Why American students know so little about the world as a whole?

Answer 1

Ethnocentrism, or the curriculum.

Answer 2

You are making a very generalised statement, my friend.

To which "American students" are you referring? What is the age range of the students?

And most important, what knowledge about the world as a whole do they lack?

Do you mean economics of a country? Do you mean the cultures? The ability to point out different countries on a map?

You cannot possibly expect young students to know everything there is to know about the world; they're just beginning to learn about themselves!

As for older students, again I ask, what gives you the impression that American students are ignorant regarding the world outside of the States? I would argue for every "American" student who does not possess the information you claim they lack, there is one "Non-American" student who would lack the same knowledge.

Not everyone can name all the countries in Europe or Africa, and lack of that ability doesn't make one less human.

The important matter at hand is not knowledge of this sort, but the capability for understanding, honesty, integrity, and communication. That is much more important than knowledge of the "world as a whole", do you not agree?

Answer 3

You have to understand that America is a big country well- known for being the most democratic and better in technologies and often they assume as having a superpower. Therefore, they dont feel the need/less important to study other people/countries apart from USA itself. It effects the society as a whole same to education system.
On contrary, without realizing, USA is heavily controlled by government and media ie CNN. Most issues are bias, brainwashed and propagandas. However, many (not all) Americans fail to recognize that other countries also have so many issues, beauties and facets of life i.e background, ideology, culture, lifestyles, ideas and history. Americans in their opinion, are the champion of democracy, technology, human rights and the best to live in the world. For that reason, other countries really dont really matter. What matter for them is their idea of American Dream and their country.
In addition, the problem comes when they travel abroad to foreign countries where I found most Americans abroad are not so sensible towards other people sensivity, talk so loud, often obnoxious, ignorant, superficial and too patriotic! If you put me in between a British and an American, I probably would and prefer to chat with an English guy. I find them quite open-minded, less critical, down-to- earth and know how listen and rescpect others. I have nothing against Americans but there were a time when 1-2 persons whom I wish I would never meet them!

Answer 4

I think americans learn enough, and learn the important things. Now have schools become places where we worry more about self-esteem and the racial bias of standardized testing? Heck yes! Maybe we should refocus our attention on actual output of knowledge, rather then making sure that a question concering conversion of distance doesn't talk about golf, and therefore is anti-black.

Also wouldn't it be nice if the nightly new shows were longer then the entertainment new shows? Or that maybe 48hrs did less mysteries, and more "Hey, Gaza is buring!!" stories. Honestly the media takes great pride in reportign how much we suck, and them seem not to realize there role in creating this image.

I do disagree with this statement by the way. I think the ignorance that is shown in the media via articles and surveys is a bit false. I do think the American mindset is one of go away. And there is nothing wrong with that. As PJ O'Rouke said in his book Give War a Chance, our familys were all foreignors once. And they left because they new how annoying foreignors were. I am paraphasing, but you get the drift.

Americans know a great deal about the world. I watch "A Knight's Tale" in a movie theatre in Australia in 2001. No one but myself and my lovely American girlfriend laughed at the introduction of Chaucer as a character. Or when he dropped lines from the Tales. This in a Crown Colony. Later on, on Sept 14th I witnessed two middle school aged girls riduculing their american friend for not knowing the name of an author from England they had studied in school. It turned out the woman wrote childerns books. Later they went on to say that we american's think we are more important then people. A fine thing to say on Sept 14th 2001.

Answer 5

You know, I keep hearing people say this, but I see little proof that it is correct. When I was in school, I learned all about the rest of the world. Schools offer courses in European history, Asian history, African history, Latin American history, and so on, as well as discuss current events.

Most of the adults and young adults are well aware of current events and can discuss them logically and intelligently. We Americans read newspapers, watch the news, read articles and editorials online, discuss current world events in person and in online chat groups and newsgroups.

Don't let a few who show their ignorance colour your perceptions of the rest of us. I think you'll find that the average American is quite well informed.

Answer 6

Because in our developmental age of tolerance, we no longer expect children to learn anything. Gone are the days of failing students, now we're more concerned with their emotional needs, not their intellectual needs. When a good percentage of the students who graduate can only read at an 8th grade level, it's unrealistic to expect them to know much of anything.

Answer 7

In part, I think it boils down to an elementary educational system that does not encourage curiosity.

On the other hand....judging from the Q&A I see on this site, many from other nations know astonishingly little about the United States beyond their tiresome resentment of its presence.

Answer 8

Probably because our school board is to interested in teaching us the same thing for 12 years of our lives in grade school.

Answer 9

That, and they don't really care about what goes on in the world other than what is happening to them, personally.

Answer 10

some of us love to study world geography and sociology. why did you not type a complete sentence though? that really irritates we americans.

Answer 11

Must be the 30 billion/year spent on food advertising.


You know, it might also be that we love generalizations and pigeon-holing.