Americans are NOT stupid...
A (fake) report by the parody TV show CNNNN concerning the intelligence of U.S. citizens. No offense intended
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43 comments posted so far. Login to add a comment.
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3. supra11000 commented 16 years ago
It might be fake or scripted, but some americans are really that stupid!! Take George bush for example. I liked the bit where they renamed the countries on the map, and everyone disliked australia
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5. dave9191 commented 16 years ago
Its not scripted, if you ask enough people on the street you will find people who don't know stuff. There are people who don't know geography or maths or whatever. I'm sure that lots of people answered properly, just they didn't put the correct answers in. You can't call a whole country stupid based on the response of a select few people. Well maybe we can make the US an exception
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6. Telhina commented 16 years ago
No!i believe that in other countries you will not receive answers like that ones!in U.S.A they know only about their country and nothing more outside of them, that is tragedy i cant understand they dont learn anything inside school's except the big America??!Ok i understand that America is huge,but someone must know about the basic at least,i had a friend from L.A that believed that in Greece they have mule's instead of cars#@!#% ^!!
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8. NucleoVega commented 16 years ago
Other countries seem to know more about the U.S. than the U.S. knows about them because American television has planted its influence everywhere.
but this is just pitiful... i want these idiots to GTFO of my country...
but this is just pitiful... i want these idiots to GTFO of my country...
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14. manu3l commented 16 years ago
Although it is true that people with such a level of stupidity do exist here in the US, these fools are not representative of the entire US. This kind of video can be replicate in any country, you just have to go to the right places (low-income & less college educated areas) and ask this questions. This video is a bit biased.
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15. Fergus_Thedog commented 16 years ago
Ignorance is a side-effect of the media state we in the 'developed' world live in. We exist in a comfortable place where we can mentally subsist on 100% entertainment rather than choosing to broaden our mindscape. I do not believe that all Americans are as ignorant as the ones this obviously selective video shows, nor do I believe that other countries are immune to such cretinism. Yet in my experience the U.S. education system has a very narrow scope, with primary level history, geography and politics limited almost solely to a U.S. focus.
As for not knowing how many sides a triangle has...? Sorry, can't explain that one. Perhaps yanks ARE stupid...
As for not knowing how many sides a triangle has...? Sorry, can't explain that one. Perhaps yanks ARE stupid...
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16. Aliquantulus commented 16 years ago
Sorry to say, but sometimes it really seems like Americans live in their own private little bubble. Other countries can look in, but Americans can't (or won't) look out.
Can't even remember how many times I've been asked the question "Isn't Norway the capitol of Sweden?" or the other typical question "What?! Is Norway a individual country? I was sure it was a state in Europe!"..
Can't even remember how many times I've been asked the question "Isn't Norway the capitol of Sweden?" or the other typical question "What?! Is Norway a individual country? I was sure it was a state in Europe!"..
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17. xlynx commented 16 years ago
@Fergus_Thedog: I went to an Australian public school and they didn't teach history (only ancient history) or geography (only scientific aspects) there either.
But I would expect people to pick up on these things over time, especially by the time they reach the age of those in the video. Everybody should at least have a general idea of what continent or even hemisphere France is in, no matter how sheltered their lifestyle. France! Source of some of the bigger cultural influences, globally.
The people in this video don't appear stupid or mentally handicapped or anything, just average people who are very ignorant, and sadly USA does seem to have a larger percentage of these people than many other countries, based on people I've met while travelling, based on my friends experiences in Australia and overseas, and based on people I've talked to at great length in web forums and on IRC for many years.
They also have some of the brightest and least ignorant people in the world, sure, but there definitely seems to be a major cultural division within USA.
This video is about five years old to give you an idea of the current events at the time.
But I would expect people to pick up on these things over time, especially by the time they reach the age of those in the video. Everybody should at least have a general idea of what continent or even hemisphere France is in, no matter how sheltered their lifestyle. France! Source of some of the bigger cultural influences, globally.
The people in this video don't appear stupid or mentally handicapped or anything, just average people who are very ignorant, and sadly USA does seem to have a larger percentage of these people than many other countries, based on people I've met while travelling, based on my friends experiences in Australia and overseas, and based on people I've talked to at great length in web forums and on IRC for many years.
They also have some of the brightest and least ignorant people in the world, sure, but there definitely seems to be a major cultural division within USA.
This video is about five years old to give you an idea of the current events at the time.
