NationStates Jolt Archive

I had to do an essay about America. U could choose from lots of topics. I took the one about 'American Stupidity'. Here's the essay i wrote, this is how i think about it. Reactions plz


Most of the time Christoph and me agree with the point of view of Bill Bryson. To anyone outside the United States of America it seems that Americans are slower and dumber than the average person. This is not the case because if you look how many Nobel Prize winners are American, it will show you that America is number 1. It has more winners then all of the other nations in world combined. The reason why we believe that Americans aren’t as smart as the rest of the world is because most of our television networks, including News stations, are focussing on this aspect of American life. Every blunder, coincidence or not, is shown exclusively on the news. It almost feel like we are saying: “ Look at those Americans, they are really making a fool out of themselves “. Just because you are smart doesn’t mean you will always make the right decision. As smart person can be a psychotic killer or a fraudulent person as well. It’s true that the Southern parts of the United States are considered less developed then the Eastern parts. It is also said that the east coast has a more European thinking way and are more liberal. In every state or part of the world you have less educated people then in some other parts. We just focus more on the United States because nowadays we have criticism on their policy. We want to make it crystal clear that only “dummies” live in the United States and that’s why Bush is re-elected.

I wrote it, not Christoph. he did some other stuff. We had to base ourselves on a book from bill bryson, some american writer.

Not a single iota of evidence to back up your claim. It's not an essay.

Thank you for your understanding.

I also think the "Stupid American" viewpoint stems from how nationally focused the American public is. We are very ignorant towards the world, whereas Europeans tend to be very internationally oriented.

I reckon the "average" person of any nationality is about as stupid. (Those who see the light of Chick however will be saved)

I think it's a triumph of american stupidity that in a little more than two hundred years, we have managed to match almost two thousand years worth of european stupidity.

*Jumps into a bush* :D

Enough with the American bashing

I think it's a triumph of american stupidity that in a little more than two hundred years, we have managed to match almost two thousand years worth of european stupidity.

*Jumps into a bush* :D

Now be fair. You've not had a Dark Ages yet. That'll be once everything collapses (so over the next 4 years, probably).

True enough. ANd we're not even close on holy wars. *rubs chin thoughtfully* But we pulled way ahead with our nineteenth century clinging onto slavery.

But then again, Europe has that whole African colonies thing...

...wow. Like comparing apples and oranges, isn't it? How do you quantify stupidity?

well, it is not an essay. something we had to prepare and work out for an oral exam couple of weeks ago.

True enough. ANd we're not even close on holy wars. *rubs chin thoughtfully* But we pulled way ahead with our nineteenth century clinging onto slavery.

But then again, Europe has that whole African colonies thing...

...wow. Like comparing apples and oranges, isn't it? How do you quantify stupidity?


Well, we could decimialize it. Put it into an arbitary unit. Bushes. Take each four years of stupidity each country managed, and that's a single Bush.

If a country did something bright in an otherwise dumb set of years, it goes down a few millibushes.

What about something even dumber than the norm? Like the Spice Girls? Or Freedom Fries? Will those tack on a few extra millibushes, or are those factored into the average Bush unit?

Or we could name the units after you Nasopotomia.

What about something even dumber than the norm? Like the Spice Girls? Or Freedom Fries? Will those tack on a few extra millibushes, or are those factored into the average Bush unit?

Interesting system. I don't think a country can be held responsible for the Spice Girls, a corporation would have to have it. And for corporations we have to move over to the Greedometer system. That's just money.

Or we could name the units after you Nasopotomia.

Such cutting wit.

no i think milibushes sounds funnier, and rolls of the tongue a lot better. Easier for stupid people to say.

Interesting system. I don't think a country can be held responsible for the Spice Girls, a corporation would have to have it. And for corporations we have to move over to the Greedometer system. That's just money.

Yes, but a society in which The SPice Girls are capable of actually making money and gaining popularity in must be given some of the blame.

Yes, but a society in which The SPice Girls are capable of actually making money and gaining popularity in must be given some of the blame.


Good point. Every country that bought Spice Girls records, or let them play there (play! HA! Sometimes I make myself sick), or indeed even let them in should gain several millibushes. Possibly a whole centibush.

Good point. Every country that bought Spice Girls records, or let them play there (play! HA! Sometimes I make myself sick), or indeed even let them in should gain several millibushes. Possibly a whole centibush.

The Spicegirls were a blight upon Englands great music tradition, if Chick had the all powerful-ness he wants he would smite the Spicegirls*.

