On Stupid, Ignorant Americans

Being a gamer, (something that I know some conservatives will dismiss, sometimes with valid reason), I have often had opportunity to speak with people who I might have otherwise never met from all across this great nation. Perhaps even more interestingly are the people who I know from lands across the Atlantic, hailing from various European nations. From these, I've gained a different perspective (albeit, in a limited fashion, as I game to relax) of the thoughts and feelings from those on the other side of the Atlantic.

Much as our president touts here, I hear many of my EU friends tout the universal university education provided by their countries. To many, it seems to be a be-all, end-all arrangement.  To them higher education is virtually guaranteed to afford better opportunities, something which is often true, to a point. Often, these conversations will at some point lead into a little America-bashing, where my countrymen are mocked for the perception that they are ignorant.

Recently, it occurred to me just how arrogant this mentality is. Ironically, arrogance is the very thing many Europeans will accuse Americans of. While it is true there are many ignorant people in the United States, why would this not hold true of Europe as well? The only reason it is obvious in America is that we, as a nation, attract the most attention.

However, it also begs the following question: what exactly is intelligence? There is, of course, “head knowledge,” which I believe is what many people consider when they think of intelligence. This is the information you learn in school and in universities, ranging from understanding geography to understanding the basics of grammar. Often, people are mocked for being unable to locate France on an unmarked map or identify the man on the ten dollar bill.

But is this indicative of stupidity? Or is it, as I believe, indicative of differing priorities?

I apologize to the Poles.

After all, how is it bad or a waste of a good mind if the plumber who is fixing my sink can not find France on a map? Who would want to? It's France.

French-bashing aside, why would it matter to the plumber? He is there to fix my sink, not teach me the map of the world. If he's making $100,000 yearly by being a practical, useful human being, why would knowing where France is help him in his job? It wouldn't. Why would the man seeking to do well so he can feed a family sit down and figure out that Alexander Hamilton graces the bills I paid him for a job well done?

Ultimately, I believe that it boils down to the unspoken conceit caused by believing universal college is important. That conceit is two-fold.

For one, in propping up universities and universities alone, it causes people to place undue importance on higher education over other careers. People who go to college often grow too big for their britches, feeling that they are, in some way, superior to people who have not.  Many of those people are blissfully unaware of their ignorance. That is not to say there is no need a need for scientists, historians and linguists, but these fields also do not teach much in the way of practical skills which one could use in a normal job.

Additionally, it implies that other careers and jobs are somehow not fulfilling.  That is not to say that it's glamorous to pick up trash, but it's also a job that needs doing, regardless of one's level of education.  And I'm sure there are some who get a sense of fulfillment out of the dirty, gritty jobs that academics would never do.

The other problem lies in the fact that “college for everyone” assumes that everyone is made for college to begin with. Being a university student requires a certain type of person. One who hungers and thirsts for knowledge is a must. It requires a focused mind as book-learning can become quite tedious. To assume that everyone can do this sort of thing is just silly, not because some people are inherently superior to others, but because people are different. Some people absorb knowledge early, while others take time. Some have the patience to read large textbooks while others do not. Some have the ability to memorize maps of the world and do complex algebra in their heads while others cannot. It's not necessarily because some are stupid and lazy while others are not; our brains are just wired differently.

This sort of thinking also trivializes other kinds of knowledge and intelligence. Why does one need to attend university when he or she is perfectly capable of starting a business without the education? Learning the nuances of business, struggling to turn a profit and make payroll, and succeeding or failing on one's own merits is learning as well and no less useful than understanding the ins and outs of the American Civil War. Both have their place and both aid those who know them.

I say none of this to suggest we should discourage people from attending university.  What I am saying is that it is not bad to attend university, attend a trade school, join a company and work your way through the ranks or start your own business.  All are equally good.

On a final note, what is one pattern that is consistently seen when people like Jay Leno go out and embarrass people on the street?

They are often young people. While people learn information in their youth, as they try to make their way in their teens and twenties, their priorities are often different than learning everything they can. If you were to see them in their forties, I believe they would be far more likely to know what they are derided for not knowing now. As they grow older and their tumultuous early adulthood slows down, they have the time to absorb those random facts that get tucked away in the back of the mind, like where France is on an unmarked map. And if they still don't know, who cares?

Maybe they just didn't have the time trying to live their lives.