It’s the geography, stupid
War is God’s way of teaching Americans geography, quipped Ambrose Bierce.
Memo to God: it isn’t working.
In 2002 a National Geographic-Roper study found 83 percent of Americans aged 18 to 24 unable to locate Afghanistan — the country whence the 9/11 attack originated and which the US had just invaded — when presented with four alternatives.
Now a new such test reveals that nearly two-thirds of young adults cannot find Iraq on a map even after three years of war and more than 2,400 US deaths, at an estimated cost of $1-2 trillion.
Incidentally, other studies suggest that a majority of US servicemembers in Iraq conflate salient characteristics of Iraq and Afghanistan, with 85 percent contending the US mission is mainly “to retaliate for Saddam’s role in the 9-11 attacks” and 77 percent thinking a major reason for the invasion was “to stop Saddam from protecting al Qaeda in Iraq.” In other words, most young Americans don’t know where their troops are fighting; most of the latter don’t know why.
Domestic natural disasters fare no better as teaching tools. Carried out in December 2005, the new National Geographic-Roper study shows that, five months after Hurricane Katrina — which wrecked a world-famous city and killed hundreds of their fellow citizens — one-third of young American adults were unable to find Louisiana on a map of the USA.
Forty-seven percent of young adults could not find Israel, the recipient of a fifth of official US aid; a stunning 75 percent could not locate India, home to nearly one in five human beings. More than 40 percent did not know that Pakistan, in which Osama bin Laden may be hiding, is located in Asia.
Fewer than three in ten even considered it important to know the location of countries in the news. (What’s the thought process here? “What the heck, the President knows?” I wouldn’t count on that; nor would the “Grecians,” “Kosovarians” or “East Timorians.”) Presumably these attitudes reflect the same provincial mindset that, in a January 2000 Gallup poll, ranked the US role in world affairs the 20th most important issue of the presidential campaign. But one might be excused for hoping that certain subsequent developments had made an impression.
In other news, as Booman notes, the most trusted news source in the US is also the most systematically misleading, by far.
I like America despite its flaws. But this is chilling.
Failure of Education: Franco-German reconciliation with Anti-Americanism
Americans are not doing so good in geography as Sirocco points out:
In 2002 a National Geographic-Roper study found 83 percent of Americans aged 18 to 24 unable to locate Afghanistan — the country whence the 9/11 attack originated and which the
Trackback by Atlantic Review — May 5, 2006 @ 6:19 pm
Greetings, Sirocco. Nice web site you’ve put together. And your comments on America are right on the money. Our disinterest and ignorance in the rest of the world is going to bite us in the ass.
Comment by nullifidian — May 12, 2006 @ 5:11 pm
Thanks a lot! Are you the nullifidian who used to post on Drudge.com?
Comment by sirocco — May 13, 2006 @ 1:20 pm
Yo, the very same. Still posting there, under a different name. I mentioned this site to Gal Tuesday. Maybe she’ll drop in.
Comment by nullifidian — May 13, 2006 @ 4:15 pm
Great! Maybe I’ll pay ol’ RCade a visit too one of these days.
Comment by sirocco — May 14, 2006 @ 3:04 pm
Greetings, Sirocco! A few weeks ago I posted an old drudge thread in which you had posted and waxed sentimentaly about missing your presence on that board. I was glad to hear about your blog, and I forwarded the link to Mr. Peanut as well. (The two of you were instrumental in my not failing into total despair after Bush won in 2004.)
The times they are a changin’ on Drudge. RCade no longer wants it to be the cruel.com of political blogs. We shall see. In the meantime, it’s good to know you are still fighting the good fight.
Comment by Gal_Tuesday — May 15, 2006 @ 4:19 pm
Gal, what a pleasure to see you again after all this time — it’s been ages in internet years!
Actually I lurked at Drudge just today and was baffled to see how many old-timers are still around, ranging from great folks like yourself, Boyd, Danni etc. to the notorious Tom A. Dowe. I was even tempted to dig out the old password to splash in myself, and may indeed do so soon. The way things have turned out in Iraq and in general, rebuffing the mostly semi-literate mouthbreathing bushbots of those parts should be easier than ever!
Comment by sirocco — May 15, 2006 @ 8:09 pm
Well we could certainly use your help in battleing the troglodytes over there, Sirocco. There’s one character in particular, who imagines himself a philosophy genius and is always challenging people to debate philosophy and religion. I think you would make mincemeat of him. Look for Horace. LOL.
Comment by nullifidian — May 16, 2006 @ 12:03 am
Hey, Nulli, you rascal! There I was posting about how much I missed you on drudge, and you were there all along. LOL Yeah, a TB/Horace debate would be great. I’d like a front row seat.
Comment by Gal — May 16, 2006 @ 4:46 pm
OK, OK you guys. I’ll take this Horace character on! I just need to finish an article on a US base & detention camp in the Indian Ocean. This here blog thing hasn’t been updated for what, two weeks?
In the meantime, I am waiting for my image host to come back up. Typical — when friends come by, the house is a mess!
Comment by sirocco — May 16, 2006 @ 4:57 pm
Hahaha. Yeah, Gal, I have an alter ego to the kinder, gentler nullifidian on Drudge. More of a Mr. Hyde to nulli’s Dr. Jekyll. I’d love to see a Horace/TB debate. Yessss! He wouldn’t know what he was getting into. LOL.
Comment by nullifidian — May 16, 2006 @ 7:23 pm
Horace would be pimping your ass to streeet johns in a New York minute…..I know, I trained him……
Comment by Rex Zeitgeist — May 24, 2006 @ 11:37 pm
Ah yes, Kommissar Rex. What an unexpected displeasure! I have no difficulty believing that you are a guru when it comes to homosexual pimping.
Comment by sirocco — May 25, 2006 @ 12:28 am