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Right now I am having trouble deciding if these answers are the fault of the Aussie education system, or essentially OUR fault for being who we are.
What do you think?
Saturday, April 25, 2015
Buzzfeed asks Australians some fairly basic questions about America. The results are a little troubling.
Right now I am having trouble deciding if these answers are the fault of the Aussie education system, or essentially OUR fault for being who we are.
What do you think?
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I blame politicians who act like spoiled kids. Having dim bulb Dubya in the WH did not help things, EVERYONE (except repubs. ) knew how stupid HE is. Then all the religious freaks like Santorum and Huckerbee, Cruz and others came along, spreading the crazy. There is little respect left in the world for the USA. People overseas really do like President Obama, Clinton and Jimmy Carter. Sadly, those intelligent leaders are drowned out by the nutcases on the "right". Roll all the repub/tp candidates together, and you end up with a big pile of NOTHING. Corporate shills, fighting to receive $$$$ from millionaires for their own advancement. Not one of them cares about regular, working class citizens. We are just cannon fodder to them, insignificant.
ReplyDeleteI think they're more accurate than typical American kids might be.
ReplyDeleteThey know us better than we know ourselves and much better than we know them, or any other country.
ReplyDeleteWhat strikes me is that I doubt most Americans can even name the Canadian Provinces, let alone the Canadian national anthem or current Prime Minister (and yes, Sarah thinks they have a President.) Ditto for Mexico. As far as any Australian facts..meh! Can't even find that on a map. See, the American education system , thanks to Texas textbook creators, teaches us that only America counts. Only America is worthy of out time and brain cells. We are about as exceptional as a mosquito, and about as dangerous with these views as an armed drone. Pretty damn sad that Aussies know more about us than your typical Tea Bagger.
ReplyDeletePeople in other countries understand us far too well.
ReplyDeleteI think those all show an infinitely greater awareness of the U.S.than the vast majority of Americans would have of Australia.
ReplyDeleteYou ask if these answers are the fault of the Ozzy education system, or essentially OUR fault for being who we are.
ReplyDeleteBoth but mostly the great, irreverent Aussie humor. They make THE best movie & faux documentaries. See "Kenny".
Please tell Australia (not Oztralia, Gryphen, thank you) why you think we should know all this shit about your country. You couldn't even name the handful of states of Australia.
ReplyDeleteFor your information, I learned not a thing about the US at school- not in history, not in geography, not in politics.... as much, in fact, as you probably were taught about Australia.
Probably in 2015 Australian children are learning by default about the many secret and not-so-secret US military bases making us vulnerable.
Good point. I'm American and know nothing about your country except two things. It was a penal colony. The gov't was horrid to the aborigines (like we were to Native Americans).
DeleteI had the pleasure of living down under (Brisbane) when my husband was working there. Believe me...it's not the Aussie education system. It's great. And so is the healthcare. Thanks to Dubya and the likes of $arah, this is a snapshot of how the rest of the world sees 'Merica.
ReplyDeleteEagle with the gun beak illustration.
ReplyDeleteNailed it.
Personally I think the answers showed a greater knowledge of the US than a comparable group here. To say nothing about our ignorance of Australia's government and popular culture. A lot of the answers perceived as wrong were really hysterical.
ReplyDeleteExactly!
DeleteAs an Australian - I think they were taking the piss out of USA in the answers. Sorry, it is a national sport here
DeleteHard as it may be to US ears, the Aussies call Americans seppos - as the Australian rhyming slang for yank is septic tank.
DeleteOK kids:
ReplyDelete1. What is the capital of Australia?
2. What is the national anthem of Australia?
3. What is the motto of Australia?
4. Name ANY PM of Australia, ever.
5. What is Australia's most memorable military episode?
6. Australia's national animal? (might actually get that one)
7. Australia's biggest import?
8. Australia's biggest export?
9. Can citizens possess semi-automatic guns in Australia?
Here's my guesses:
Delete1. Perth
2. Waltzing Mathilda
3. Forward, Australia?
4. No Clue, not even one PM's name comes to mind.
5. Killing the Aborigine's? World War II
6. Kangaroo
7. Import - Oil, Cars, Electronics?
8. Export - Wool & Opals?
9. No semi-automatics
Pretty sure I got all those wrong, and I've been there!
America has become an embarrassment to the world and it is not the fault of President Obama - he is well liked in our country and around the world.
ReplyDeleteIt is due to the Republican party and their representatives in the U.S. Congress and in individual states and communities.
America's public education system has been degraded horribly by them. It's no wonder the majority of American kids couldn't tell you much about Australia in our world of today.
America is not the country it once was and folks need to vote Republicans out of office throughout the country.
I'll use Alaska as an example. We currently have a Budget committee meeting in closed doors in Juneau (also exceeding the 90 days for the session and costing us thousands daily in per diem, etc.) - headed by Anna Fairclough - (got married and I cannot recall her married name, which she is now using!) - of Eagle River (don't know how she ever got elected - and yes, she is a Republican) - making huge cuts that includes Alaska's public school system as well as our colleges.
Yet, the Alaska Legislature (Hawker led!) just bought themselves a newly renovated building in downtown Anchorage for their use at a huge, huge expense. Remember, the Capitol of Alaska is Juneau - not Anchorage - and the annual sessions occur in Juneau, not Anchorage!
The majority Republican group currently serving are jerks and could care less about representing Alaskans! Vote them OUT of office, Alaskans, next chance you get! They are harming our state - not improving it!
They are cutting costs (in secret) yet are spending huge bucks on that building in Anchorage! Idiots - every one of them!
And they are being sued for that office in downtown Anchorage and decided to settle for 100,000. Thanks dicks.
DeleteWhy would we fault their education system? I absolutely could not answer any of these about the Aussies and I am American.
ReplyDeleteI doubt our kids are any better, unless it's the name of an app or a popular singer or actress. And it's not just Australia, today they showed the massive earthquake in Nepal and the kids in my sister's class "guessed" where it was on a map.
ReplyDeleteMost Americans could not name a single prime minister of Australia, let alone any of the other things. Heck, most Americans can't even answer the questions about America that the Australians can! And, having hitchhiked across Australia in 1986, I'm pretty sure that these Australians were totally making fun of America...............they don't exactly hold us in high esteem, though they are nice enough. Most Americans have a very skewed idea of how we are viewed in other Western countries. They think that Europeans are grateful to us for saving them from Hitler (that is old history over there, so don't expect to be thanked) and they are unprepared for all the questions that they get from Europeans on how we justify a lot of things that are government does. I recommend that every American take a world tour upon high school graduation..............it would quickly cure them of this "American Exceptionalism" idea that so many of us have!
ReplyDelete