with Mexico.

I know we are small country, and in Europe are many others... we are in EU, NATO and many others world organisations... in the internet era and GOOGLE MAPS its for me really big question.

[Future Raptor Ace]

Originally Posted by Karin

well, I dont tell I know every country in Europe, but most yea... most have problem with Latvia and Lithuania.

And Im talking about a country, and not states in the country... so point of my post is, how can people confuse 1 country with other, which does not exists 20years or it separated in 2 countries?! Its like you would confuse US with Mexico.

I know we are small country, and in Europe are many others... we are in EU, NATO and many others world organisations... in the internet era and GOOGLE MAPS its for me really big question.

So you know most countries in your home continent .. wow you are super smart! Now do you know every country in Africa and South America? Oh you dont huh ... why is that?
You are comparing well known countries with populations in excess of a hundred million people to countries that have the populations of large cities. Do you realize how foolish of a comparison that is? It is NOT like someone confusing the US with Mexico and you lost intellect points in my book for even trying to use that as an example.