Why is it that most Americans accept being ignorant in the area of world history and world politics?

Question

For an example: most Americans don't know that the British empire pitted Arabs and Turks against each other, and when they had killed thousands of each other; the British moved in and occupied the region. This occurred in the 1920s, and they occupied Iraq and defined the map in that part of the world, as we know it today. They promised the Arabs sovereignty and autonomy, and did not keep their promises. How can you promise men sovereignty and autonomy in their own country?

This occupation lasted several years, and was undermined by freedom and resistance fighters. Does this sound like deja vu? The USA's invasion and occupations in the Middle East is history or mankind ignorantly repeating itself.

You can research this yourself by looking it up at the online encyclopedia "www.Wikipedia.com", or do a google.com or ask.com search. Also, the BBC is another good reference source.

Answer 1

The answer to that question is very simple: people don't care. For the most part, we live in a society that focuses on today. Not tomorrow, and hardly ever yesterday. We're always concentrating on what's going on NOW, what's the cool thing NOW, what should I do NOW? It's always about now. People are bored with what came before, because, for them, there's no point. It was THEN. And this is NOW.

At the same time, for those who DO KNOW their history, and choose to repeat it anyway, well, the answer is also simple. The British Empire was exactly that: an empire, and they occupied the Middle East for the same reasons anyone occupies a territory: natural resources. Bottom line: money. And that's the same today. Sure, the justification is rebuilding a nation that was ruled by a violent despot, and that's the reason why everyday Americans, and especially our brave soldiers over there right now, support this war. But those who started it, those who made it on the very top of their agenda, well, they knew what the British knew. There's a lot of money to be made in the Middle East, one way or another, and they'll make that money if it kills everybody else.

It's cynical, true, and those who might be keen on the whole "Then and Now" thing might recognize that from a scene in Spaceballs (without trying to sound uber-nerd), but I hope that answers your question.

Answer 2

First of all I don't think what is going on today is the same thing at all. We were attacked and now we're taking action against the kind of people in this world that try to disrupt our way of life. The British thing sounds like Great Britain was trying to acquire more land for selfish reasons. And we are not occupying the land, we are protecting a newly forming government, and national defense forces from those trying to destroy it.
Now, that doesn't mean American's aren't ignorant when it comes to world history and politics though. The answer for why we are is that we are the greatest power on Earth. The world literally adapts to us. English is the international language, because Americans speak it. So, if a foriegn country wants successful in internationl trade, they need to know English. Americans are everywhere and our influence is felt by all, we can't help it, we're just too wealthy, and powerful.

Answer 3

As a recent graduate of the public school system of the United States, I can tell you that history (of all forms) is generally boring. Personally, I like history but that was due to a really awesome teacher. The books are ALSO quite awful. They have "inclusion" sentences so they can cover 8000 topics but not go into depth on one of them. It's brilliant. World politics is RARELY discussed. To take it one step further, an interest in world politics would have to come from a newspaper that more and more people don't get on a daily basis which is probably attributable to the parents not being at home ever. Plus, if people were to find other forms of entertainment than the TV (video games too!) and computer, it would probably help things.

Answer 4

I don't think most Americans accept being ignorant. I think that history and world politics are very badly taught in schools and that students of world history and politics don't get enough geography, either.

I know about the Sykes - Picot agreement and the Balfour Doctrine. The Sykes - Picot Agreement basically split up the Middle East and Africa between England and France.

The point that the Middle East doesn't get is that Westerners have been divide and conquer for centuries. And the Middle East leaders have fallen for it for centuries. It would seem to me that the learning curve would get a little better.

Wikipedia is a good source for general information. But it isn't the best for an in depth study of the issue.

You can promise anyone sovreignty and autonomy if the citizens don't have that for themselves anyway. The Caliphs and Sheiks and Mullahs who have run the Middle East for centuries have been as corrupt as Western Leaders.

I think we need to wash our hands clean before we go pointing any fingers.

They tell me that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, but the fact is that in the Middle East, absolute powerlessness has corrupted absolutely also.

Answer 5

There are a few reasons Americans don't care for world politics or history:

#1: They don't care. People in America are quite ego-centric and have a feeling of superiority. If things are not done their way - the American way - it's wrong and they simply do not care to undersatnd the others' point of view. This stems form point #2...

#2: Traditional history classes are boring. Think back to when you were in junior high and high school. Histroy teachers were awful and they made the subject so dry and boring. And during those years,people are particularly ego-centric, and if the subject doesn't directly influence them (and it's really boring) it's not worth learning. I am, by the way, a junior high history teacher, and I AM NOT dry and boring. I make histry fun and relevent, but still so many kids cannot see past thier own world.

Answer 6

So dude, were you asking a question or just extemporizing to make a statement? Dumb way to lose 5 points...

Sigh...anyway, here's your answer, so people don't need to do your research for you.
Yes, most Americans are woefully inept when it comes to history. So is everyone else. Including the Arabs and the Turks, who learned like everyone else through the histories of Mesopotamia, Greece, Rome and the Carolingian dynasties/empires how to gain the upper hand in a situation. It's called the human race for a reason.
So yes, everything sounds like deja vü, because it mostly is. There is no such thing as autonomy or sovereignty, and this is simply because these are ephemeral terms whose definitions change with each person every single day.
The other reason why Americans don't really pay a lot of attention to history is that we live in a fairly land-locked country. We don't pay attention to the history of Turkey or Saud's Arabia because it doesn't pose a threat to us, and has little obvious impact on our lives (much like how people in other countries don't really study our history, either).
Heck, I am guessing most everyone else only sees the history of its neighbors in the context of how that other country's history affected THEIR history.
People are selfish and self-involved.
There is no gravity: the earth sucks.Get a helmet

Answer 7

World History and World Politics are two different things. And where do you get your statistics that "most" Americans accept being ignorant. If you're going to make an assumption like that...back it up, then ask a question.

Answer 8

I would not say most Americans are ignorant of world history, only those who think "who cares?" This usually involves most of the nation's high school and college age students, as it does not involve either rap music or Brittany Spears. I assure you that there are some of us who are historians - working historians - who have studied world history. American history involves studying world history - especially the French and British empires. Ever heard of Napolean's invasion of Egypt? How about the American Navy's assault on the Barbary Pirates in 1804? You would be surprised how much world history has to do with American History.

Answer 9

I know a little about that - but not as muich as I would like

Americans are not uncaring people. The fault lies in #1 the educational system, #2 in the textbooks and #3 the media.
1) They hardly teach geography any more in school. Most history taught before the university level is US history, with a touch of ancient histroy and maybe a tiny bit of Asian, European or Soviet history is the school is good. The school curricula are driven by standardized testing.
2) History textbooks throughout the entire US educational system are deadly BORING! Luckily there are a few good history writers gaining popularity now (could we get them to write high school texts please!), and students have access to the internet.
3) Unless you have cable TV and access to channels like the History Channel, Discovery Channel, Science Channel, etc, you are stuck with current "news" programs, which are nothing better than political hype (brainwashing and lies mostly) and celebrity gossip.
We used to get the Canadian News (part of a group in a program called News World International) on satellite TV, but the station was bought by Al Gore and turned into Google TV - useless trivia. Canadian news often ran in depth history documentaries about different countries, hostorical movements, conflicts and many many interesting topics. I miss it so much! It might have been a bit biased, but at least an effort was made to give people an historical and global perspective.

Answer 10

The partisanship in historical interpretation here isn't necessary for Americans to make a critical evaluation of the process current in Iraq. But, if the question is the standard then it would be equally incredible that so few people have an understanding of the history of the United States.