Why do americans (in general) have this "cliche" of being stupid and under-educated ?

Question

This question is not supposed to be a "mean" question...

I just traveled around the world and that's what other people seem to believe ....

French are "snobby", Italians are "Romantic", Germans are "mean" ... Japanese are "well educated with good manners" ...

Why are americans labelled "stupid" ?

Answer 1

Probably because they went to a war for reasons that a lot of people cannot fathom.

Answer 2

Look at our world wide Education scores!!! We are very very very LOW, so that would make us?
YES, stupid.

Being someone who has traveled outside the USA, we are stupid.
We also think being overweight is OK. Cause how dare you tell me being overweight is bad! "I am BIG and beautiful", if this isn't a self diluted Phrase I don't know what is.

Some people will say, if we are so stupid why are we a SUPERPOWER.. SIMPLE, this is built on the past. We are also lucky enough to have a lot of the world's resources. While Our current generation can't even speak thier own language let alone others. Or can't even id most of the world's major countries. Ask Jay Leno how smart the average guy is on the street, he Can tell you!

Answer 3

While the higher education system in America is one of the best in the world, our general education system as a whole leaves something to be desired. The results end up being a society as a whole that is not as bright as it could be.

While there have been measures to address this educational issue (No Child Left Behind) I think you will find that prepping students to pass an apptitude test does not result in smarter people, only people smarter at passing tests...

In addition, our cultural output magnifies this as our best products tend to be humor about body parts and functions, violent media shows and games, laugh tracks and other cues to engage audiences, and a slue of other things that are generally percieved as the taste of those with little intelligence.

Finally, the most recent reason we are considered stupid is because Bush is still our president. Whether you like him or not, most of the world thinks he's an idiot, and if that's what we elect as the best and brightest to lead us, well...

Answer 4

Germans are lovely, except for certain ones. French people are kind and generous, if a little hot-tempered. Don't get me on that one...my mother is European French..The Japanese are very nice. As for Americans, I don't find them to be stupid.

Answer 5

Compared to the education of the other countries students we are stupid! Their students excell in math and science, and we're can't even get an entire class at one school to all graduate! Once we were the world leader in education, but not anymore. Most Americans don't have a clue about how things are changing, I don't blame them for calling us stupid!

Answer 6

Because education isn't truly that important to a lot of Americans. Most of us would rather sit down in front of the TV than read a book. I'm not saying that everything on TV is noneducational, but I don't remember learning anything from watching 'Married with Children'. I would say that our "honors" or AP (advanced placement) classes here in the US are about on par with the standard education in most European countries. So its not that we are inferior genetically, we are just not as well educated or cultured.

Answer 7

Well, many people and many Americans perceive our culture from the most pervasive media available. That would be TV (being supplanted by Internet). Now if you presumed America to be all like what you watch on the tube you would be convinced we are a violent, ill mannered bunch. Well, I'm not and I suspect you're not and probably most of us are decent,striving,hard working normal folks (plus a lot of other admirable traits ). But, let's face it what's more fun than to assume others are sloppy ignorant pigs. We all need to try to be more decent to each and every person we meet....

Answer 8

We elected Andrew Jackson, didn't we?
Americans overall are stupid, lazy, complacent, and generally selfish cads.
I'm as guilty as any, for all my above-average what-ever-you-may-have.
And for Pete's sake, the hubris of assuming that English is the ONLY international language, and we have no need for others!
In Long Island, NY, that has been drastically changing. But Upstate NY, there is still the old prejudice.
Gee, in Europe, people very often know three or more languages!
We are ignorant!
I met a young man from Poland who knew of my country's geography than I myself remember, even the honors student that I was!
Put me to shame, let me tell you what...

Answer 9

Americans' education is shallow, and they are all egocentric, so they don't take the time to study other cultures and peoples that actually do have some things figured out.....the ones that are grounded in what we like to call "basic sanity." Closemindedness and purposeful provocation of true ignorance are also factors. By the way, if I've offended any Americans, I was born and raised in Texas, and I am not attacking our country, just stating the obvious. ;)

Answer 10

To answer that question look at our ethnic make-up first. Over the last 150 years 70% of our population came from the rest of the world. And you can't judge people by what country they are from, It's like judging them for what color of skin they are.

Answer 11

Because when they're at home or abroad, the dumbest Americans tend to be the most vocal, determined to make everyone around them know they're Amerkins. The normal ones, the educated, well mannered ones, tend to be quiet, or lie and claim they're Canadian.