Why/How are Americans Kept Ignorant?

just wonderin...


why are americans so ignorant? how are 300 mi ppl kept ignorant from knowing/caring whats going on outside the U.S.? could it be that the american government wants them that way, to maintain the status quo?

Ignorant of what? Granted I don't know everything thats going on in the world but I think I have a fairly good grasp of whats going on.

Laziness.

WE have the ability to know, just not the desire to know..
because Nick at Night is running a "who's the boss" marathon.

I don't mean EVERYONE..but I think you get my meaning..

maybe perhaps the USA is controlled by the big press/ media agencies and they decide what kind of news people get to see. That's really really bad I think.

Lack of time...Many Americans don't have the time to study in depth all the issues that go on in the world. I read recently that many Americans work more hours than in many Europeans do and have much less vacation time therefore there would be less time to brush up on current events.

Try working 8-10 hours a day then add an hour or two ontop of that for commuting. Then spend quality time with the family. Leave enough time for sleeping and it doesn't exactly leave much time to immerse oneself in current affairs.

What a wonderful idea for a research project.

Going way back to the release of the radio to the general public, and then television. One can see how maybe a government studied the reaction to the release of controlled technology. Remember where alot of what we have came about. Understanding that there is a controlled media, and "the nation's first federally financed school voucher" involved, it is a wonder education isn't federally funded instead of state.

It is a choice, people choose not to care. Because it wouldn't be within their comfort level otherwise.

Rai76, your warmer yet.

Advisor this is really funny. I didn't enter my text yet and there is already an answer from you, really strange and funny. It's not the first time that I noticed that.

Originally posted by rai76
maybe perhaps the USA is controlled by the big press/ media agencies and they decide what kind of news people get to see. That's really really bad I think.

My opinion as well.

By burning Harry Potter books and sending them to school to salute the flag.

Well they do have a head start. They have all those suckers (apart form the ones that were forced there) that believed all the hype of land of opportunity etc. and emigrated.

Fools!

The same can be said of a lot of Europeans too.

The problem is the education system. What you really learn at school is, OBIDIENCE, COMPETITION and MEMORIZATION.

This memorization is instead of real learning, the difference being knowing why and well.. just plain "knowing" or remembering. Example: how did you learn the multiplication tables? MEMORIZING THEM (well i did anyway), now i cant remember it 'coz i now know how to multiply myself. Difference just "knowing" (remembering) 2x2=4 and knowing why 2x2=4 and being able to work it out in your head when you need it.

Add to this a environment where being clever is looked down upon, we call them "nerds" and "pencil necks" and well if you're a woman well intellectualism is right off the agenda. Its this anti-intellectual attudude that helps the schools get away with just producing more little robots to feed the economys hunger for human resources.



[edit on 20/8/2004 by Corinthas]

Originally posted by rai76
Advisor this is really funny. I didn't enter my text yet and there is already an answer from you, really strange and funny. It's not the first time that I noticed that.

What are you referring to? I replied to something you typed two post up.



Or are you talking about the psychic thing, if that's it, I do apologize in advance.

no no no, I don't mean it bad. But when I wrote my text and pushed enter, my message whas there and at the same time that your reply to me was there. Maybe im just crazy!

Easy to asnwer...

Control of the media - in the battle on at the moment I was reading where the Iraqi's claimed to have destroyed 6 humvees, yet they said that information is not shown on the main media. Small example.

Controlling the spin in the media. Something happens and people are TOLD what to think about it, and in true pavlovian fashion they do. Take the Iraq sitaution for example.

Being masters of manipulation of public opinion. People really don't want to know about world event, they want to watch Oparah, and reality TV. Give them the mental bubblegum they want.

But is it perhaps possible that American people are desinformed about certain things? Is it possible then that this media can change the news without someone knowing and perhaps lie about certain things or turn it the other way around, like what it happening with Irac?

yeah prob the gov't controlled media has a lot to do with it. Im an American , i was giving a more broad concept. I guess US ignorance can be accomplished in this fashion. The gov't makes sure that people spend most of their time concerned with their own security. The gov't makes sure local news shows cover all the local shootings, kidnappings, and armed robberies. then throw in some sports, weather, and the ever changing price of gasoline. it seems that ALL major news sources provide the same one sided stories, makes it hard to feel empathy for the other side . just my 2 cents

Well typed, bravo!

