Recently, the National Geographic Society conducted a survey of people ages 18 to 24 in nine developed countries. Three hundred people from each nation were questioned in basic knowledge of world geography such as: "Please find the Pacific Ocean" on a world map. There were also questions like "Find New Jersey" and "Find Iraq" -- really easy stuff for anyone who hasn't been living in a cave, right?
Apparently not. The United States was given a "D" and finished below every country with the exception of Mexico. The rest of the world found this absolutely hysterical. The citizens of the most advanced nation on Earth couldn't find their way around the world without a laser-guided bomb to lead them. American ignorance made the cover of many international newspapers, cementing our reputation as a society completely unaware of the world outside our homes.
Just read some of the statistics and realize that people our age were the target of this survey. We as an age bracket were tested on our knowledge, and we failed miserably. For those with weak hearts or weak stomachs for unbelievable stupidity, I suggest you skip the next few lines.
-- 70 percent of those surveyed couldn't locate New Jersey.
-- 49 percent of those surveyed couldn't locate New York.
-- 29 percent of those surveyed couldn't locate the Pacific Ocean.
I'm going to stop there, partly because that's enough examples, but more because I'm embarrassed as an American. Almost one-third of American young adults couldn't find the Pacific Ocean, which is incomprehensible. How can someone justify not knowing where that ocean is? It's the gigantic blue thing next to California! Even if you just watched Baywatch all day, you should have at least heard it mentioned once or twice.
Didn't any of these people have one of those "map of the world" placemats when they were children? Did any of them ever watch Where in the World is Carmen San Diego? on PBS? All right, that might be expecting too much, after all I'm probably the only guy nerdy enough to have seen that show, but you see my point.
Now, if you're reading this and you realize you couldn't find New Jersey or the Pacific Ocean either, e-mail me with your personal information. I feel it's my duty to get you the hell away from this university; you're obviously too stupid to be in school. I'm going to take the lot of you and transfer the entire group to an institution that rewards and encourages dolts like you. University of Michigan or bust! (Don't worry about having no idea where Michigan is either; I'll get you directions.)
All these questions fall under the category of "Basic Human Knowledge" that people who call themselves Americans should know. There's no excuse for not being able to find New Jersey, which almost three-fourths of us can't do. It's not an issue of having geography in school; this is the American dominant ideology that we're so damn important as a society and culture it doesn't matter if we're all idiots. So many of us have no concept of world issues, and even worse, many don't care. This is what gets us hated in so many parts of the world -- a blatant disregard or disinterest in the world not directly pertaining to us. The world is laughing at us now, as well they should.
The solution doesn't come from an increased emphasis on geography in school. The solution comes with every American realizing his or her responsibility to be aware of the world. Important things go on outside of the United States, some even more important than the finale of The Bachelor. (Although can you believe Aaron chose Helene? I was, like, so shocked.)
Especially in an environment like today's. We're on the verge of a war and most young Americans couldn't show you where we've set our sights (87 percent, according to the survey). If you put the average American in charge of an attack, we'd be just as likely to blow up France as we would Iraq.
Hmm ... I guess I never considered the up-side.
