Everybody thinks that South Africa has lions roaming around us?

Question

Why does everybody think that SA is so far behind in technology?

Answer 1

Have some numbers and facts ready.
Johannesburg is one of the biggest cities in the world.
South Africa has been using nuclear power for 24 years.
The South African gross domestic product is a third of the whole of Africa.
We export advanced weaponry to Europe.
We have the seventh largest (in terms of production) wine region in the world.
We're still the biggest producer of gold in the world.
South Africa has a constitution which sets the trend worldwide (not that the ANC always honor that)
We have a better rugby, cricket and jukskei team than America :)

On the other hand, if you put the Kruger Park and the Makgalagadi (Kalahari) National park together, you do have an area bigger than many countries......TEEMING WITH LIONS.

Answer 2

In addition to the first answer posted that there is a little ignorance in this belief there is also a little of something else: association.

In Tarzania (I think that was the name of the country) a couple years back there were a whole bunch of lion attacks and lots of people got eaten (for real) because of a growing population into lion areas and some lions got hurt which caused the lions to not be able to be fit or fast enough to catch their natual food, so out of starvation some lions went on a human hunting spree.

The story gets re-told and changes and soon people have Africa and lions in their head together. There is also many African stories with lions in them like Jungle book which we all saw as kids and The Lion King which helps in the association. Ask any American what they think of first, second, etc and many will respond with lion as a top choice maybe Aids would be another top one and child killers/rapists/stealers too (sick).

In England (when I went to school as a child) everone though all Americans were super rich and worried about little things because they all watched Dallas (England gets many American shows which warps their view of us regular people) which was a boring soap opera about super rich Americans doing super rich things every day.

You are not alone. A good tactic might be to illustrate that Africa is big with many different parts and that very little of it actually has lions (there is jungle, desert, and fertile nile valley lands -it makes sense once you think about it it is just that the persons making the mistake of lions all around you are not being sensitive to the differing aspects of the whole, they are focusing on a small bit of what they have heard about Africa). Kind of like very little of America has alligators or crocadiles or tranachulas (very big harry spiders -I spelled it wrong though).

Answer 3

I have never thought that. But I suppose it would depend upon whom you ask. Some people are likely under the impression that all of Africa is one big animal park, not just South Africa. It comes from years worth of being brainwashed by Tarzan movies and the like. Most people from around the globe think that everyone in the United States is well off, but that is hardly the case.
And that is not only unfair of you, Gunner2, but patently false. Have you ever been to America? A whole nation cannot be judged on the basis of one person's actions.

Answer 4

Because over here in Europe and probably in the US as well, whenever there is anything about Africa on the TV it's always one of two things.
It's either wildlife documentaries, or
it's the News or some charity program showing those thin starving babies in central Africa, worn torn cities with dirt roads, or Zimbabwe with it's millions queuing up for food and resources.
People assume the whole of Africa must be the same as this, and there for assume SA is just as backwards.
I guess no one in UK and USA wants to watch TV programs of Africans driving proper cars, living in proper houses and eating food bought from a shop, and water drunk from a tap.

Answer 5

You ain't seen nothing yet. Wait till you meet some of them - especially from America. One American lady asked me (we were in the boat on the Danube river) whether there are schools in South Africa. Last year, I met one professor who thought I was some American celebrity, when I told I was from South Africa he then confessed that he came to SA for the first time in 2005 and was pleasantly surprised by what he saw. I go to US every year for the past 6 years, and every time I meet American who think we live in a jungle. Some will even ask me whether I know somebody from Lagos/Accra etc. That's fruits of ignorance!!!!

Answer 6

Because all people see on TV is mudhuts and game reserves.
TV is their only source of (dis)information. Just look at the overseas news about Africa... nothing like the truth.

And I work for a company that's involved in the 2010 World Cup...
We've had some EXTREMELY odd questions about our country... ("do you use knives and forks in Africa or will I have to bring my own?" "Will we be riding elephants and ostriches everywhere we go?")

Answer 7

that's sturdy to hearken to which you stay this variety of standard existence. actual, all South Africans don't have AIDS yet over 4 million do, you would be able to desire to have a working laptop or computer and a motor vehicle yet not all South Africans do, you will possibly not stay in a hut yet many South Africans do. as far simply by fact the wild animal question is going, they at the instant are not working around everywhere, neither are they in Kenya or Tanzania or Botswana.....yet I even have in my opinion seen a wild elephant at a South African border which had to be shooed away as he exchange into making the vacationers stressful.

Answer 8

Yes!!My question too!!!!people think South Africa is such a bad place!!Its actually a great and cool place to stay at!We got the same tecnology and stuff as in the USA!

Answer 9

Same reason why some people think Kangaroos walk the streets of Australia and Malaysians have orang utans as friends - ignorance, pure ignorance. Some people are not adventurous and prefer to live in ignorance. Where ignorance is bliss, it is folly to be wise!

Answer 10

it is just the americans basically that are like that.............they are not the sharpest knives in the draw and they barely know what happens in the own town let alone anywhere else. the average american student can barely read and write and that is high school and college. The american education authorities are having a serious problem at this stage. It was reported on quite extensively in the media a while ago. If you do a web search on it Im sure you will find it unfortunately i cant remember where i read it.You just need to look at some of the q and a's and see what i mean. I mean look at their leader and his speech and thought processes and you can only shake your head in disbelief