Lets have a laugh at America!

Big Chief · 05-02-2003 09:37PM

thats what i said..

Originally posted by Big Chief
Carmen Sandiego ?

sorry but that question is bugging me and im quite sure the answer is the above, just wanted to know if it was

Vuk · 05-02-2003 11:31PM

Contrary to my post above; I would like to add, that 'Yank' bashing seems to be national pastime for many years in Ireland and is in fact borne out of a ignorance that is in tandem with the supposed ignorance of North American people. We can be more than happy to jump on the bandwagon when it comes to our turn.
I would have to say, of all the Americans I have met, I have encountered a small proportion consisting of a spectacular childlike naivety, which if was the only thing humankind could be guilty of, would produce a Utopian like world. Of the remainder of Americans I have met, they were 'normal' people with different accents, different views and different culture and if we can't accept that, then I hold no hope (as opposed to 'next to no...') for humanity.
I would like to retract my post (above), but I'd rather leave it to remind me, to think before I write. I'd much rather save it for a 'sad but true thread' than for a foolish generalisation of a nation which is very very wrong.
To be honest I have met many more Irish idiots in a day than I have Americans in a lifetime.
Someone remind me to tell my tale of a woman who thought that the oven under her grill was a fridge.

sceptre · 06-02-2003 01:52AM

Originally posted by Bard
A particular English weather forecaster used to always call Drogheda "druh-heeda"... *shrug*

I blame the Thornbirds for that one. "Drogheda" on the sign, pronounced "Drug-eeeda"

Originally posted by eth0_
I mean, not knowing where Niagara falls is located, one of the 7th wonders of the world is

<cough> No it isn't. Not unless you're going to take the time to make a new list of wonders of the natural world (the traditional list is made up things we made, not things carved out from the rocks by aliens aeons ago:D)

Plenty of thicko Irish people too. Of course we don't normally make a habit of putting them on telly (with the obvious exceptions of Secrets, any fly on the wall documentaries, that thing Caroline Morahan presents, that awful comedy show where they used pick on Paddy Joe in the street and so on)

Let's play a game though
I'm not looking for answers so don't bother - it's an exercise, not a quiz.

European questions lots of people get wrong (try out a few of them on your friends if you like):

Where is the Leaning Tower of Pisa? (no, I'm not kidding, lots of people don't get this when you ask)
Who is the President of the European Commission?
What was the last country to join the European Union? (a few right answers here obviously - all the easier then)
What were the initial six countries of the European Union?
Pronounce "hitherto" (show it on a card, extra points for explaining what it means)
Which three European countries have three of the five permanent seats on the UN Security Council? (everyone who gets this wrong will always make the same mistake)
Spell "albeit" (yup, it's a verbal quiz, not a written one)
What's the capital of the Czech Republic?
Who makes the X-Box games console? (obviously not a European question - try it on your granny)
Which European country had regional elections last week?
Get them to point out San Marino on a map (if they don't ski) or Liechenstein (if they don't watch football). More than 15 seconds and they're judged to have it wrong.
Which European country owns Greenland?

That's just a few off the top of my head. They're almost all about Europe or spelling. Pretty much everyone who's reading this will know most, if not all of the answers (after all, they're all simple relevant things that we should just know). Try them on someone else who doesn't read a whole lot. Then come back and say all Americans are stupid.

PiE · 06-02-2003 02:04AM

Ireland's got it's fair share of absolute retards too y'know... as do most countries.

Walk down Henry St. and ask a few random shoppers some "general knowledge" questions and you'd probably be shocked by the answers they give too.

Pepe LeFrits · 06-02-2003 02:16AM

Those questions aren't really an accurate equivalent Sceptre. A question like "Where is Niagra falls" is something most kids would know. Who is the president of the European Commission is not. Likewise, the capital of the Czech Republic... would an average american know what the capital of say... Ecuador is? Or would they know where Guyana is if they had to point it out on an unmarked map?

Illkillya · 06-02-2003 02:50AM

Originally posted by Earthhorse
Right, I probably should just let this go but seeing as my mother's American I won't.

