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Maybe it's just the Spaniards I was meeting...but never met one that could point to Philadelphia on the map.
Just because they cant point out a city doesn't mean they are stupid. If they asked where America was then it would be a different case but when Americans ask where a nation is just shows that they either lack education or they are just ignorant.
If its a history question well then thats fine but asking someone is there cars in their country is just stupid. I liked atlases as a kid and I still do sometimes pop one open and try and find a place if I am trying to learn about a place.
Honestly, I've never met anyone that would seriously ask questions like that. And I've been around some pretty stupid people.
2 groups.
1 those are the entitlement people (including wasp kidults) that have never lived overseas. being spoon fed is all they know. relying on the guilt of others to sustain them is their 1 trick pony.
the other half came from foreign countries and want the new land to be like the old land. but they forget that in the old land their lives was a living hell, which is why they came here.
I´ve worked with plenty of Americans and traveled all throughout your country and i´ve met very nice and not so many nice Americans like everywhere else but they are the most ignorant nation of people i´ve met in terms of thinking Europe is a country or Spain have 2 suns etc. You wouldn´t believe the amount of stupid questions i´ve been asked and I mean different all over in different states like SC, GA, AL you name it. So yes i´ve traveled all over and its not just the Americans abroad I am talking about. Your average every day American.
South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama? Those states are clustered together in what's called the Deep South. Although I haven't been there, it's not considered a particularly progressive or worldly part of the U.S. (although Atlanta is alright). It's also at the heart of the Bible belt.
How about New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, California, Illinois, Washington state? What's your experience in those places, if any?
I spent six months in Spain. I felt similar things about the Spaniards.
It put me off of Europe. I once assumed that anyone in Europe was intelligent, educated, etc. Than I went to Spain.
Maybe it's just the Spaniards I was meeting...but never met one that could point to Philadelphia on the map. Many assumed that Japan was in China. All Moroccans were thieves, all loud people were Americans and just on and on with the idiocy.
The only real big difference though, is that I knew there were people like this in every part of the world. People who just didn't know any better. But previous to going to Spain, I had assumed that somehow Europeans didn't say stupid things, etc.
If you're still stuck at the 'Only Country A's provincial people don't know things', it sounds like you have a lot more traveling to do.
I don't think it's that ignorant for a Spaniard to not be able to point to Philadelphia on the map. To be honest, I couldn't do it either. Most Europeans only know where the main cities (NYC, LA, Las Vegas, Boston, etc.) and states (California, Texas, NY, Florida) are located in the US. It's like asking an American to point to Bordeaux on a French map or Cologne on a German map. I don't expect Americans to know that. Believe it or not but your country is not that special that the rest of the world memorises where all the states are in kindergarten Most of us only remember the basics just like we do with other countries. I don't expect average Americans to know where all the European countries are situated, just the main ones like France, Germany, Spain, Italy, the UK and Russia (and Scandinavia). What bothers me is if they ask stupid questions like "Do you have electricity and running water in Europe?" or "Is Holland the capital of Germany?" These are literal questions that I've been asked. I find it hard to believe that people really don't know these things. To me it just sounds incredibly arrogant, like "I don't have to care about the rest of the world", almost like they're proud of their ignorance. I know not all Americans are like that but it seems like the most ignorant ones are also the loudest.
I don't think it's that ignorant for a Spaniard to not be able to point to Philadelphia on the map. To be honest, I couldn't do it either. Most Europeans only know where the main cities (NYC, LA, Las Vegas, Boston, etc.) and states (California, Texas, NY, Florida) are located in the US. It's like asking an American to point to Bordeaux on a French map or Cologne on a German map. I don't expect Americans to know that. Believe it or not but your country is not that special that the rest of the world memorises where all the states are in kindergarten Most of us only remember the basics just like we do with other countries. I don't expect average Americans to know where all the European countries are situated, just the main ones like France, Germany, Spain, Italy, the UK and Russia (and Scandinavia). What bothers me is if they ask stupid questions like "Do you have electricity and running water in Europe?" or "Is Holland the capital of Germany?" These are literal questions that I've been asked. I find it hard to believe that people really don't know these things. To me it just sounds incredibly arrogant, like "I don't have to care about the rest of the world", almost like they're proud of their ignorance. I know not all Americans are like that but it seems like the most ignorant ones are also the loudest.
