Such as the umm Iraq, Such as!

[HerbieZ]

If you have not already heared of the whole Miss South Carolina speaking gibberish

debate. She basically muddled her way through a question in the most squirmingly unbearably watchable way ever. But, to be honest, how would you have answered the question she was posed. Which was "Recent polls have showed that a fifth of Americans can't locate the U.S on a world map. Why do you think this is?"

 

So why do you think this is?

 

No "u.s are dumbz" answers please.

[Alkonium]

I really don't know the answer to that. Can I say that I'd say what you wouldn't let us say but won't because you aren't letting us?

[mimartin]

In the immortal word of Mr. Hand (Ray Walston) “What are you, people? On dope?”

 

Seriously I could not answer that question either. I guess she was concerned if she said the American people that didn’t know where they lived were just plain stupid that her reply might have hurt her score with the judges.

 

The question I have is where do they find this people for their polls? I know where the US, Asian and the European countries are located. I may have a problem with some of the African and South American countries, but from their names I believe I could logically ascertain what continent they belong to.

 

As a “US American” (whatever that is) I am appalled and wonder how these people can operate in our society, but this does explain the difficulty of my job some days.

[Totenkopf]

My first question is what exactly did she think she was asked, b/c she claimed she was thrown somewhat off balance. But, by a straight forward question? Puhleaze, all the more so since her apologists pointed out that she was actually an honors student. I'm not sure, b/c I don't completely trust statistics, what the actual number/% might really be, but am not surprised they could find people here with that problem. Maybe those people might have found a question about the frequency that Britney Spears appears in public sans underwear an easier nut to crack. If stupidity is not considered an acceptable answer, the only option left is apathy.

[Achilles]

As a “US American” (whatever that is)

Canada, Mexico, and a couple dozen other nations make up "the Americas". No doubt her attempt at specificity sounded cumbersome compared to our typical vernacular, however she was, in fact, correct

 

@topic: considering our literacy rate, I suppose we have to expect that something is sacrificed to geography as well.

 

If it makes you feel better though...linky

[Totenkopf]

Well.......he must have stepped through a time portal from the dark ages. I sure hope if I ever play that game that all the question are that easy. He really seemed to be sweating that one.

[mimartin]

If it makes you feel better though...linky

 

It actually doesn’t make me feel better; I’m more concern with mankind’s intelligences rather than merely my own country. I really believed the U.S. education problems with things such as geography had to do with our obsession to have our student pass minimal requirement test in order for the school district to receive government funding. I actually felt the education systems in the rest of the world would help solve the world’s problems including the problems of the U.S. If this is any indication maybe I was being overly optimistic.

[SilentScope001]

Recent polls have showed that a fifth of Americans can't locate the U.S on a world map. Why do you think this is?"

 

"They are unable to locate it on a map because of the fact that people don't really care about where the US really is located. Geography is a very important skill, but in the day-to-day life of an average American who won't leave their state at all, much less their nation, the knowledge of where America is located is not as prized as, say, who is going to be the next Ms. American or who is going to win the next Presidental Election...or even who's going to win the Iraq War, not that those people know where Iraq is on a map either.

 

Americans aren't dumb, instead they priotrize knowledge based on how they preceive its usefulness. I can tell you that I don't know much about quantum physics, and while I know that quantum physicis is by far one of the most important fields of science out there, I just don't see it as necessary for living a normal, every day life. Plus, judging from the fact that one could easily look up said geographical information on the Internet and just read the name of the nation on the globe means that such information does not need to be stored in our mind, since we can easily access it.

 

That being said, I do think this trend need to be reversed, as since we live in a global society, we have to realize that there is a world outside of our little sphere, and that there are things that are more important than what we see."

 

[mimartin]

Congratulations SilentScope001 I now award you the title of Miss Teen USA 2007.

 

That is a great answer and if nothing else you should be a coach for the next beauty contest.

[stoffe]

If it makes you feel better though...linky

 

I usually find that the comment section of such video clips makes me weep more for humanity than the clips themselves.

 

@OP: Thinking up an answer that won't offend anyone on the fly isn't always easy, especially not when you now you are being watched by millions of people. So in a way I can understand her, even though the answer given was... weird.