*and everyone else

The Spicegirls were a blight upon Englands great music tradition,


Actually, I think the last twenty-odd years have been a blight on England's great musical tradition, really.

how did you do on the exam?

the essay makes some very good points about the difference between perception and reality. it really ISNT fair to judge the US by our crappy TV shows (at least WE only import the good stuff from other countries, the rest of the world seems to have a limitless appetite for our trashiest shows BAYWATCH was the most popular tv show in the world for a while when it wasnt in the top 50 in the US)

meh, i got 70 % which is not good cause i normally get 90 for english.

Actually, I think the last twenty-odd years have been a blight on England's great musical tradition, really.

! There have been SO many good bands in the last 20 years, you just need to look, let me now list (disclaimer some may not be from the UK)

MUSE
Keane
Snow Patrol
Goldfrapp
Coldplay
*cough* well its late and i cant think straight, but im sure there are more.

how did you do on the exam?

the essay makes some very good points about the difference between perception and reality. it really ISNT fair to judge the US by our crappy TV shows (at least WE only import the good stuff from other countries, the rest of the world seems to have a limitless appetite for our trashiest shows BAYWATCH was the most popular tv show in the world for a while when it wasnt in the top 50 in the US)

There's a good reason for that. Every country has men in it.

! There have been SO many good bands in the last 20 years, you just need to look, let me now list (disclaimer some may not be from the UK)

MUSE
Keane
Snow Patrol
Goldfrapp
Coldplay
*cough* well its late and i cant think straight, but im sure there are more.

Radiohead is British, right?

! There have been SO many good bands in the last 20 years, you just need to look, let me now list (disclaimer some may not be from the UK)

They have to be from the UK! Otherwise they have no effect on our musical tradition!

MUSE
Keane
Snow Patrol
Goldfrapp
Coldplay

And I can't stand any of these. I particularly hate muse, for reasons I can't quite identify. Admittedly, they are all infinitly better than the Spice Girls, Boyzone or any other manufactured crap.

And I can't stand any of these. I particularly hate muse, for reasons I can't quite identify. Admittedly, they are all infinitly better than the Spice Girls, Boyzone or any other manufactured crap.

Thats it, Chick will defintly hunt you down and burn you, all the bands listed above (in my other post above :P) are exceptionally good.

In particular MUSE, who are nothing like radiohead, radiohead be damned.

Both Europeans and US people look pretty dumb to me. It's hard to say, even when you're within a couple of meters. They're so alike. Canadians and Aussies aren't much better, though.

Meh, all people are dumb.

Both Europeans and US people look pretty dumb to me. It's hard to say, even when you're within a couple of meters. They're so alike. Canadians and Aussies aren't much better, though.

Meh, all people are dumb.


Particularly Belgians.

meh, i got 70% which is not good cause i normally get 90 for english.
You got 70% for that? In my school you wouldn't get 30% unless the task was marked on different criteria (clarity of voice, confidence etc)

Out of interest, which grade are you in?

Particularly Belgians.


yeah, we are lame and stupid.

Are americans dumber then the europeans?..............hummmmmmmmm I dunno we did reelect bush but spain did vote in a socialist president ;) sooo i dunno. Here we go a question that might help me answer..... does europe have standardisd testing?

That's not an essay, it's a scrap. Or possibly a note.

yeah, i already told you guys it wasn't an essay. just something we had to make for an oral exam.

yeah, we are lame and stupid.

Nothing to do with that, everyone is. But you guys live in Belgium, man. It's harsh. :(

That's not an essay, it's a scrap. Or possibly a note.

Jeez, just rip the shit out of the guy why don't you?

i think its ok to live in belgium:

1. best beer
2. best fries

but then again:

3. walloons :-(
4. lousy weather

Are americans dumber then the europeans?..............hummmmmmmmm I dunno we did reelect bush but spain did vote in a socialist president ;) sooo i dunno. Here we go a question that might help me answer..... does europe have standardisd testing?
Spain's new prime minister is getting a lot more good things done than Bush has ever done.

Spanish people were lied to by their old government so they voted them out. Americans were lied to be their government so they reelected them with a majority! who's more stupid?

Eurotrash, can you answer my question, last post page 2... you may have missed it.

Standardised testing ? What do you actually mean by that ? :)

Spain's new prime minister is getting a lot more good things done than Bush has ever done.

Spanish people were lied to by their old government so they voted them out. Americans were lied to be their government so they reelected them with a majority! who's more stupid?


i know but some people seem to think socialism is stupid, i myself do not seeing that the end result is suppose to be communism, so i just through that in for a laugh or just to piss people off i don't remember wat i was going for

i think its ok to live in belgium:

1. best beer
2. best fries

but then again:

3. walloons :-(
4. lousy weather


I still don't get it. Why would anyone ever call anything EVER a walloon?