/me rolls up sleeves

You shouldn't take offence on behalf of your mother, nobody said anything about her. If you think that America is being unfairly portrayed then fair enough.

First off you're using a television show for the purposes of drawing conclusions about a nation's people. It's a pretty poor starting point. Would you have Americans or Europeans judge us by looking at Pat Kenny or listening to Joe Duffy? Did it ever occur to you that Street Smarts might be edited for entertainment's sake and that they'll rarely if ever show the people who got the questions right?

I'm sure he drew those conclusions years ago, as did most people. The television program just inspired his post. I'm also sure that he is well aware of the fact that Street Smarts was edited, should America be proud of the people that did know how to pronounce debut?

Second of all you've misspelt geography in your post. Should I conclude from this that you have a poor level of literacy or that you were just too busy to notice?

Thats stupid. Minor spelling mistakes and typos are no big deal... if he didn't know what the word geography meant then you would have something to argue.

Similarly is it fair of you to say that people who hazard a guess when they don't know are stupid, or is it just they're a small bit nervous with a camera pointed at them? A case in point here are the contestants on Winning Streak who seem unable to push buttons when asked to do so.

I agree with you there, its fair enough that they take a guess but Where in the World is Carmen Electra? rofl

It's easy to quote the lowest common denomintors in society and seem superior to them. If Bertie Ahern were the world's most powerful politician there'd be just as many e-mails doing the rounds.

As for this:

What makes you believe that there are proportionally any more stupid Americans than there are Irish, or is it just their numbers that makes it okay to have a pop at them? And I think you'd have a hard time proving that everyone in America has access to free education; the country has her fair share of poor.

This is the funny part.. its not just the "lowest common denominators in society" its Americans from all walks of life. I lived in America for 7 years growing up and have worked there since, and I'm still amazed by the stupidity I've come across out there, from supposedly educated people. Very few of my teachers knew that the Republic of Ireland was not part of the UK, and some of them were amazed to hear that we had cars and electricity (all of my brothers and sisters made similar discoveries about some of their teachers). I've heard adults with a university degree ordering Low Fat water in a restaurant. Anyone who has spent time in America can give dozens of similar statements, I think you'll accept that.

So why do I believe that there are proportionally any more stupid Americans than there are Irish? Because its in my experience. I have met so many stupid Americans, and I have heard Americans say and do so many stupid things that I accept that in general, Irish people have more "cop on". Of you'll come across clueless Irish people, I'm friends with one myself, we call him "The Yank".

And about the poor people... thats a seperate issue. I wouldn't blame a homeless person with no education for not knowing where Niagra Falls is, but it wouldn't surprise me if the guy who thought it was in Paris had actually been to the place on holidays.

I'm sorry if this post makes out to be a pedant or humourless but I'm sick of this superiority complex most Irish and Europeans seem to have toward Americans and which seems to be based solely on junk TV, a summer or two working in the States or a few anecdotes about yankee tourists. It seems to me that people who make their minds up on evidence such as this are the ones who need their intelligence questioned.

If I were American it might piss me off also, but I would say that the Europeans are well justified in laughing at America. Those who realised this after spending only a summer or two working in the States could only grow more aware with experience of the fact that the reputation that America has is deserved. I don't want to have to try to explain why this is the case, its something that can't really be proven, and it would be offensive to the likes of you, Earthhorse. There are some things that you cannot explain to Americans and some types of humour that they could never understand. But we are not talking about you or your mother so don't take it personally

Blitzkrieger · 06-02-2003 02:57AM

Originally posted by Wook
funny you should compare yourself with 'Africa and Pakistan' yes these countries make as much money as you guy's and have as much money to invest in education. The price of another Usa bomber could fund the schools of usa with an updated library?

Ah don't do that now

I wanted to have a good 'oul laugh at the americans but there's no need for flames and hate and stuff.

Originally posted by Sangre
Nigara Falls is in Canada.....

I know....It's on the Canada/US border. Why'd you quote that bit?

Originally posted by Earthhorse
Right, I probably should just let this go but seeing as my mother's American I won't.

