What does this say about America?

Question

Yesterday on Jeopardy the contestants were shown a map of Africa with Sudan highlighted in red. Not one of them was able to identify it as Sudan.

These were three people with above average intelligence in America.

Sudan is the country where Darfur is.

That is why I'm asking this question.

Why doesn't anyone know this?

Answer 1

It says that Sudan is not that important to the three people who were on Jeopardy.

Answer 2

Look, I'm sure these people are very smart and could answer many many more questions than the majority of us here posting on the boards. Afterall, we can make ourselves sound smart because we can run and do some research on the internet before we answer ;-)

Africa I believe is THE hardest continent and list of countries to memorize. Why? Because it has a bunch of countries that have changed a gazillion times because of all the fighting, and names that are very difficult to remember. The African Union wasn't even formed until 2001, and I believe changes have occurred even since then!

They have had enough civil wars to kill a whole world of people, and still continue to fight (hmmm, lots of Muslims there, see a pattern?). 4 million in Congo since the late 90s alone! Anyway, I look at Africa and I think yup, that's Africa. I can't even begin to imagine remembering anything other than where Egypt and South Africa are. The others? Man, too difficult for me, and who knows how long it would last at this rate. Hopefully someday they will get to a point where they can settle in, and the rest of us can begin to figure out what countries are where ;-)

And OK, OK, yes, we study the United States and we can memorize all of those. But these are not tourist destinations either, so it's not something we're familiar with like we would be Europe or other places where we're dying to visit. I'd challenge that most people cannot even identify all of the Asian countries on a map!

Finally, let's face it, their language is as difficult for us as ours is for them probably. It's not likely we'll have a civil war tomorrow that will turn Texas into some name like Djibouti, Botswana, Zimbabwe, or Burkina Faso!

Have a great day!

Answer 3

I wouldn't say this is as much of the education system failing America as it is complete disregard for understanding world topics and lack of awareness of the world outside your own (personal) existence.

Knowing every country and remembering it is not necessarily the goal in geography class. Giving our students an understanding of each geographical area, covering each country quickly and moving on is better in the long run. If our teachers were to cover each country so as to re-enforce its name and location so the student could remember it for eternity, we'd be spending all our time on learning the names and locations of the 194 countries worldwide.

The people you saw on jeopardy had probably a mean age of 27+ (assuming this wasn't the college or HS show), which means they were covering geography in high school over 10+ years ago. 10+ years ago, Sudan wasn't nearly the hotbed of political and religious unrest it is currently. So, a teacher probably had to pick the countries within Africa to discuss and Sudan, while being the largest country, hasn't made the news nearly as much as Egypt, Libya, Uganda (with Idi Amin's reign of terror), South Africa, constant humanitarian crises in Ethiopia and Somalia...

But, noting the current unrest in the country, anyone who is competing on Jeopardy should know of Sudan and where it is located. Sudan is a world topic which is frequently in the headlines (although not as much now) and has been for the past few years. Thousands are being killed and the lack of awareness only shows of how little importance anything outside of their own personal well-being is to them.

So, I wouldn't be so appalled at our education system for the contestants not knowing Sudan (although any geography teacher not inserting Sudan now is wasting our student's time) and direct more of your disgust at your fellow man not having any awareness in the world around them. Awareness of Sudan only requires you to turn the TV to the news or open the paper or a news website. That lack of awareness is what causes conflicts like the one in Sudan to continue for years and years.

While some people may say it is our education system, they should save their complaints for our education system when they can't do a simple math problem without a calculator or they can't write full sentences both coherently and grammatically correct.

(I know you weren't speaking so much about education as you were about the lack of intelligence overall. I was just trying to address a few of the other folks blaming our education system. And, no, I'm not a teacher.)

Answer 4

it says that not everyone know everything re re.

just cause they didn't know what the country of sudan looked like on map, doesn't mean that Americans like an education or intelligence. I could mean they learned too much and went blank, could mean they didn't study that part hard enough, or it could mean they didn't know it at all. Reguardless, I answered more then half of those questions yesterday and still missed that one, i said Nigeria. And I know that my intelligence is average at best. Instead of looking into a countries intelligence level from just one question, think about the things that you can't answer and better yourself before you try and pass judgement on others. Thanks :D

Answer 5

And im sure there are about one million questions they could have asked that you would not have known, and others sitting at home would say... what a dumb A**. just cause you happen to know where sudan is does not make you any smarter.

Answer 6

Who gives a damd its Africa, the only thing I want to know about Africa is why my tax dollars are going to a Continent that will ever make anything of itself.

Answer 7

Sounds like they could have used some school vouchers. That way they could at least choose to which school to go- eg. a school where one can learn geography, history or science and not just "feel good" subjects.

Answer 8

It says that we aren't taught geography anymore. Unfortunately, there are many citizens who can't fill in the states names on a blank U. S. map, let alone place Sudan correctly in Africa!

Answer 9

Well it tells me that America is such a outstandingly wonderful place that no one here cares at all to learn the geography about the rest of the world, after all who in there right mind would even want to leave here unless they are voluntarily enlisting in our military to fight for our freedoms.

Answer 10

Yes its sad that people don't know there geography very well. And yes I do know were it is. And I am of average intelligence.
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