WesWorld

Was just so amused by this that I had to share. Yes, it's a joke, but I found it pretty funny and true.

I've had Canadians (none here), British, Finns, Dutch and even South Africans make "Americans don't know geography outside the US!" comments to me in years past. After many annoying statements like this, I challenged a few of them to a geography quiz-off, where I determined that though non-Americans usually have more knowledge of their general region, their knowledge of the rest of the world outside their immediate national neighborhood is on par with that of Americans.

The most knowledgeable person about I've talked to about geography was one of the South Africans, who was studying political science with the goal of someday being an ambassador.

Is it important to know the geography beyond the borders of your nation?

Quoted

Originally posted by Rooijen10
Is it important to know the geography beyond the borders of your nation?

Yes.

How can you know where you are if you don't know where you aren't?

The stars, my good man!

Yeah reminds me of conversation between an Englishman and an Americanman

"Are you a tourist?"
"Yes I'm an Englishman"
"But where are you from?"
"England"
"Well yes you speak English but where are you from?"
*Groan*

Or those schoolkids who thought England was in China... come on seriously... surely every American should know the difference (language, race, culture and the fact we don't make 99% of the world's plastic toys and socks!).

I think there is a difference culturally, in the days of Empire every year on Empire Day schoolchildren were shown the globe and they had to name all the pink parts. Not only that but most goods were labelled with country of origin from across the Empire. Even then many ordinary folk didn't take much notice and most didn't really know where foreign countries were. While America tends to be more insular, being more concerned with teaching its kids about America, how great America's constitution and institutions are, singing the anthem every day and generally having the Stars and Stripes in every office, schoolroom, window, house etc. That generally is alien to Britain, we don't show many national flags except for the Cross of St.George on Church of England churches and the Union Jack atop a few town halls. France goes in for more flags but then other European nations don't tend to. I think generally its the perceived insular nature that makes the rest of the world pick up on these jokes when really I guess the majority of people acorss the world have poor geographical knowledge.

Afterall isn't the Capital of the USA New York?

I've always found it annoying that people think Americans speak English. We're not from England, we speak American. Ask any Englishman, I'm sure they'll agree that Americans don't speak English.

Who was it said "Two peoples divided by a common language"?

Quoted

Originally posted by Commodore Green
Who was it said "Two peoples divided by a common language"?

George C. Scott, "Patton"

My pet peeve is US Citizens thinking they are the only Americans... I do find it hilarious when people are so proud of their American (Mexican) built cars, "Buy American, Buy Ford (or Chevy or GM, etc)" is so true and yet so not what people think...

We have a rule here, Foxy: no real-life political discussions on this forum.

How's that political?

Quoted

Originally posted by Brockpaine
We have a rule here, Foxy: no real-life political discussions on this forum.

To be fair, the entire topic was verging on the edge of Political (or at least Political Correctness) from the start, and should probably end at this point.

Quoted

Originally posted by Desertfox
How's that political?

Political or not, it became inappropriate at the "This is why I dislike [group I don't belong to]" point.

Quoted

Originally posted by ShinRa_Inc
To be fair, the entire topic was verging on the edge of Political (or at least Political Correctness) from the start, and should probably end at this point.

I suppose that's true enough.