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19. StressMaker commented 16 years ago
How stupid can u be? America..on top of the piramid of stupidity.Those were by far the most easiest questions a man can ask.For the love of God im a romanian and even I knew that America won against Vietnam.There are 10 Eiffel towers..?1 kidney? WTF are u thinking and it s obvious that u have terorism in ur blood and i don't even wanna talk about geography.IM 18 by the way.Again OMG!
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20. Brendo commented 16 years ago
That is taken from an Australian show which was on Channel 2 called "The Chasers War on Everything". I have friends who work on the set and nothing is every staged. Take for instance their effort at the APEC meeting in Sydney, where they showed up after the Presidential motor-cade dressed in suits and in a limosine and they got passed all the security with fake passes and on behalf of a non-existent country.
They do a good show worth a watch if ever you get the chance.
They do a good show worth a watch if ever you get the chance.
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22. cardsfan commented 16 years ago
@StressMaker:
The US did not win the war against Vietnam...
I think that a lot of the US is like this because of the media. "Global" hardly exists in the media, whereas in other countries, it is everywhere.
I've been reading several posts on this site (including other videos) and why would anybody from Austrailia dislike America? That doesn't make any sense...
The US did not win the war against Vietnam...
I think that a lot of the US is like this because of the media. "Global" hardly exists in the media, whereas in other countries, it is everywhere.
I've been reading several posts on this site (including other videos) and why would anybody from Austrailia dislike America? That doesn't make any sense...
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23. lacquim commented 16 years ago
Alright, funny as this sounds, KFC is NOT from Kentucky. The original one is on 3900 S. and State St. in Salt Lake City, Utah. I think that the original recipe might be from KY, but the restaurant chain is not.
Secondly: yeah, it could be that some Americans aren't necessarily the brightest...but on the other hand, how many times have you tried to get directions from a European to get somewhere in his or her own city? I've asked for a bit of help in several places, and a lot of the time, I get sent on a wild goose chase. Not saying they're stupid, but as HUMANS, there are a lot of things that we miss. Give the US a chance guys. It's not all that bad.
Just for future reference, PLEASE read what you're posting before you hit "Post Comment." It doesn't take that long, and slang really isn't all that cool. Try to be communicative, not impressive…please.
Thanks.
Secondly: yeah, it could be that some Americans aren't necessarily the brightest...but on the other hand, how many times have you tried to get directions from a European to get somewhere in his or her own city? I've asked for a bit of help in several places, and a lot of the time, I get sent on a wild goose chase. Not saying they're stupid, but as HUMANS, there are a lot of things that we miss. Give the US a chance guys. It's not all that bad.
Just for future reference, PLEASE read what you're posting before you hit "Post Comment." It doesn't take that long, and slang really isn't all that cool. Try to be communicative, not impressive…please.
Thanks.
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24. butlen commented 16 years ago
This is a fun video. No doubt.
You could do the same thing anywhere in the world, if you were asked 30 questions, being nervous because of being on camera, I guarantee YOU would give at least one, equally ignorant answer, which would be edited and make it onto the brilliant video tape.
Americans are no more stupid than any other race, but for a developed country a large proportion of them are ignorant of the rest of the world. They're generally very nice people, but many think that what they see on TV new is fact, whereas its largely news readers opinion on the facts.
Their country is large, so many don't see the need to travel outside of it. Travel and seeing what is good and bad in other cultures and societies helps you to understand and improve/appreciate your home society.
More Americans should travel, if they did, maybe the US foriegn policy (and their allies the UK (UK is Britain for any Americans reading this)) wouldn't be so messed up.
Posted from and Ignorant Englishman
You could do the same thing anywhere in the world, if you were asked 30 questions, being nervous because of being on camera, I guarantee YOU would give at least one, equally ignorant answer, which would be edited and make it onto the brilliant video tape.
Americans are no more stupid than any other race, but for a developed country a large proportion of them are ignorant of the rest of the world. They're generally very nice people, but many think that what they see on TV new is fact, whereas its largely news readers opinion on the facts.
Their country is large, so many don't see the need to travel outside of it. Travel and seeing what is good and bad in other cultures and societies helps you to understand and improve/appreciate your home society.
More Americans should travel, if they did, maybe the US foriegn policy (and their allies the UK (UK is Britain for any Americans reading this)) wouldn't be so messed up.
Posted from and Ignorant Englishman
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25. deltarosigma commented 16 years ago
We SO like that you americans are stupid. It gives us great pleasure! Thank you for being stupid!