/me rolls up sleeves

Ah don't get serious

We've done the whole "All Americans aren't stupid" thing loads of times, we're aware of all you've said (including the dumb Irish people) and I wanted to have a bit of fun. If you want to have a serios discussion - don't!

sceptre · 06-02-2003 03:23AM

Originally posted by kaids
Those questions aren't really an accurate equivalent Sceptre. A question like "Where is Niagra falls" is something most kids would know. Who is the president of the European Commission is not. Likewise, the capital of the Czech Republic... would an average american know what the capital of say... Ecuador is? Or would they know where Guyana is if they had to point it out on an unmarked map?

(don't forget it wasn't children that were being asked these questions - it was anyone in the street according to the original poster)

You're right really - I'm trying to get some questions that are equivalent to the likes of "who is the head of the senate (or the nearest equivalent to "who is the president" given that we've not got one), the capital of (any US state, let's start with Nevada, New York, Florida and Texas, almost everyone on both sides of the Atlantic get those wrong*), where is Rhode Island (or any small state (though I'll grant you that little rhody is a pretty big place (but so are Belarus and the Ukraine) - it is the smallest state though).

I picked the Czech Republic (meant to pick Slovakia actually) as it's a little unfair to compare knowing the geography of a mere 15 European countries with knowing that of 50 US states.

(they're just my attempted equivalents of the ones you mentioned)

*the answers are of course Carson City, Albany, Tallahassee and Austin (not Las Vegas, New York, Miami and Houston). Asking these would probably be unfair - even RTE get Nevada wrong when they mention it on the news every few years.

Karl Hungus · 06-02-2003 04:26AM

You know, despite the fact that I've been house-mates with a few Americans over the past year... I've absolutely no instances One of the guys was an abysmal jerk of the most stagnant nature... But he definetly wasn't in any way stupid, although he was a completely ignorant prick.

I'd say ignorant, because one night, I kept him awake. Completely without knowing I was doing it mind you! I was tapping away with my hands on my desk, and of course, I was told off for this by him. I apologised, and told him that I hadn't even realised I was doing it, and that I'd try not to do it again.

All would seem well, you'd think... But for the next couple of days, at 6 in the morning, every door in the house would be slammed and banged for an hour until the ****er went off to work. This kind of acting, I though, was extremely pig-ignorant. And if it wasn't for the fact that his rent was needed, he would've been kicked out fast.

Cake Fiend · 06-02-2003 10:56AM

JESUS H CHRIST, if this post was meant to be taken seriously it would have been on one of the Societies boards. It's meant to be for a laugh or a bit of a ponder, so it's on After Hours.

DriftingRain · 06-02-2003 07:31PM

Also, I think DriftingRain was referring to the fact that some countries deny women's rights to education and that surely this is a worse thing than some people not being able to pronounce debut. I'm not saying she's right with regard to Pakistan, just that people seem to have taken her up incorrectly on that point.

I said I would post no more statements in here but .....yes! Thas is what I ment by that statement. Thanks EarthHorse for clearing that up.

I'm sorry if this post makes out to be a pedant or humourless but I'm sick of this superiority complex most Irish and Europeans seem to have toward Americans and which seems to
be based solely on junk TV

I also agree with that. There are just to many posts in here of that nature. I wanna have a place like this to post my opinions, but opinions that will hurt peoples' feelings I will keep to myself.
It is like the old sayin goes "Make Love not War!"

Earthhorse · 06-02-2003 08:22PM

originally posted by Illkillya
I'm sure he drew those conclusions years ago, as did most people. The television program just inspired his post. I'm also sure that he is well aware of the fact that Street Smarts was edited, should America be proud of the people that did know how to pronounce debut?

Yes but if they drew those conclusions from watching daytime TV shows, said conclusions are dubious.

And I don't know where you're getting the idea that they're proud of people who can't pronounce debut. Street Smarts isn't an exercise in national pride.

Thats stupid. Minor spelling mistakes and typos are no big deal...

I agree. I would also argue that mispronunciation of debut and cologne are no big deal.

