I’ve seen multiple videos equivalent of Americans pointing where (country) is on the map, and there was an instance where the host asked the woman where the continent Africa is located (points to Asia) like WTF? That’s not even close at all.
I know there’s bias towards those types of videos since there are accusations of the host “handpicking” select strangers framing them as if they are representative of the US. But the truth is that their education system isn’t good as it lacks funding.
When you put it into perspective: how many Europeans can correctly locate & name countries adjacent to them within their own continent and globally? Is the education system within the EU that good or effective at teaching kids that subject?
When you put it into perspective: how many Europeans can correctly locate & name countries adjacent to them within their own continent and globally?
Practically all of them. Seriously.
Most Americans always have had a shitty education, but the last few decades it really went down a toilet
Geography isn’t the only thing they’re bad at, it’s just a funny obvious one, especially when they need their point out the country they’re invading this time
And yes, pretty much all Europeans can point out heit neighbouring countries, most of them can pretty much point at any county on a map or a globe, because w received an education
If you hear, let’s say, Somalia, normally people would know it’s roughly somewhere east in Africa, Uruguay somewhere in South America etc.
I’ve traveled a lot and only from Americans I’ve heard them say about countries they’ve “never heard of it”. When I say I’m in Czechia, they just call it Chechnya, when I say I’m Dutch they love to mix that up with Denmark for some reason, etc.
Their excuse is always the same too: their school sucks. Dude, we didn’t learn this stuff in school neither. It’s common interest about the world around you, watching the news, etc. Half the countries you “don’t know” were bombed by you.
I think what also helps is that we have and value a lot of educational games and tv shows instead of mostly brainrot diversion.
how many Europeans can correctly locate & name countries adjacent to them
Nearly all, seriously, because nearly all have been to some school for at least a few years.
I still remember playing a game as a kid where I had to name all countries adjacent to mine (which are like 15 for Germany) and I got them all right.
Edit: ah no it was even more difficult. It was all countries adjacent to the Mediterranean Sea.
People who only ever think within their country and, related to that, don’t know any geography beyond their borders exist everywhere. Hell, that’s the majority of the world. You just don’t see their gaps in world knowledge in the English-speaking world, because, well, they don’t speak English. And in my opinion, as long as you don’t have any responsibility towards the world, it shouldn’t be reprehensible to be ignorant towards the world.
However, I can imagine that the average European has a higher minimum knowledge about world geography than the the average American. And I think the biggest reason for that is the worldwide reach of US mainstream media. In European countries you passively get more exposure to the rest of the world - especially US music, movies, etc., but not only that. E.g. football fans will at least hear about countries and cities all around the world. The US media on the other hand, although it is definitely widening, is still much more egocentric, again, especially because they are the mainstream.
Well, I can point out all the continents and most countries on a map (approximately), even subdivisions (states etc.) in many western countries. But anecdotal evidence doesn’t really help that much for this question, IMO. Just go look up some statistics.
LOL. Americans can’t even find the USA on a world map or globe.
Not to defend USians’ ignorance of anything outside their country, but I think them not knowing where European countries are can roughly be equated to Europeans not knowing where all the US states are located. Sure, those are not countries by definition, but if we call Europe a country and the countries states, what has changed besides some arbitrary words describing areas of the world?
its not equivalent at all. like most if not all people from countries with education over an agricultural society can tell, whether a country is situated at a certain continent or not. And this for all continents, whether its their own continent or not.
Yes, I didnt disagree with this. If you would have read my comment, you would know that I was not talking about knowing which continent a country belongs to. Also I clearly stated that I dont think Americans in general have that knowledge.
i understand your sentiment, what i was saying is i reject your claim of equivaleny between us states to european countries or countries in general. i was rly talking about, that any country, except the US, that does not have a majorly agricultral society can sort any given country into their continent correctly. Except for USA’ians who do not have this kind of geographical knowledge.