Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by rootsudo 973 days ago
Probably, but it's true.

Ignorant isn't bad, people want and should learn. It isn't an insult but I find it hilarious how the continunation of conversation from yesterday to today is this. HN is unfortunately USA centric and a majority of people in the USA do not know what happens outside the 48' borders.
1 comments
crazygringo 973 days ago
No, the word ignorant is insulting. That's just a fact about everyday English usage which it might be helpful for you to be aware of. It's the word's fundamental connotation.

Also, a majority of people in pretty much every country don't know much about what happens outside of their borders.

The idea that Americans are particularly ignorant is a tired myth that deserves to die -- and if you've traveled the world and met people, you'd realize that geographical "ignorance" is widespread pretty much everywhere. Shocking, even. Sure, people in smaller countries know a bit more about nearby countries, but the American equivalent is a New Yorker knowing about Florida and Texas and California, since America's pretty huge.

So no, it's not true.

link
rootsudo 973 days ago
I AM a New Yorker and I do know Florida and Texas. You picked a very poor example. There are also a huge influx of New Yorkers that have migrated to Florida and Texas. In fact the joke is many New Yorkers end up to Florida and Retire/Die. The majority of the Villages/Spring Hill in Florida are from recently relocated New Yorkers.

Nice try, etc etc, I don't wish to argue. People are very ignorant of The Darian Gap and die everyday being cute.

And the first result on Google is this: https://conversational-leadership.net/blog/ignorance-is-not-... it's a common debate.

link
crazygringo 973 days ago
> I AM a New Yorker and I do know Florida and Texas. You picked a very poor example.

No, you clearly missed my point entirely.

I'm saying that's the same level of geographic knowledge of usual examples of e.g. Germans being more knowledgeable about European countries, so why aren't Americans more knowledgeable about South America? The answer is that there's a lot more to be aware of in America in the first place. America is the size of Europe just on its own. We know plenty of geography in absolute terms, but for us a lot more of it happens to be within our own borders.

Most people in the world don't know about the Darian Gap. You think Brazilians or Argentines all learn about it or something? It's a relatively local thing, and that's fine.

You're claiming that Americans are especially ignorant of world geography compared to other countries. That's just not the case.

In any case, hopefully by now you've learned that calling other people ignorant never goes down well.

link