As for my "lowest common denominator" comment I should have been more clear in that I was referring to the dumbest people from all areas of society. We have stupid people in our government and running our businesses who come from well educated backgrounds. I'll accept that you've drawn a conclusion about America and her people based on decent experience but what I'm railing against are people who think it's enough to get a little exposure to a country in order to pass judgement on it.

You say that there are certain types of humour that Americans can't understand but I would disagree. People often say that Americans don't understand sarcasm and satire yet ignore the fact that shows like the Simpsons et al are not only written and produced in America but enjoy great success there.

originally posted by Blitzkrieger
we're aware of all you've said (including the dumb Irish people) and I wanted to have a bit of fun. If you want to have a serios discussion - don't!

If you're aware of what I've said then please don't persist in acting like you aren't. You could easily have called your post "Dumb People" or something similar but instead you decided to single out Americans as the starting point for stupidity. Can't we all just learn to laugh at stupid people regardless of their nationality?

Sangre · 07-02-2003 12:55AM

Again with the guilt trips!
SSSHHEEEESHHH!

On the subject of these shows, on the Jay Leno show there is a segment called Jaywalking where he asks people questions and shows the stupid answers. Well that day was Geography and some of the answers were hilarious.
The EU consists of Britain, Europe and Spain
Someone didnt know what was directly south of North Korea or what was directly east of West Virginia, the funniest part was the way they guessed them, like they shouldn't know them and they were very hard quesions.

Also for History someone thought Hitler's first name was Timothy and that the American Civil war was in the 20's and that George Washington fought in WW1.

Also before you point this out, I know these are only 1 in 50 answers but these people were all middle class and well spoken. Very funny show, I also think there is some good in being able to laugh at one's stupidity.

Also laughing at the pronuciation of Dun Laoghire is just stupid, I know its funny to hear it but using it as evidence for American stupidity is even stupider.
Id like to see you try pronauncing(spell?) some Indian place names, cant think of any atm, any americans want to help me?

And to finish the American level of global knowledge is appalling in general and one of Ireland's best qualities is its global view on everything, probably beacause we're so small.

P.S Americans is studpid!!

Blitzkrieger · 07-02-2003 03:25AM

Originally posted by Sangre

stupider.

That's not even a word!

(I think

)

Originally posted by Earthhorse

If you're aware of what I've said then please don't persist in acting like you aren't

......and you've never told (or laughed at) an "Irish" joke.

You'd be surprised just how much american culture we're exposed to.

....but anyway - would it make you happy if we changed the topic to posting about dumb people in general?

I was watching CNN while I was on holiday in Prague, and they had a "football expert" on to talk about the world cup. The guy was actually an english lawyer, and god knows wtf he was doing there, but he came out with this gem : “Roy Keane refused to play for Northern Ireland”. Wrong on so many levels………

DriftingRain · 07-02-2003 03:53AM

I wish it would have been dumb hings ppl say..woulda been nice....

i think sangre was meaning to be funny blitz... Lol I just love some of you guys! Lol

yankinlk · 07-02-2003 09:35AM

Originally posted by Sangre
Id like to see you try pronauncing(spell?) some Indian place names, cant think of any atm, any americans want to help me?

LOL I was wondering if someone would mention this! I used to crack up when me irish cousins would tour around the east coast mis-pronouncing places like:

Potomac River
Wiccocomico River
Apamattox
Pascattoway
Patapsco
Patuxent River
Pocomoke River
Susquehannah River

Big Chief · 07-02-2003 10:48AM

god forbid that some people mispronounce foreign countrys/countys/citys/rivers names wrong... :rolleyes:

Ive been staying in ireland for almost a year now, and i only learned how to say Dun laoghaire (sp?) about a month ago

(forgive me that i didnt know the above is pronounced "Dun leary" )

some names when hearing is quite annoying though i must admit, one of which being "Ajax" and "majorca" which i hear all to often, even heard the majorca one "maJorca" (like saying Madge) the other day walking bye a few irish folk looking into holiday shop windows (but only cause places like majorca is a well known holiday resort for uk/irish ppl you understand?