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26. AMERICANandPROUD commented 16 years ago
I agree with #7. Yes, America has some very unintelligent people in it. You can't possibly believe that the entire U.S. is this ignorant. Give me a break. I answered every question that was asked in this video correctly (including the location of Sri Lanka) and I am an American, but I have never been approached by anyone with a camera asking me these simple questions. I do agree, however, that it is sad that there are people in the world that do not know much about other countries and I think it to be even more sad that other countries make generalizations about the U.S. based on videos such as these. NOTHING is 100%. You can't say ALL Americans are stupid, just like Americans ALL Muslims are terrorists, for example, or that ALL British people have bad oral hygiene, or that ALL Romanians have sex with sheep. These are some of the generalizations I have read on this website and others... Come on people... Can't we all just get along?! (inside joke )
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27. BombDiggady commented 16 years ago
I can easily say that these people are stupid, and that they are Americans (as humiliating as it is).
I can also easily say that the interviewing took place mostly (if not entirely) in California.
California is a nut house state, containing lots of idiotic and stupid people.
Surely not all of the people that were interviewed were this stupid, selective editing is obvious.
My 11-year-old sister answered most questions correctly.
I'm sure that I could also go into most any country in the world, interview a lot of people, and then edit out all of the smart interviews.
It's sad to see that so many people actually believe false media such as this.
It is humiliating that the media of my own country is so bad, too.
I can also easily say that the interviewing took place mostly (if not entirely) in California.
California is a nut house state, containing lots of idiotic and stupid people.
Surely not all of the people that were interviewed were this stupid, selective editing is obvious.
My 11-year-old sister answered most questions correctly.
I'm sure that I could also go into most any country in the world, interview a lot of people, and then edit out all of the smart interviews.
It's sad to see that so many people actually believe false media such as this.
It is humiliating that the media of my own country is so bad, too.
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30. fusionrock commented 16 years ago
Doesn't anyone else find it hilarious that all the people calling America stupid use "u," internet lingo, and one even said, "God im a romanian and even I knew that America won against Vietnam."
I'm American and I know the answers to these questions. So am I stupid? I'm spelling correctly, not using abbreviations or internet lingo, and I'm laughing my ass off that all the people here berating Americans are so stupid themselves.
Hahahahahahaha.
I'm American and I know the answers to these questions. So am I stupid? I'm spelling correctly, not using abbreviations or internet lingo, and I'm laughing my ass off that all the people here berating Americans are so stupid themselves.
Hahahahahahaha.
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31. Mantric commented 16 years ago
Coming in, taking over and blowing shit up is NOT charity.
The USA only spends 0.16% of their gross national income for development aid whereas the milleniumgoals set in 2000, were set for 0.70%.
A target only 6 countries so far have reached in 2005, but saying your country is the most charitable... I'd have to say you should take your propaganda and shove it so to speak.
The USA only spends 0.16% of their gross national income for development aid whereas the milleniumgoals set in 2000, were set for 0.70%.
A target only 6 countries so far have reached in 2005, but saying your country is the most charitable... I'd have to say you should take your propaganda and shove it so to speak.
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33. andyjk10 commented 16 years ago
ill tell you guys that is absolute true,even europeans expecially england you will get worse than that, the thing is in this developedd contries you dont need education to live a good life so people are a lot out general knowledge,
ill tell you if you did that in africa lets say Tz where i am, most of the poepole will know that as here education is very important, actually a primary schook kid will get most of the answers correct so i dont blame the americans(the few who are nut heads) coz they really dont need all that
, if you did it in england hahahahaha it would have been some fun
ill tell you if you did that in africa lets say Tz where i am, most of the poepole will know that as here education is very important, actually a primary schook kid will get most of the answers correct so i dont blame the americans(the few who are nut heads) coz they really dont need all that
, if you did it in england hahahahaha it would have been some fun
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34. lejink commented 16 years ago
k..im seeing alot of people saying "every country is like that" which goes to show how ignorant u r about other countrys.. can u name 1/2 the provinces in canada? most people in developed countrys know something about their closest neighbor and biggest trading partner. iv had people from california come here on buisness in the summer wearing winter coats.. im in vancouver, 1/2hr from seattle. do u people honestly believe theres a wall of ice that starts on the canada/us boarder? now ur gunna think of some excuse as to why u dont need to know anything about the world around u.well if it makes u feel better, go for it.. ignorance is bliss right?
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35. bruno_leal commented 16 years ago
American? What's that? A Planet?
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36. rearcushion commented 16 years ago
Americans.... tsk tsk tsk.. this report is probably fake but it shows reality.
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41. Hellion1982 commented 14 years ago
No Wonder India & China are racing to be the next SuperPowers. Actually, it's not going to be hard.
-4 1. xertion commented 16 years ago