I don't think Americans are stupid. America is a big place and you guys have some good scientists and researchers! I do however think that you live a very closed-off life to the rest of the world... and your education system isn't as good as ours. I had a friend who did a placement year in an American university and she said it was the easiest thing she has ever done. She handed in really rubbish assignments that would have been a fail mark over here and they passed with a good grade in America. But on the whole I wouldn't claim the entire US is stupid, no.
If you look at the type of questions that Americans ask on Yahoo Answers, especially the ones dealing with law, geography, politics and motoring you will see the sort of results that their appalling public education system gives.
This does not mean that Americans are inherently stupid, but they are sadly misinformed about the rest of the world in so many ways. They seem to think that everywhere else is like them, and if it's not like them then it must be "evil". It's not surprising that a lot of countries don't like them.
I have worked with professional Americans based in the UK and found them to be easily amongst the best in the world. But I have also interfaced with US tourists in the UK and Europe, and these are amongst the most appalling, ignorant and arrogant people in the world.
It would help the image of the American people a lot if their film and tv programme makers would stop messing around with history when they make productions dealing with real events.
Sadly, many Yanks still think that WW2 started in 1941 and that they invented the programmable computer, motor car, television, electric light bulb, radio and aeroplanes, etc. But I will concede that the first automatic telephone exchange and paper clips were American inventions.
I'm American and traveled over the world and I have noticed that citizens in other country have conversation as a give and take to learn something of value. They seem to value knowledge more whereas we Americans value FUN more. We don't like "heavy" topics like religion, history, politics, science, race issues, because its considered rude. We avoid these subjects and lose out on learning from each other. I enjoy talking with Europeans because they are deeply philosophical. They know history, art, philosophy, science, and it makes them generally more interesting. Americans think its interesting to drink beer from a keg upside down. I don't know why we don't value education in this country but all of life requires some balance. Fun and learning can both be possible.
No we know that few Americans are stupid But they are not very well educated
their Military believes its own Hype
and National Pride does Not help getting a Job Knowing all the presidents there are only a Few Jobs in the white House
My American Friends in the USAF based in Australia actually said we had No Idea where Australia was Until the Posting we are not taught
Quite a lot of you are incredibly uninformed about the rest of the world, and tend to see other countries through a distorted view of your own country. That does not make you stupid, A lot of very great minds make the same mistake when looking at anything outside their own situation. It certainly does not make you stupider than people in the UK.
Some are. Some are not, and the same goes for British people. The anti education culture; the poor quality of many schools, materialism, and the media all contribute to this, as does the poor quality of most peoples' diets which prevents the brain from developing properly
As a general rule, yes
but overall some will be clever and many average, some stupid
as a generalisation of the gene pool, most people who colonised America were the lower levels of society trying to make a better life, so in theory are more stupid
Unfortunately so; and for British, European or Australians to say that, is just as narrow-minded as a bible thumper in the Deep South. The media here likes to prey upon people who can't think for themselves, so they feed them simplified stereotypes, which crystallise opinion, and spare people from having to think.
Those of us who can use our minds though (and have maybe actually travelled to the USA) know that there are plenty of cultured and intelligent Americans in the world.
we have more money,pay less taxes,and have a better military. However the leadership we've had the last few years is certainly leading us down that that trail. We do have a lot of people who want something for nothing and the stupidity part comes in us giving it to them.
Some people do, but I don't. I have American friends and they are really clever and well educated.
I think some Americans get that reputation because they tend not to know much about what is going on outside their own country. It makes them sound ignorant.
