Well what prompted this was a link I was sent about a TV quiz show in America, staring Kelly Pickler from American Idol.Its one of these wonderfully droll programmes about whether or not a 10 yr old kid is smarter than an adult. So I dutifully watched the video and laughed a lot. The question was... 'Budapest is the capital of what European country?"
Naturally, before the woman had answered, I muttered 'Hungary' under my breath. Simple question, easy answer. But the woman was clueless. Her initial undoing was when she said, '...I thought Europe was a country." Ooook, so that really made me laugh. She then dug herself a bigger hole by saying '...I know they speak French there... I wanna say is France a country...?"
I proceeded to titter for several moments, watched the end of the clip and then scrolled down to see what the comments were. I have to say I was a little shocked by the response. Ok, so clearly the woman is uneducated but even so the comments were awful. Three pages worth of America bashing, slandering of 'redneck' Americans and so forth followed.
It got me to thinking - as things often do - and as always I intend to share my opinion, whether or not it is wanted.
Her ignorance is not the only ignorance here. Naturally the Hungarian's were pissed off that this woman didn't know where their country was but even so, their responses were somewhat uncalled for. Not every person from the United States is stupid, nor are all southerners rednecks. Do they not have some of the most prestigious universities in the world over there? Stanford, Princeton, Harvard? Surely the people who attend these places have an IQ higher than an amoeba.
It is no different from saying all Brits talk like the Queen and drink tea all the time. It is that kind of stereotyping that leads to half the problems in the world these days. Clearly the woman needs to go to school or at least pick up a text book but these stereotypes are as stupid as her thinking Europe is a country.
Here is the video anyway.
Naturally, before the woman had answered, I muttered 'Hungary' under my breath. Simple question, easy answer. But the woman was clueless. Her initial undoing was when she said, '...I thought Europe was a country." Ooook, so that really made me laugh. She then dug herself a bigger hole by saying '...I know they speak French there... I wanna say is France a country...?"
I proceeded to titter for several moments, watched the end of the clip and then scrolled down to see what the comments were. I have to say I was a little shocked by the response. Ok, so clearly the woman is uneducated but even so the comments were awful. Three pages worth of America bashing, slandering of 'redneck' Americans and so forth followed.It got me to thinking - as things often do - and as always I intend to share my opinion, whether or not it is wanted.
Her ignorance is not the only ignorance here. Naturally the Hungarian's were pissed off that this woman didn't know where their country was but even so, their responses were somewhat uncalled for. Not every person from the United States is stupid, nor are all southerners rednecks. Do they not have some of the most prestigious universities in the world over there? Stanford, Princeton, Harvard? Surely the people who attend these places have an IQ higher than an amoeba.
It is no different from saying all Brits talk like the Queen and drink tea all the time. It is that kind of stereotyping that leads to half the problems in the world these days. Clearly the woman needs to go to school or at least pick up a text book but these stereotypes are as stupid as her thinking Europe is a country.
Here is the video anyway.