)

As for irish names (place or actual names), if you look at the spelling of alot of them they make it very hard to pronounce wise (if that makes sense, i.e Eoin, Aisling etc)

yankinlk · 07-02-2003 03:46PM

my folks say GAL-WEIGH and the funniest one... EEE-NIS

Sangre · 07-02-2003 08:44PM

Man was I rant/take piss mode last night.

To some it all up, using mispronunciations of place names as evidence for stupidity is just demeaning all us God fearing people's attempts at taking da p]ss out of the Yanks....

You know you love it

beardedchicken · 07-02-2003 09:22PM

quote:

Originally posted by Sangre

stupider.

Originally posted by Blitzkrieger
That's not even a word!

(I think )

oh, the irony!

embraer170 · 07-02-2003 09:30PM

These are all real:

"The vast majority of our imports come from outside the country."
- George W. Bush

"If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure."
- George W. Bush

"One word sums up probably the responsibility of any Governor, and that one
word is 'to be prepared'."
- Governor George W. Bush

"I have made good judgments in the past. I have made good judgments in the future."
- Governor George W. Bush

"The future will be better tomorrow."
- Governor George W. Bush

"We're going to have the best educated American people in the world."
- Governor George W. Bush

"I stand by all the misstatements that I've made."
- Governor George W. Bush

"We have a firm commitment to NATO, we are a part of NATO. We have a firm commitment to Europe. We are a part of Europe."
- Governor George W. Bush

"Public speaking is very easy."
- Governor George W. Bush

"A low voter turnout is an indication of fewer people going to the polls."
- Governor George W. Bush

"We are ready for any unforeseen event that may or may not occur."
- Governor George W. Bush

"For NASA, space is still a high priority."
- Governor George W. Bush

"Quite frankly, teachers are the only profession that teach our children."
- Governor George W. Bush

"It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in
our air and water that are doing it."
- Governor George W. Bush

"It's time for the human race to enter the solar system."
- Governor George W. Bush

Victor · 07-02-2003 09:49PM

I think the problem here is that people are being defined by one characteristic (American) of many (stupid, intelligent, etc.).

One "American" at Shannon, hiring a car, was looking for "Zero Zero L.A."

Oola

.

Sangre · 07-02-2003 10:41PM

Originally posted by beardedchicken
quote:

Originally posted by Sangre

stupider.

oh, the irony!

No it is you that missed the irony!

Blitzkrieger · 08-02-2003 03:12AM

Oh, we're all just so ironic.......

Originally posted by Big Chief

(forgive me that i didnt know the above is pronounced "Dun leary" )

No it's not! Think of Italian currency : Done-lira , and you're almost there.

Earthhorse · 08-02-2003 02:12PM

originally posted by Blitzkreiger
would it make you happy if we changed the topic to posting about dumb people in general?

That'd be the one!

Thanks.

yankinlk · 08-02-2003 07:45PM

Originally posted by Victor
One "American" at Shannon, hiring a car, was looking for "Zero Zero L.A."
Oola
.

LOL I prefer the one about the yank that was riding back from shannon and asked "why did they build that castle so close to the road?"

waitasecond...imayank. hey thats not funny.

sceptre · 08-02-2003 09:11PM

We were on a family holiday near Bournemouth in 1987 (when I was 12, ah shucks) and decided, as you do:rolleyes: to go to London for the day. Can't remember where we parked (probably somewhere illegal) but we were using the House of Commons as a landmark. Wandering around St James Park without a map (my mother thought it was Hyde Park, go figure), she got the notion that it was time to go home. Ignoring the peole in the group who might have a vague notion of where we were (my father and me), she wandered up to a cop and asked how to get back to that "big shiney church with the big tower". Cue short child whispering "mother, that's Big Ben"

Dave · 10-02-2003 03:49PM

A friend of mine who works in Fitzpatricks hotel in Bunratty right beside Bunratty Castle (Co. Clare near Shannon for those who don't know) was asked "Why did they build the castle so near they highway." Oh how I laughed

Lets have a laugh at America!

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