so another article kicking americans around...

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shadowstriker86

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http://www.newsweek.com/photo/2010/08/24/dumb-things-americans-believe.html?gt1=43002

that article above, written by some douche bag at newsweek, is basically stating every stereotype that other people in other countries think, that we're dumb, we dont know where to find certain countries on a map, who our supreme court judges are, etc. However my question is this, what was the purpose of this article? i thought it was called newsweek, not shit-we-already-know-week. We already know that our education system sucks, so why repeat it? how about a solution to the problem, not just bitching about how dumb people are? I dunno, what do you guys think?
 

llafnwod

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While I agree that taking an active role in fixing a problem is more helpful than simple criticism, that's not really the role of a news organization. That said, it's pretty obvious these kinds of articles are meant to inflame opinion and move papers rather than inform.
 

shadowstriker86

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FargoDog said:
I think it's kinda funny. Playing with stereotypes can be fun now and again. I laugh at Australian and Scottish stereotypes all the time; they're so ludicrous compared to reality.

Don't let random web articles piss you off when they're not worth it. Laugh it off.
thats true, i didnt think aboot that
 

Paulie92

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As a general rule stereotypes etc. bore me, like anti Twilight jokes. I get it, it was a literary crime but frankly I'd rather forget about it and move on then have people constantly rub in my face how bad it was. The same thing with stereotypes
 

Timotei

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Apr 21, 2009
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I think this whole fiasco is better summed up by a certain video [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAUTXrF5_jQ].
 

Breaker deGodot

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shadowstriker86 said:
FargoDog said:
I think it's kinda funny. Playing with stereotypes can be fun now and again. I laugh at Australian and Scottish stereotypes all the time; they're so ludicrous compared to reality.

Don't let random web articles piss you off when they're not worth it. Laugh it off.
thats true, i didnt think aboot that
I see what you did there.
 
Apr 28, 2008
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You know, if they want to stereotype people, they could at least make it funny. Like so:

The English are feeling the pinch in relation to recent terrorist threats and have raised
their security level from "Miffed" to "Peeved."
Soon, though, security levels may be raised yet again to
"Irritated" or even "A Bit Cross."

The English have not been "A Bit Cross" since the blitz in 1940 when tea supplies all but ran out. Terrorists have been re-categorised from "Tiresome" to a "Bloody Nuisance." The
last time the British issued a "Bloody Nuisance" warning level was during the great fire of 1666.

The Scots raised their threat level from "Pissed Off" to "Let's get the Bastards" They don't have any other levels. This is the reason they have been used on the frontline in the British army for the last 300 years.

The French government announced yesterday that it has raised its terror alert level from "Run" to "Hide." The only two higher levels in France are "Collaborate" and "Surrender." The rise was precipitated by a recent fire that destroyed France's white flag factory, effectively paralyzing the country's military capability.

It's not only the French who are on a heightened level of alert. Italy has increased the alert level from "Shout loudly and excitedly" to "Elaborate Military Posturing." Two more levels
remain: "Ineffective Combat Operations" and "Change Sides."

The Germans also increased their alert state from "Disdainful Arrogance" to "Dress in Uniform and Sing Marching Songs." They also have two higher levels: "Invade a Neighbour" and "Lose".

Belgians, on the other hand, are all on holiday as usual, and the only threat they are worried about is NATO pulling out of Brussels .

The Spanish are all excited to see their new submarines ready to deploy.
These beautifully designed subs have glass bottoms so the new Spanish navy
can get a really good look at the old Spanish navy.

Americans meanwhile are carrying out pre-emptive strikes on all of their allies, just in case.

New Zealand has also raised its security levels - from "baaa" to "BAAAA!".
Due to continuing defense cutbacks (the air force being a squadron of spotty teenagers flying paper aeroplanes and the navy some toy boats in the Prime Minister's bath), New Zealand only has one more level of escalation, which is "Shit, I hope Australia will come
and rescue us".

Australia, meanwhile, has raised its security level from "No worries" to "She'll be alright, mate". Three more escalation levels remain, "Crikey!," "I think we'll need to cancel
the barbie this weekend," and "The barbie is cancelled." So far no situation has
ever warranted use of the final escalation level.
 

neoontime

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Jul 10, 2009
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Why should you care, newspaper is going out of business so ha!
 

Zykon TheLich

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Every country rips the piss out of itself. Probably. Well, at least the UK does, you really shouldn't get angry about it.
 

schroing

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...How is this "stereotyping," exactly? These are poll results. Far as I can tell, they're not really being dressed up as anything else.
 

Mighty the Moose

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As a proud American, I find the numbers in the Newsweek article both depressing and completely unsurprising.

Here is some more grist for the mill: around 20% of Americans cannot name the country against which we found the War of Independence.
.
.
.

USA! USA!
 

Xojins

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It's things like this that make me ashamed to be from the US. I was actually surprised reading that article; I thought our country had become more educated in the past few years.