Why are Europeans so much better informed about world events than Americans?

Answer 1

Because government controls the media and the media controls the people.
Easy to do in one big nation, not so easy to do when you have several smaller nations.
Europeans tend have a better education and a more rounded general knowledge and because of that we are rather more cynical and less likely to believe what the government tries to foist upon us.
We are not constantly told that we are the greatest nation on earth and are therefore much more likely to know our true place as one amongst equals.
america is scary, an ignorant mob turned against the rest of the world by a brainless puppet who has his strings pulled by an unelected secret council who reign supreme from within their ivory towers. Unseen and unheard except by those they directly control they wreak the havoc they enjoy and gain power and profit from.
Would any sane person honestly vote for someone with the mental ineptness of G.Bush or a lop sided body-builder from Austria and seriously believe that they can run the place without help from an unelected body of people ?
Is that democracy ?
Yes, I know the americans among this community will be up in arms, but, please sit back a little, take a deep breath and try to see yourself as other people see you.
We mean you no disrespect, we just wish you would see the light. Stop eating all that drug filled junk food and drinking all that fizzy pop, that just fills your heads with panic and tension and allows you to be more easily controlled. Stop taking the movie industry and TV so seriously, approach politics with a degree of cynicism and refuse to buy populist nationalistic newspapers that are designed to fill your minds with hatred.
Then you can join the rest of the world and we all might get a little closer to the truth of what is really happening on this planet and be able to do something about it.
We can then, possibly, start to live in a truly free world.

Answer 2

Europeans have a longer history and better defined sense of their own culture ,America is still struggling to find an identity that isn't based on $$$$ or media.

Another reason for the gullibility of Americans is their lack of alternative information to government propaganda. The independence of print and TV media disappeared in the media consolidations of the 1990s. Today a handful of large corporations own the traditional media. The wealth of these corporations consists of broadcast licenses, which the companies hold at the government's discretion. Newspapers are run by corporate executives, whose eyes are on advertising revenue and who shun contentious reporting. The result is that the traditional media are essentially echo chambers for government propaganda.

The Internet and the foreign news media accessible through the Internet are the sources of alternative information. Many Americans have not learnt to use and to rely on the Internet for information.

Many Americans find the government's message much more reassuring than the actual facts. The government's message is: "America is virtuous. Virtuous America was attacked by evil terrorists. America is protecting itself by going to war and overthrowing regimes that sponsor or give shelter to terrorists, erecting in their place democracies loyal to America."

Sugarcoated propaganda doesn't present Americans with the emotional and mental stress associated with the hard facts.

Remember dumb people are easier to manipulate so the us government helps keep them ignorant,its government policy.

Answer 3

I have just read all the respones on this. It looks like none of you lot I gather have ever been out of the states. Before anyone judge me yes have been to the states quiite few times. Been European here and living close to other European nations. Yes we are interested in other countries affairs. We not like sorry to say this USA very into themselves, and think the worlds affairs revolved around USA. There a big wide world out there.

Answer 4

Thanks for the compliment but I think that what you're saying is a myth.
In Europe there are just as many uninformed lazy people who prefer watching stupid television shows than watching the news or reading anything over five words.
On the other hand I've met many well informed and educated open minded Americans on this site.
It could be that you get your impression because the soap opera addicted Europeans never come on this site and have certainly no interest to see anything except their own little world.Therefore you might not meet them but believe me please they exist and in great numbers.Ignorance is not an American exclusive.

Answer 5

Americans tend to have a very constricted view of the rest of the world, with their idea of world events amounting to "them" and "everyone else".

*By the way, all those who said "Oh well nothing ever happens outside American anyway" basically proved the point of the guy who posted the question. If you were better informed, you'd probably realise otherwise.

Answer 6

Every noticed that the World Series relates to a game only played by Americans? and that the Americans are world champs at American Football? When you think you are King of the world, why have someone remind you that you are NOT!

Answer 7

Media types in Europe are not afraid of losing their jobs if they report the truth. In America reporters do as their told. Your best bet is to read foreign news sites like CBC Canada, BBC England and Al Jazzera. They all have some bias but if you read them all you should be able to figure out the truth. And forget FOX News. Thats a propaganda unit the Nazis would be proud of. Just keep an open mind.

Answer 8

Because they believe that the earth begins and finishes in America.
Just ask them about world's History, or Geography and they don't have a clue. I guess they are the most uneducated people all round the world. Only people like them can have Bush as a president

Answer 9

Americans are very self interested. No-one else matters. Hence the Baseball world series - only contested by american teams. The most popular game in the world 'football' has to be called 'soccer' in the USA because their version of 'rugby' is known as 'football'.

Answer 10

The American press is very insular. It is all about how they look (lip gloss and enhanced boobs type thing). Basically if it doesnt make them look good they dont report along with that with internet sites such as bbc having different content around the world it is hardly surprising they dont get as much info as us europeans do