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Just from your post I've lost all respect for you. You must think people are extremely stupid.
Excuse me while I run sobbing from the room!
Ok, now I'm back. Listen, do you honestly believe that most of the people in the world can point out precisely where various South American countries are? If so, your hope for mankind is touching, albeit a bit misplaced.
Most Americans couldn't tell you which half. And that's the truth. I wonder if most people in Europe could tell you which half of South America Brazil is in, for that matter.
I am convinced most of them can, and not just adults but kids (age 10+) as well. People aren't as dumb as you apparently think.
Ok, now I'm back. Listen, do you honestly believe that most of the people in the world can point out precisely where various South American countries are? If so, your hope for mankind is touching, albeit a bit misplaced.
Not all the countries, but major countries like Brazil? Absolutely. It's one country that covers almost half the continent, how can you possibly get that wrong? I am also quite sure that most people (at least in the West) have a broad grasp of South American topography in general (e.g. Chile is a long, stretched-out country, Argentina is more to the South and close to Brazil, Venezuela and Colombia are in the North). These things are taught in primary school already. If I were in conversation with someone who thought Chile was an island, for example, I would be absolutely shocked.
I am convinced most of them can, and not just adults but kids (age 10+) as well. People aren't as dumb as you apparently think.
Oh, yes they are.
Here are some actual statistics about college aged (graduated from high school) Americans' grasp on world geography:
Only 59 percent of them know what CONTINENT the Amazon rain forest is located in.
Fifty six percent of them could locate Brazil on a map. Now note, that doesn't mean that they already knew it's location -it just means that when a map was presented to them, they were able to find the largest country in South America on that map. Forty four percent were not able to find Brazil, even with a map in front of them!
Sixty five percent could not locate the UK on a map.
Seventy percent could not locate Egypt on a map.
Hell, only forty three percent could locate THE STATE OF OHIO on a map!
Not all the countries, but major countries like Brazil? Absolutely. It's one country that covers almost half the continent, how can you possibly get that wrong? I am also quite sure that most people (at least in the West) have a broad grasp of South American topography in general (e.g. Chile is a long, stretched-out country, Argentina is more to the South and close to Brazil, Venezuela and Colombia are in the North). These things are taught in primary school already. If I were in conversation with someone who thought Chile was an island, for example, I would be absolutely shocked.
Well, prepared to be absolutely shocked then, when you read that National Geographic article I just sent you the link to.
By the way, with a map laid out in front of a person, I would think that MANY people could manage to find and identify large countries like Brazil. That doesn't mean that they were clear on where it was or the size (let alone the topography), before they studied the map.
North America and South America are not considered to be part of the same continent. With that in mind, I think your "ignorant" comment is ironic - but who knows, maybe you meant it that way. (Generous assessment on my part.) Map of Continents, Seven Continents of the world
I did not give any sort of specifics regarding the percentage of Americans who could place Argentina or Brazil on a map. I do believe, however, that it's a smaller number than you think.
Probably about the same percentage of South Americans who could place Sierra Leone or Equitorial Guinea on a map - as was my original point.
Here's the deal - Of course Americans have HEARD of Argentina and Brazil. Most of them know they are in South America (as opposed to being an island in the Pacific, as you accused me of claiming!). But right or wrong, most Americans really don't have the TOPOGRAPHY or COUNTRY BORDERS of South America very clearly detailed in their minds. I tried to explain why to you, but you were too busy freaking out over imaginary phrases and imaginary implications to what I was saying.
You still don't get it, but at this point, I don't expect you to EVER get it. So now I've gone from irritated to bemused.
lol, you keep comparing southamerican countries to sierra leone or equitorial guinea! wich you DENIED you ve done in last page and said you would report me for missinforming! And now you are REPEATING it! You are unbelievable!
And you seriously think most americans dont know where Brazil or Argentina are??
Apparently so -but thanks for the goodwill, you sweet girl!
Here are some actual statistics about college aged (graduated from high school) Americans' grasp on world geography:
Only 59 percent of them know what CONTINENT the Amazon rain forest is located in.
Fifty six percent of them could locate Brazil on a map. Now note, that doesn't mean that they already knew it's location -it just means that when a map was presented to them, they were able to find the largest country in South America on that map. Forty four percent were not able to find Brazil, even with a map in front of them!
Sixty five percent could not locate the UK on a map.
Seventy percent could not locate Egypt on a map.
Hell, only forty three percent could locate THE STATE OF OHIO on a map!
And no, I wasn't trying to rile Sophie up - she does that very well on her own.
That is just one survey which only questioned Americans between the ages of 18 and 24, not Americans in general. Still, 56% is a majority - although it is lower than I had expected. No doubt it is much higher than the % of South Americans who are able to point out Equitorial Guinea or Sierra Leone on a map though.
But the bad thing about Kathryn is that she is JUSTIFYING this supposed ignorance by saying SA countries are obscure, havent contributed anything to the world, and therefore deserve to be ignored!
And then she brings some minon to insult me and threathens to report me when i was just stating the obvious!!!
lol, you keep comparing southamerican countries to sierra leone or equitorial guinea! wich you DENIED you ve done in last page and said you would report me for missinforming! And now you are REPEATING it! You are unbelievable!
And you seriously think most americans dont know where Brazil or Argentina are??
wow just wow!
I can point out Brazil, Argentina and Chile because thats the long one. I get the rest of the countries mixed up.
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