Quote:
Originally Posted by Babaganoosh
I bet. 
I wasn't attempting to champion anything. I was pointing out that no matter how self-important the Brits feel, there really isn't any reason for the average American to have any idea where they are on a map.
Joe Sixpack works a 9-5 shift at a local factory, shop, office, restaurant. He has no family outside of the US. He probably doesn't even know anyone outside of the US. The global economy means very little to him. He's busy trying to support his family. He couldn't care less where the UK is. If he knew where the UK was he wouldn't be any better off.
Those of us who work online are considerably more aware of the rest of the world. If you're a local plumber with a family, you have no reason to give two shits about the rest of the world. He probably thinks you're ignorant for not being able to fix your own kitchen sink.
This started because of some twink's "Spot the UK" on a map remark, as if it had some kind of relevance. |
You're not just championing ignorance, you're championing the worst kind of ignorance: willful ignorance.
If Joe Sixpack is planning to have a job in ten years, he'd better be working in a sector not susceptible to job losses from outsourcing. Planning that requires some knowledge of the world and the global economy.
If Joe Sixpack ever wants to start his own company, being aware of foreign markets and competition can mean the difference between failure and success.
If Joe Sixpack has family or friends in the military, knowing a bit about the world will help him distinguish between truth and bullshit during the next election, when America is quite likely to still be stuck in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Does Joe Sixpack worry about immigrants taking his job? He might want to be aware of what effects specific government measures would have on immigration, and how those would affect his local job market.
If Joe has absolutely no ambition in life, doesn't mind voting for politicians who harm his interests, and doesn't care about unemployment, then no, knowledge of the world has no benefits for him. Then again, that would make Joe a moron, someone destined to spend his life at the bottom of the barrel.
On the other hand, if Joe does have ambitions and plans in life, then knowledge will definitely help him.
What you appear to be arguing is that Joe has a low-paid job that doesn't require much knowledge, and that Joe therefore doesn't need that knowledge. However, you fail to take into account that Joe likely would prefer to get a better job, for which knowledge actually would be useful or even necessary.