Americans are geographically illiterate but what else is new?

[Scouts Honor]

4 hours ago, Tripnsweep said:

This isn't a left or right issue.

This is we aren't teaching kids or even adults how to be aware of the world around us. As somebody who actually has a degree in geography, it's sad. 

i dont have a degree and i could probably tell you where 93% of countries are within a geographical region

maybe closer

but  saying regular people without a degree should have as much knowledge as you... why?

what person here is going to travel to Iran or even the middle east in their lifetime?

 

[Scouts Honor]

6 hours ago, red viking said:

It's supposed to be 28% approve; not 38%. 

and yet they weren't told

how dare we not tell them it's 28%

[Tripnsweep]

54 minutes ago, Scouts Honor said:

i dont have a degree and i could probably tell you where 93% of countries are within a geographical region

maybe closer

but  saying regular people without a degree should have as much knowledge as you... why?

what person here is going to travel to Iran or even the middle east in their lifetime?

 

I doubt it. People are so dependent on Google that it makes retaining information much harder. One of the things I had a professor do was give us a blank world map. This was before smart phones. We had 15 minutes to fill it in based on memory. Then at the end of the semester that was our final exam and based upon how much we improved or regressed was what we got on the final. 

[fishbane]

54 minutes ago, Scouts Honor said:

i dont have a degree and i could probably tell you where 93% of countries are within a geographical region

maybe closer

but  saying regular people without a degree should have as much knowledge as you... why?

what person here is going to travel to Iran or even the middle east in their lifetime?

 

I don't think many Americans are discussing Iran as a potential travel destination.  It's being discussed because of its nuclear weapons program.  The location of an adverse country with nuclear weapons might be relevant to our foreign policy decision.  Adverse nuclear weapons next door is a more significant threat than on the other side of the world.

[jross]

If every state was a unique country, each would have a greater knowledge of geography.  Americans cannot pinpoint Iran because the knowledge does not have transparent value.

[Scouts Honor]

7 hours ago, Tripnsweep said:

I doubt it. People are so dependent on Google that it makes retaining information much harder. One of the things I had a professor do was give us a blank world map. This was before smart phones. We had 15 minutes to fill it in based on memory. Then at the end of the semester that was our final exam and based upon how much we improved or regressed was what we got on the final. 

https://y.yarn.co/10afbb81-eee4-4a64-9b05-16e6d3c51bbc.mp4

[Tripnsweep]

5 hours ago, Scouts Honor said:

https://y.yarn.co/10afbb81-eee4-4a64-9b05-16e6d3c51bbc.mp4

You just make any thread you respond to 27% more stupid. 

[mspart]

12 hours ago, jross said:

If every state was a unique country, each would have a greater knowledge of geography.  Americans cannot pinpoint Iran because the knowledge does not have transparent value.

I understand what you are saying, but this is why we send kids to school.   Very few students in school feel that education has intrinsic value, but it does.   Knowing basic facts about the world always has intrinsic value.   The schools are not doing the job they are there to do.  

mspart

[Scouts Honor]

what does your semester final, however many years ago, have to do with the price of tea in china and why no one cares? 

[Offthemat]

13 hours ago, Tripnsweep said:

I doubt it. People are so dependent on Google that it makes retaining information much harder. One of the things I had a professor do was give us a blank world map. This was before smart phones. We had 15 minutes to fill it in based on memory. Then at the end of the semester that was our final exam and based upon how much we improved or regressed was what we got on the final. 

I considered a degree in geography, but there was too much math.  And the challenge of getting those maps colored in the right colors was pure horror. 

[mspart]

My kids are color blind.   That might be a rough major for them!!

mspart

[mspart]

I can understand jross's assertion. 

Who can tell where the Cook Islands are specifically without looking it up.   I couldn't some time ago.   When I lived in Hawaii, Aloha Airlines started flying to the Cook Islands.   I was like where is that?   I knew where Iran was, but not the Cook Islands.  

Granted Iran seems to be more relevant to world issues, but who has even heard of the Cook Islands?   Is it important to know about the Cook Islands?   So I can see what he is talking about.  

mspart