Americans are less intelligent than all other humans

[Yorick]

I'm just expressing my personal belief. It's based on observation of the leaders of the nation and value sytems espoused and enacted.

But don't mind me. It's just my belief. If you get personally offended it's just you. It has nothing to do with the inclusive nature of my subjective statement. Feel free to disagree with me if you like. You have your belief and I have mine. Tomayto tomahto and all that.

[ 08-01-2003, 03:09 AM: Message edited by: Yorick ]

[johnny]

Facts please.

[Yorick]

Who needs facts? I'm just stating my belief. I could go on about how the man leading the country is such an idiotic so and so - well he must be... his own people are always deriding him, yet he's the best they have - but that's not the point. I'm simply stating my personal belief.

Tomayto tomahto and all that.

[johnny]

But your ideas have to be based upon something ? Not just the fact that they have Bush for a president ?

Don't get me wrong here, i'm just curious, cause i've heard other people make the same statement.

[Yorick]

They're based on my personal experience Johnny!

[Chewbacca]

Hey Johnny, read the religous tolerance thread, you'll see some common themes on the last few pages.

[skywalker]

Originally posted by Yorick: I'm just expressing my personal belief. It's based on observation of the leaders of the nation and value sytems espoused and enacted. But don't mind me. It's just my belief. If you get personally offended it's just you. It has nothing to do with the inclusive nature of my subjective statement. Feel free to disagree with me if you like. You have your belief and I have mine. Tomayto tomahto and all that.

Just curious Yorick,

But, this is the Current Events Forum. This observation can't be current as we, in America, have had the leaders in power here for over 2 and 1/2 years.

They (Bush Administration) have been on their current track since the choosing of Bush by the SCOTUS. Also, don't forget that the popular vote totals favored Al Gore. I think many people who voted for Bush, did so because they wanted a change from Clintonian politics. I think it is overly broad to lump all Americans into the same unintelligent group that you percieve. Many of us have not been overly pleased with the performance of Bush et al, while of course others are quite happy, your mileage may vary. I also think that there has been a major change in Bush between the Campaigning Dubya and the pResident Dubya. I think many Americans were victims of the old Bait and Switch routine. During the campaign we were sold a product and after the item was delivered we it was inferior to advertised model (I didn't buy it, though). There is a label on the collar that says "Abolutely No Returns" (Unlike in California Recall and Gov. Gray Davis. )

Of course, it may be that you are just having a bit of fun with us Dumericans and in that case nevermind! [img]smile.gif[/img]

Mark

[edit] To add more.

[ 08-01-2003, 06:23 AM: Message edited by: skywalker ]

[The Hierophant]

*sigh*
Whatever man...

[Skunk]

Speaking in *very* general terms, I will add something to this thread. There are three factors that one should consider:

1. The average US citizen has lived with the fruits of the 'information age' a lot longer than most other countries. In our new, 'fast-paced' world, he wants his information today and he wants it as succinct as possible. Now he has the internet, Sattelite TV etc. to keep him informed.

As time goes on, a reliance on these mediums develop as well as a level of unprecedented trust. "My favorite (and therefore trusted) journalist 'John X" of TV station 'Y' summarised all of the issues in a 3 minute spot. I have no reason to doubt his assessment nor do I believe that he left out any pertinent facts, and I therefore do not need to look for or listen to an alternative opinion." has become the rule of the day.

2. Political correctness and 'emotionalism' has further stifled healthy public debate and discussion. This emotionalism drowns out serious arguments and fact-based analysis's. For example, Glenview State Bank recently wrote in its newsletter:
"The Great Depression of the 1930's saw falling prices, staggering unemployment and shattered stock markets all over the world, and the world's leading statesmen seemed helpless to defeat it. Except for one.

His name was Adolph Hitler. Unlike France and Britain, and unlike the United States, Germany spent most of the 1930's growing economically, not declining. If we can understand why Depression-era Germany resisted the disease, we may better understand how alarmed we should be today in the 21st century."

To my mind, this was a perfectly reasonable statement. Hitler *did* dramatically improve the German economy in the 1930's, largely by instigating public works programs, improving the infrastructure and taking a long-term view.

But what happened next? A critical response to these innocent comments? Oh no, howls of protest from the 'Anti-deformation league':
"Hitler's economic policies cannot be divorced from his great policies of virulent anti-Semitism, racism and genocide," Hirschhaut wrote in a letter to the bank. "There are really no circumstances under which Hitler should be held as a good model."

and such is the strength of such societies that the bank was forced to make an apology for printing the facts!
http://www.suntimes.com/output/busin...in-bank30.html

3. The United States is huge and the environment and society varied. Whatever you want, be it sunny beaches, wilderness or ski slopes - you can find it there. Whatever job you want to do, or business you want to set up or market that you want to appeal to, chances are you can do it there too. However, it is also a long way away from most other developed countries - travel is long, costly and painful. The result is that the numbers per head of population who have visited other developed countries (barring Canada and Mexico) is really rather small in comparison to the citizens of other countries.

Put all three factors together and you get (generalisation - of course):
People who rarely travel abroad and who collect their 'information' on the world from brief sources who themselves are careful in their writings to not upset any powerful lobby groups for fear of 'persecution'.

The result tends to be an ill-informed or misinformed populace (where world events and issues are concerned).

However, one should not confuse being 'misinformed' with a lack of intelligence.

[Mr. Mopery]

. Australia..............America

1 John Howard..........G.W. Bush

2 displaced.............displaced
. Aborigines &..........Indians &
. massacres.............massacres

3 camps full of.........camp full of
. assylum seekers......"enemy combatants"
. held indefinitely......held indefinitely

4 uncertain sense of......schizophrenic sense of
. national identity..........international identity

5 footy shorts..........?????

If you feel so strongly about Americans...GET OUT. That's not a bash, it's advice. It's what I did.

[ 08-01-2003, 10:12 AM: Message edited by: Mr. Mopery ]