[andykx]

I'd never really considered the implications of that term before.

There is a shockingly large segment of American society that feels pride in its own ignorance. I've had numerous discussions with family members, particularly those from rural areas, who flat-out deny statistical fact because "they know what's right in their heart"

That being said, I think there is an analogue to these ideas in Asian cultures. I think Asian cultures can be similarly resistant to new ideas - particularly in social contexts (LGBTQ rights, as an example.)

[seanmcdirmid]

There are farmers in Asia that are similarly close minded, they just don’t tend to immigrate to the USA. There is a lot of selection bias that prevents generalizing immigrant experiences back to native ones.