Philadelphia actually is a major U.S. city. It's area population is over 6 million. That's much larger than Las Vegas, for example.
However, because Philadelphia is close to New York City, it gets lost in the glare so to speak. It's also underrated here in the U.S. too - maybe because it's not as iconic as some other large cities.
Philadelphia actually is a major U.S. city. It's area population is over 6 million. That's much larger than Las Vegas, for example.
However, because Philadelphia is close to New York City, it gets lost in the glare so to speak. It's also underrated here in the U.S. too - maybe because it's not as iconic as some other large cities.
Philadelphia is not really that well-known outside of the US, probably for the reason you mentioned. When I hear the word Philadelphia I think of cheese before I think of a city, lol (it's a cheese brand here). Las Vegas is famous for the casinos so I think that's why people are more aware of it.
The Chinese city of Chongqing has almost 30 million inhabitants but how many of you are able to point it out on a map?
Philadelphia is not really that well-known outside of the US, probably for the reason you mentioned. When I hear the word Philadelphia I think of cheese before I think of a city, lol (it's a cheese brand here). Las Vegas is famous for the casinos so I think that's why people are more aware of it.
The Chinese city of Chongqing has almost 30 million inhabitants but how many of you are able to point it out on a map?
Yeah, that's a good comparison. I never heard of Chongqing before now.
But it's notable to point out that the major U.S. cities have significantly higher GDPs than the major cities in China. So, we're talking about 2 different ball games here.
I don't think it's that ignorant for a Spaniard to not be able to point to Philadelphia on the map. To be honest, I couldn't do it either. Most Europeans only know where the main cities (NYC, LA, Las Vegas, Boston, etc.) and states (California, Texas, NY, Florida) are located in the US. It's like asking an American to point to Bordeaux on a French map or Cologne on a German map. I don't expect Americans to know that. Believe it or not but your country is not that special that the rest of the world memorises where all the states are in kindergarten Most of us only remember the basics just like we do with other countries. I don't expect average Americans to know where all the European countries are situated, just the main ones like France, Germany, Spain, Italy, the UK and Russia (and Scandinavia). What bothers me is if they ask stupid questions like "Do you have electricity and running water in Europe?" or "Is Holland the capital of Germany?" These are literal questions that I've been asked. I find it hard to believe that people really don't know these things. To me it just sounds incredibly arrogant, like "I don't have to care about the rest of the world", almost like they're proud of their ignorance. I know not all Americans are like that but it seems like the most ignorant ones are also the loudest.
I solely used Spain as as example, as I once entertained the possible idea that Europeans might actually be more enlightened, more intelligent....but it just wasn't my experience. They were just as unknowledgeable about many things as anyone else is around the world.
Not just in Spain, but I heard a lot of 'stupid' things said by Europeans throughout Europe. If anyone thinks Americans have a monopoly on that, they need to travel a lot more.
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Most of us only remember the basics just like we do with other countries. I don't expect average Americans to know where all the European countries are situated, just the main ones like France, Germany, Spain, Italy, the UK and Russia (and Scandinavia). What bothers me is if they ask stupid questions like "Do you have electricity and running water in Europe?" or "Is Holland the capital of Germany?" These are literal questions that I've been asked. I find it hard to believe that people really don't know these things. To me it just sounds incredibly arrogant, like "I don't have to care about the rest of the world", almost like they're proud of their ignorance. I know not all Americans are like that but it seems like the most ignorant ones are also the loudest.
