I remember writing a report about Afghanistan in middle school (long before US involvement). Other kids thought I made the country up. But I always loved history and geography so I guess I am not typical.
Can You Locate Iran? Few Voters Can
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Re: Can You Locate Iran? Few Voters Can
#22Everyone who knows how to read and know an approximate location of the middle east will be able to locate it. Not sure what's the point though? Is it to highlight how stupid average American voters are? That's a broad generalization and just a blunt offense. Also how is it an indicator of anything? 99% I Iranians wont be able to locate Wyoming. So what?
> Wyoming
Wyoming is not an international political entity. I also wouldn't expect americans to reliably locate Montreal, but they damn well better know where Canada is.
It's an indicator of the sad state of affairs, that most "voters" (presumably those that voted in the presidential election) cannot locate a country as important as Iran. Are you kidding me that you think someone voting for president should have such little knowledge of the world?
This is why (eg) climate change is an insoluble problem. The masses don't know and don't care.
Re: Can You Locate Iran? Few Voters Can
#23Back in late 2003 I was visiting a friend in Florida. News was filled with the war on terror, with the invasion of Iraq starting a few months earlier.
He introduced me to his neighbor, who asked where I was from. Norway I replied. "Oh, hmm, we haven't bombed Norway yet... where is it?"
After a moment he added that he was only half joking, as a reference to the geography lessons he had received at school and the news coverage.
Re: Can You Locate Iran? Few Voters Can
#2447% supported the strike? How could they possibly have had enough information to support it? Iran = Bad Man from Iran = Bad Kill Man from Iran = Good???
So Soleimani = "Man from Iran"?
Re: Can You Locate Iran? Few Voters Can
#25Everyone who knows how to read and know an approximate location of the middle east will be able to locate it. Not sure what's the point though? Is it to highlight how stupid average American voters are? That's a broad generalization and just a blunt offense. Also how is it an indicator of anything? 99% I Iranians wont be able to locate Wyoming. So what?
I think there is a strong argument to be made that having the US police the world, in the name of democracy, is not great if a large proportion of the voters are not educated enough to make rational voting decisions on such issues. And geography is a fairly fundamental part of understanding geopolitics. Arguing the other way around also isn't quite the same thing, partly because Iran doesn't have military bases in Canada and Mexico.
Re: Can You Locate Iran? Few Voters Can
#2647% supported the strike? How could they possibly have had enough information to support it? Iran = Bad Man from Iran = Bad Kill Man from Iran = Good???
I love and sympathize with your comment heavily. As far as 47% support I think it because:
Trump = Good
Something Trump ordered = Good
Re: Can You Locate Iran? Few Voters Can
#27"Men were about twice as likely as women to be able to identify Iran on both maps"
Wow, that's unexpected. Is there some credible source on why this is the case? Also curious if this is generally true...would you get the same result if they were asked to identify Belgium on a map?
Re: Can You Locate Iran? Few Voters Can
#28Re: Can You Locate Iran? Few Voters Can
#29This sort of poll is perennial but never says anything interesting, imo.
Is it not interesting because of the lack of novelty, or not interesting because you think it's acceptable to want to kill someone but not to actually know much about them?
I don't think being able to accurately tell where Iran is is a requirement for wanting to kill someone from there, no. Knowing approximately where it is is useful, but what does it really matter if you confuse it with the next country over?
Re: Can You Locate Iran? Few Voters Can
#30Everyone who knows how to read and know an approximate location of the middle east will be able to locate it. Not sure what's the point though? Is it to highlight how stupid average American voters are? That's a broad generalization and just a blunt offense. Also how is it an indicator of anything? 99% I Iranians wont be able to locate Wyoming. So what?
I don’t know if a majority of Americans could find Wyoming on a map or even know it’s capitol, so that’s probably a bit unfair ask.
I’m not sure what’s offensive here. Given the current geopolitical climate, I do think certain politicians are trying to provoke a Iran into a bigger war and these folks, who couldn’t identify the Wyoming on the map let alone Iran, are ready to support said politicians blindly... but I digress.