why are Americans so inward looking, insular I think is the word I want?

Question

A recent poll among their high school students revealed that 45% thought Britain was ruled by France. Has anyone ever told them theres a world out there. They come over as rather pathetic

Answer 1

yes I know what you mean, any question on Britain its uh! uh! what you on about man!! and so forth. I hope they are not all like that
otherwise God save the World

Answer 2

Do you not think generalisations like the one you've just made - i.e. "all Americans are insular" actually makes you sound rather insular? You're protesting against what you are yourself!

How many students were polled? You can be guaranteed it wasn't every high school student in the USA. Polls like this mean nothing. If 30 students were polled, and 13 or so thought Britain was ruled by France - theres your 45%!!

If that was the case, you'd be judging a whole nation on the views of just 13 people! Now who's acting stupid?!

Answer 3

How large was the poll, I'm wondering? How many of the hundreds of thousands of highschools in our country did they poll? Did they poll every single state or just one state? What grades did they ask? The thing about polls is that they never really give a good answer representing everyone. Britian is not ruled by France. I've been to both places, actually. I went when I was in high school, and had a very good time. Most people in the USA are very intelligent. Although I'll tell you that while I was on my trip to France, the Canadian group we were with asked if France still had a king. So maybe you're mistaking Americans for Canadians? ^_^

Answer 4

It's erroneous to assume that all Americans are like that. Some are, some aren't. And yes, it can be the fault of their education system, and not the individuals.

But the reason why - well it's mostly to do with size. The country is so completely enormous compared to what we know in Europe, that they have far less need or desire to travel outside the country. For example, if we in the UK want to go somewhere hot, or skiing, or scuba diving, or to big high mountains, or to see canyons, jungles, deserts, etc, we have to go outside the country. Americans can get all that at home, so they're far more likely to holiday within the US. Thus they often only travel in their own country, and don't see the huge variety in culture and language that European travellers see. Also, because of the size of the country, it's really not easy or cheap for them to leave the US and travel elsewhere.

And without the frequency of travel, the education system places less importance on knowledge of other countries, and their languages and cultures and political systems.

Answer 5

Were these inner-city schools by any chance? lol

I don't think you understand the poverty of some of the parts of America and how the education system can't necessarily deal with all the influx of immigrants who desire schooling and other groups who live in poor neighborhoods.

Nobody seems to take polls of other countries, but I would think the world really does have issues with America having a lot of influence economically, militarily, and America's strong sense of sovereignty. A lot of people really don't care because America hasn't had a lot of the problems that other nations have (in which we more than likely bailed them out of). I'm not saying Americans are all geniuses, but people don't give a fair representation of America for the most part.

Answer 6

Yes, they do. However, just because something is included in a poll, does not make that true for everyone.

My 17 year old son is quite well-versed on world events and world history as well as American history. Not all teens/citizens of our nation are insular, as you put it.

Answer 7

That's really sad to hear, and what i'm talking about is france ruleing over anyone! Well.. I can't really answer this question, but where did you find this poll? And of what highschools..Maybe this poll was coordinated poorly. The highschool i attended...I highly doubt more then 5-8% would imagine such an idea.

Answer 8

why would you base your whole view of Americans from a minority percentage of a poll that only comes from a small demographic such as a group of high school students......considering only a fraction of Americans are actually in high school, of this demographic you are looking at a group of people considered adolescent,
America contributes more aide throughout the world than any other country, and in many cases countries combined....America is a leader in many industrial fields contributing vastly to the assistance in developing countries unable to develope their own innovations yet greatly benefit from the assistance of our economy.....
if anything i would view any type of insularity from the lack of gratitude and the jealousy of others blaming America for the troubles of the world.... it is ironic the French can spit at Lance Armstrong as he wins his final Tour d France bid, only based on the fact he is an American, having nothing to do with his achievement as an individual bringing much to the sport of cycling....
i think it is fair to look at others with an honest skeptisism when treated as we are in many cases,
i recall "grade" school hockey teams from the U.S. being booed at in Canada, shortly after the U.S. went to war with Iraq..... was this fair to the Students to be treated so unsportsmanlike over a issue they had nothing to do with....
i also do not base my opinions on polls, mostly since they are typically skewed to illicit a response favorable to a specific cause, or the results are frequently taken out of context of the question..........

example..........Immigration.....would you be willing to allow someone that came to the U.S. illegally that worked very hard to support his family and bring a better life to his children, and hopefully earning a chance to become an American......
that is easy too respond favorably to thus in generality skewing Americans favor Amnesty

second question if you were arrested for your third offense would you be favorable to rehab and job training verses imprisonment....duh of course you would get a majority against punishment verses the rhab/training.....thus making it look as if Americans favor treatment verses punishment...

what i do find disturbing is the lack of responsibility people take over their actions....

Answer 9

It's been that way for a long time, though I think the kids are getting a somewhat better education now, in the world sense. Something to do with being a big country -- most people don't even have passports -- and being powerful.

New Yorkers are that way about the rest of America, and America's that way about the rest of the world.

Answer 10

They literally don't get around much - less than 20% of the US population possess a passport. And despite the image we have of the US as highly mobile population many never move too far from their birthplace.

Answer 11

You are just effing with the Americans, aren't you? I mean, I could believe it if it was the same percentage as Bush's approval rating.

Otherwise, we gots some dumb, dumb people over here. Hmmmm....come to think of it, when I was in 8th grade, one of the students couldn't even point to North Carolina on the map, and seeing how that was our home state....yep, dumb....