Well there it is folks, simple and clear as a stream in Alaska.

Rai76, that is exactly what is most likely happening.

Originally posted by Netchicken
Controlling the spin in the media. Something happens and people are TOLD what to think about it, and in true pavlovian fashion they do. Take the Iraq sitaution for example.

Being masters of manipulation of public opinion. People really don't want to know about world event, they want to watch Oparah, and reality TV. Give them the mental bubblegum they want.

so establish a rule of doublethink, so to speak?

Originally posted by s13guy
just wonderin...


why are Americans so ignorant? how are 300 mi ppl kept ignorant from knowing/caring whats going on outside the U.S.? could it be that the American government wants them that way, to maintain the status quo?

Well, first of all, not ALL Americans are ignorant of what is happening outside the U.S. However, I do agree that many are, but those same ignorant people are probably also the same ignorant people who don't know what is going on inside the U.S. either because they are just plain ignorant people.

Next, you need to realize that you could probably make that statement about all countries and/or people everywhere since the majority of what people know, or think they know, comes by ways other than first hand knowledge. For example, the only reason I know about the major damage Hurricane Charlie is causing right now is because it's in the news. Otherwise I would have no idea there was even a hurricane happening at all since it's not happening where I live. Now, apply that same type of example in a more extreme sense and you'll have most of your answer.

I just edited my post above to include more substance, its worth reading now ;p

hmmm i wouldnt say america or americans are ignorant any more or less than other people that live in other countries.

like we do on this board countries and people who live in them believe they have a real keen bead on things and sometimes views someone else as being ignorant.

i feel there is a large difference between being ignorant and simply being unaware. i cant and wont speak for anyone else but myself but i've seen these stats that so many americans cant find such and such country on a globe or cant recognize the picture of a certain public figure. it think its embarassing but i dont feel that accurately reflect in anyway how educated or uneducated americans are.

as someone said previously americans are busy. after all we have a government that takes an outrageous sum of our gross income as if its entitled to it. as if we have a debt with the government we are forced to pay on a weekly or bi-weekly basis which is only pauid off once we die. therefore we must work 8 9 10 11 12 hours a day, two or even sometimes three jobs. even with a simply 8 hour a day job you factor in lunch time. thats 30 minutes or hald an hour, now its a total of 8.5 or 9 hours. then there is a commute, lets say 30 minutes one way, which is average for those who dont live near downtown for example. that another whole hour eaten up going to and from work. now we're at 9.5-10 hours. now lets factor in getting up and getting ready for work. lets be conservative an say and hour. wow, already we're up to 10.5-11 hours. but we're not done yet! we also have to get the kids ready as well, tack on an additional 30 minutes. now we have spent 11-11.5 hours so far and we arent done yet! now we get home and we have dinner. but we've been up and doing things for almsot 12 hours now....sheez! but lets tack on an hour for dinner both cooking a simple meal and eating it. 12-12.5 hours. now you gotta make sure your kids do their homework, you gotta do daily house chores, you gotta do shopping. even just spending some time unqinding from the day if you're lucky will eat up at least 30 minutes. so we americans spend about 14 hours at least on the move. at least that often on a daily basis. so we dont often have time to learn about whats going on in islamabad or bangladesh. its hard enough to find out whats going on in our communities. now keep in mind what i described above on covers one job, assuming its a monday through friday gig. if you add even a part time job or school...well you're time becomes even more precious and becomes something of a competition, do i do the things i need to do on a daily basis to live and get by or do i take time out of my schedule because someone else in the world thinks im ignorant because im not always up to date on what goes on in the rest of the world?

ignorance is ignorance IMO and there are no such thing as "less ignorant" and i seriously doubt the rest of the world has suddenly become enlightened enough to call anyone else in another country ignorant.

i could say those who are not fully aware of how most americans live are ignorant but that wouldnt be fair to call them that they simply are not aware. but i guess to assume something and then make presumptuous remarks in kind could be construed as ignorance personified. ignorance is simply not knowing something, no no no, it is also a state of mind where we sort of make things up as we go along to fill in the gaps in our education of something and then assume it to be true. that is true ignorance. i dont see how americans are any more guilty of this than anyone else, this isnt to say they are less guilty but i dont see how any else has the highground in this issue.

If staff could be applauded...

How about a project about global ignorance?