How do we get Americans more knowledgable about world affairs

[ara87]

Nobody denies that the American culture is an ignorant one. Go to CNN and you'll find world new headlines, like so and so of whatever country won the election. However go to almost any other countries news website whether national or local, and you'll probably find in depth coverage of our election even from the primaries. You'll also find news about even the lesser countries elections and current events.

I don't understand how people can get mad at Obama for thinking they speak Arabic in Afghanistan, and mad at McCain for thinking Iraq and Pakistan border each other, when most people can't even list what type of government Canada has, what the Mexican presidents name is, or how almost anyone in a border state on either border, can't name what province/state of the other country they border. Would Armenian Americans even know where Armenia was if we weren't Armenian? How do we fix this problem? I don't think education in schools will do it. It would just be like at how some point in elementary, we all knew every presidents name in order, yet now most of us have forgotten the names of half of them and cant remember how many terms or in what order the other half came. So what can we do to make America, the supposed world leader, interested in her "subjects"

[jgk3]

Re: How do we get Americans more knowledgable about world affairs

Put the academic underachievers in exchange programs with students in third world countries. Both sides will gain an opportunity for education.

[ara87]

Re: How do we get Americans more knowledgable about world affairs

Put the academic underachievers in exchange programs with students in third world countries. Both sides will gain an opportunity for education.

As good as it sounds, i don't think it would work on a large scale, b/c to many families here would be unwilling to be a host family, and also too many families would try to pull some strings and get there kid to go to a developed nation. Also are we gonna require these kids to actually learn another language in school ( i know we already do, but it's joke) or are we just going to send them to places that consists of English speakers?

[jgk3]

Re: How do we get Americans more knowledgable about world affairs

You send the fatsos and the douchebags to some of the worst possible places on the planet. Perhaps you can have classes in America that teach the language of the host nation available at the school and kids who are "on their way" to being shipped off to those nations will be forced to take those classes. This may be a scary thought for them and might straighten the kids up to get their act together. It would kind of be like a prohibition period that would ensue. If the kid shows a marked improvement in effort and completes a major project that shows his understanding of the entire world has increased in volume by something like 1000%, and he gets into shape if he isn't already, then he can stay in America. He has 1 year to show consistent effort in achieving this and must maintain it for at least another year during this prohibitionary period.

The kids who come here in exchange programs from these third world countries could perhaps be allowed to use dorms as default instead of requiring host families. It would be up to a family to arrange a full fledged exchange so that they could host an exchange student. In the dorms, if there is any horsing around, the solution is easy, ship the kids you caught back to their crappy country empty handed. I think that'd keep them in line, though obviously it could lead to their abuse.

Obviously my proposition could go pretty wrong if it's not handled by ethical people, could lead to slavery of the kids in the exchange programs and could turn into businesses profiting from them. Still, it's nice to think about, it would be an effective tactic to get douchebags to pick between intelligent behavior and Tanzania.

[ara87]

Re: How do we get Americans more knowledgable about world affairs

I think that'd keep them in line, though obviously it could lead to their abuse.

Abuse? What abuse? Why that's just good ol' fashioned discipline!

[jgk3]

Re: How do we get Americans more knowledgable about world affairs

not if you start to extort them for labour.

[ara87]

Re: How do we get Americans more knowledgable about world affairs

not if you start to extort them for labour.

that's just discipline in the 19th century sense

[jgk3]

Re: How do we get Americans more knowledgable about world affairs

hehe yep.

[gmd]

Re: How do we get Americans more knowledgable about world affairs

Ruin America's economy. That will force American's to be more aware of the world around them since many will have to find jobs in Canada or Mexico.

[Armanen]

Re: How do we get Americans more knowledgable about world affairs

Ruin America's economy. That will force American's to be more aware of the world around them since many will have to find jobs in Canada or Mexico.

LOL. And more Americans of Armenian origin may actually head to the Homeland.