You got 70% for that? In my school you wouldn't get 30% unless the task was marked on different criteria (clarity of voice, confidence etc)

Out of interest, which grade are you in?

That question^^

I still don't get it. Why would anyone ever call anything EVER a walloon?


dunno why it sounds so crappy in english. in flemish it sounds more normal: Walen

im in the 5th year of secundairy school. dunno how you call in america.

simplified: im where a 17 year old guy should normally sit. :)

So you're about my grade, grade 12...

Was English your first language?

we don't have that first language system. we have to learn french, english and german altogether.

Spain's new prime minister is getting a lot more good things done than Bush has ever done.
Yes and looks what greatness has come to them. Even more terrorist attacks since the new president was elected and Spain began pulling out.

Yes and looks what greatness has come to them. Even more terrorist attacks since the new president was elected and Spain began pulling out.
If you mean the ETA bombs in the gas stations you are using very very bad examples.

I had to do an essay about America. U could choose from lots of topics. I took the one about 'American Stupidity'. Here's the essay i wrote, this is how i think about it. Reactions plz


Most of the time Christoph and me agree with the point of view of Bill Bryson. To anyone outside the United States of America it seems that Americans are slower and dumber than the average person. This is not the case because if you look how many Nobel Prize winners are American, it will show you that America is number 1. It has more winners then all of the other nations in world combined. The reason why we believe that Americans aren’t as smart as the rest of the world is because most of our television networks, including News stations, are focussing on this aspect of American life. Every blunder, coincidence or not, is shown exclusively on the news. It almost feel like we are saying: “ Look at those Americans, they are really making a fool out of themselves “. Just because you are smart doesn’t mean you will always make the right decision. As smart person can be a psychotic killer or a fraudulent person as well. It’s true that the Southern parts of the United States are considered less developed then the Eastern parts. It is also said that the east coast has a more European thinking way and are more liberal. In every state or part of the world you have less educated people then in some other parts. We just focus more on the United States because nowadays we have criticism on their policy. We want to make it crystal clear that only “dummies” live in the United States and that’s why Bush is re-elected.

DId you actually call this any part of an essay, this is just ick. The whole Nobel prize thing? What on earth are you trying to say? Are you trying to say that 20 smart people make up for 20million idiots?

it is not an essay, for the 500th time :headbang:

Well, we could decimialize it. Put it into an arbitary unit. Bushes. Take each four years of stupidity each country managed, and that's a single Bush.

If a country did something bright in an otherwise dumb set of years, it goes down a few millibushes.
Hmmm, Moore's would work better. Although you would switch to every two years to equal a single Moore. And I think the fact that France has never actually won a war when led by an actual Frenchman or the French government should count at least as a kiloMoore. Napoleon invading Russia right before winter is at least another several hundred. Same with the Third Reichs decision to try the same feat. That time when there were three popes also counts as a kiloMoore, I mean, what the fuck were you guys thinking. I could go on.

I reckon the "average" person of any nationality is about as stupid. (Those who see the light of Chick however will be saved)

Having lived in two completely different countries, this appears to be true. Humans are, in general, astoundingly stupid. But, as I too am a human, this may just be me being stupid about humans.

Problem with your question: what is "an average European" and what is "dumb"? The French differ from the Germans who differ from the Brits who differ from the Italians etc. There are differences in temperament, values, cultural interests, fields of expertise, educational systems etc. In some European countries it is common to speak at least 3 languages, in others the focus lies more at math.. so comparing them or defining an average is hard.

Most Europeans do however have a much better understanding of the world as a whole than the Americans for precisely this reason. Not because they are 'so much brighter', but because the "average European" will have more hands on expercience with other countries and cultures. The USA has two main neighbours: Canada, where everything is pretty similar, and Mexico "where people wear funny hats". When an American then crosses the ocean to "do Europe in ten days" he is therefor in for a nasty surprise.. and for much mockery by the locals...
Most European countries have many neighbours, and you can generally cross a border in a few hours by car. Most of the European media also gives more attention to foreign affairs than the US counterparts do.

Comparing other areas of "intelligence" is as I said however hard due to the non-existence of an average European.

Oh jesus, another topic about whether the americans are better or the europeans are. It doesn't matter who has a higher IQ, probably on the average the europeans have a higher IQ but who cares? Like it makes a difference wheter the average IQ is 120 or 140 (just some random example) in the end we just call each-other stupid. You have a big group of morons that just randomly insult the other group and are proud of it (usually americans.) You have the big group of semi-intellectuals that call the other group stupid with much words and then feel good about themselves (usually this group exists out of europeans.) and you have the intellectuals that just are above those silly fights between different nations, and I'm one of them (this a smaller group and exists out of both americans and europeans.)