WASHINGTON - Despite the wall-to-wall coverage of the damage from Hurricane Katrina, nearly one-third of young Americans recently polled couldn’t locate Louisiana on a map and nearly half were unable to identify Mississippi.
Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 fared even worse with foreign locations: six in 10 couldn’t find Iraq, according to a Roper poll conducted for National Geographic.
“Geographic illiteracy impacts our economic well-being, our relationships with other nations and the environment, and isolates us from the world,” National Geographic president John Fahey said in announcing a program to help remedy the problem. It’s hoping to enlist businesses, nonprofit groups and educators in a bid to improve geographic literacy.
Among the findings:
* One-third of respondents couldn’t pinpoint Louisiana on a map and 48 percent were unable to locate Mississippi.
* Fewer than three in 10 think it important to know the locations of countries in the news and just 14 percent believe speaking another language is a necessary skill.
* Two-thirds didn’t know that the earthquake that killed 70,000 people in October 2005 occurred in Pakistan.
* Six in 10 could not find Iraq on a map of the Middle East.
* While the outsourcing of jobs to India has been a major U.S. business story, 47 percent could not find the Indian subcontinent on a map of Asia.
* While Israeli-Palestinian strife has been in the news for the entire lives of the respondents, 75 percent were unable to locate Israel on a map of the Middle East.
* Nearly three-quarters incorrectly named English as the most widely spoken native language.
* Six in 10 did not know the border between North and South Korea is the most heavily fortified in the world. Thirty percent thought the most heavily fortified border was between the United States and Mexico.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12591413/
Does this really matter? What do you think?
Originally posted by mancityboyilliteracy wasn't the right topic to choose after your last post about a "sentance"!!
WASHINGTON - Despite the wall-to-wall coverage of the damage from Hurricane Katrina, nearly one-third of young Americans recently polled couldn’t locate Louisiana on a map and nearly half were unable to identify Mississippi.
Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 fared even worse with foreign locations: six in 10 couldn’t find Iraq, according to a Rop ...[text shortened]... Mexico.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12591413/
Does this really matter? What do you think?
Originally posted by mancityboyHow did people from other countries do?
WASHINGTON - Despite the wall-to-wall coverage of the damage from Hurricane Katrina, nearly one-third of young Americans recently polled couldn’t locate Louisiana on a map and nearly half were unable to identify Mississippi.
Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 fared even worse with foreign locations: six in 10 couldn’t find Iraq, according to a Rop ...[text shortened]... Mexico.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12591413/
Does this really matter? What do you think?
Originally posted by mancityboyLook, I'm a big supporter of a broad education, but seriously, how
WASHINGTON - Despite the wall-to-wall coverage of the damage from Hurricane Katrina, nearly one-third of young Americans recently polled couldn’t locate Louisiana on a map and nearly half were unable to identify Mississippi.
Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 fared even worse with foreign locations: six in 10 couldn’t find Iraq, according to a Rop ...[text shortened]... Mexico.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12591413/
Does this really matter? What do you think?
important do you think it is for the rank-and-file pencil pusher to know
where Iraq is? If you live in Oregon, why should you care where Louisiana
is?
Why does geographic illiteracy impact the economic well-being of a
guy who repairs vacuum cleaners or who drives a bus or restocks the
shelves at the local supermarket?
I work as a Church Musician. I'm well educated with several advanced
degrees, a background in a variety of subjects, and I earn more than
the average American. How does my not knowing where the
Indian subcontinent is affect my paycheck or how well I do my job?
(And, yes, I know where India is, and Israel and Iraq and so on.)
Yes, there are people who need to know that stuff, to be sure. Some
lawyers, some archeologists, international correspondents, polititians,
some government employees, international stockbrokers, and so forth.
But these people comprise a very, very small percentage of working America.
John Fahey's claim is question begging. If someone can explain why
I or anyone else ought to know this stuff, let them go ahead. I
see no reason why most people ought to know any of this stuff except
if they value being a well-informed individual (which most people don't).
Nemesio
Originally posted by AThousandYoungIf anyone looks further, it would also be interesting to know how other age groups fared, since this was just "Americans between the ages of 18 and 24". If it's just young people, it might indicate a deficiency in recent education policy or curriculum.
How did people from other countries do?
Edit: Or it could just mean that young people aren't that interested in geography anymore.
Originally posted by richjohnsonOr that they realize that knowing the capital of Uzbekistan is not a
If anyone looks further, it would also be interesting to know how other age groups fared, since this was just "Americans between the ages of 18 and 24". If it's just young people, it might indicate a deficiency in recent education policy or curriculum.
Edit: Or it could just mean that young people aren't that interested in geography anymore.
good use of their neurons.
Nemesio
Originally posted by NemesioI agree with much of what you are saying, but Hurrican Katrina affected gas prices throughout the country, and the war in Iraq is a major issue for all political candidates (and those candidates are elected by the common rank-and-file pencil pushers).
Look, I'm a big supporter of a broad education, but seriously, how
important do you think it is for the rank-and-file pencil pusher to know
where Iraq is? If you live in Oregon, why should you care where Louisiana
is?
Why does geographic illiteracy impact the economic well-being of a
guy who repairs vacuum cleaners or who drives a bus or restocks t ...[text shortened]... except
if they value being a well-informed individual (which most people don't).
Nemesio
But, you are right, there are bigger fish to deal with.
Originally posted by wittywonkaIf Iraq switched places with Syria, would that make any difference on how you feel about the war in Iraq?
I agree with much of what you are saying, but Hurrican Katrina affected gas prices throughout the country, and the war in Iraq is a major issue for all political candidates (and those candidates are elected by the common rank-and-file pencil pushers).
But, you are right, there are bigger fish to deal with.
Originally posted by mancityboyour youngsters ought not to be pulling the legs of pollsters so much. how lucky y'all are to have such nice, obedient children.
WASHINGTON - Despite the wall-to-wall coverage of the damage from Hurricane Katrina, nearly one-third of young Americans recently polled couldn’t locate Louisiana on a map and nearly half were unable to identify Mississippi.
Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 fared even worse with foreign locations: six in 10 couldn’t find Iraq, according to a Rop ...[text shortened]... Mexico.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12591413/
Does this really matter? What do you think?
Originally posted by NemesioWe still have some of the cheapest oil in the world. I think gas should be ten dollars a gallon just to get some of these cars off the road.
No, gas companies gouged the hell out of a tragic situation.
They're still gouging! They've had record profits in all the quarters following the inception of this
absurd war.
Nemesio