ANSWERS: 18
  • I don't imagine they are. The grass just SEEMS to be greener on the other side of the fence.
  • as someone who lives in the states, i can only speak for myself...but i feel quite often times that i am surrounded by idiots. so they just might be onto something....
  • 1) "Gwyneth Paltrow was quoted by the Portuguese newspaper Diario de Noticias on Saturday as saying: "I love the English lifestyle, it's not as capitalistic as America. People don't talk about work and money, they talk about interesting things at dinner. I like living here because I don't fit into the bad side of American psychology. The British are much more intelligent and civilized than the Americans." Now she's [...] telling People magazine: "First of all I feel so lucky to be American. When you look at the rest of the world, we're so lucky, and that's something my dad always instilled in me. I feel so proud to be American. I felt so upset to be completely misconstrued and I never, ever would have said that. I definitely did not say that I think the British are more intelligent and civilized than Americans. I am a New York girl, that's how I always think of myself and see myself. I live in England half the time because I'm married to an English guy. It's not like I've left America. This is what I said. I said that Europe is a much older culture and there's a difference. I always say in America, people live to work and in Europe, people work to live. There are positives in both. Obviously I need to go back to seventh-grade Spanish!"" Source: http://thesuperficial.com/2006/12/gwyneth_paltrow_cant_get_her_f.html 2) "There are a few other facts which characterize our society, such as the popularity of reality tv, britney spears music, ect. that has led to a conclulsion on my part that the perception that europeans, canadians and austalians are smarter than americans is accurate. what do you think?" "Well, I have read that only 1/10th as many American's read books for pleasure as do Europeans these days . . . a pretty clear indicator of a TV lobotomized culture if there ever was one!" "You can look at every standardized test that is used on both sides of the pond and see that the the very brightest from both shores are fairly equal. Neither Europe nor America has a monopoly on the top scoring. But the *average*? It is unfortunately lower on this (the American) side of the pond." "Generally I would agree that people in various other countries, including much of Europe, have a much healthier sense of skepticism than we do here. If you read the Australian and Scottish press you get a far different picture of Bush than you get here. Our schooling does very little to foster critical or independent thinking. A number of books have been written that suggest our educational system is designed more to create obedient workers than critical, engaged citizens." "For the record, I have met some dim bulbs in Europe, but overall I would suggest that they are more worldly and well rounded than the average person in the U.S." "It seems the Germans do have a very cynical view of President Bush (often calling him "your cowboy president") and the policies of his administration over the last three years. Any sympathy they felt for our country after Sept. 11 has been zapped once the war in Iraq began — my cousins thought it was a war based purely on U.S.'s thirst for oil and an odd notion of revenge for not getting Saddam during the first Gulf War. Despite their skeptism of the Bush administration, many of my cousins seemed ... racist. They still distrust Germany's Jewish population, make homophobic comments and more than once I heard jokes about sending all the blacks back to Africa. What perplexes me is how much of our culture the Germans consume. "Lord of the Rings" was all over the theaters, Eminem was the top selling musical act and Michael Moore's "Stupid White Men" was one of the most popular books in the country that summer. My attitude toward the whole debate revolves around the definition of intelligent. Perhaps having their parents or grandparents live through the political and social grip of Nazism for so many years, the German people grew cynical of politics and rhetoric, but sadly were not smart enough to see past the differences of other people and realize that we are all humans with same needs." "the whole Europeans being smarter thing reminds of of the old "Ecological Indian" myth, basically that all Indians were environmental warriors who understood sustainable living, when in reality they were just products of trying to survive in their environment. Yes, Europeans do seem more worldly than Americans, but remember geography and history play some role here---In what it would take you to drive around the Northeastern U.S. you could drive around Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Luxembourg, and France--there is more cultural diversity in a smaller area there than here (although a walk through New York City sometimes can prove that statement false)---this is not to mention all the other cultural influences, they are not just geographically close to different cultures, but in many cases that very geography is the reason for their cultural diversity----remember the Ottomans were one seige away from adding Vienna to their empire, and remember Spain was once part of the Muslim world-------they also had the benefits of trade from places like India, China, and Africa (Colonialism played a big part here, but regardless, once cultures come into contact they tend to integrate over time)-------The U.S. on the other hand is geographically and culturally isolated compared to Europe---and we are a much younger country culturally, still searching for an identity some would say--------alas, all these words and all I wanted to say was that Europe may be different and culturally "richer" in some ways, but in no way are they "smarter"--remember it wasn't 64 years ago a madman from Austria tried to erase the Jews from the face of the planet and create a world of blond haired blue eyed super beings, or that despite all that we know about cigarettes Europeans continues to smike like chimneys (the men also still wear Speedos, but we won't hold that against them)" Source and further information: http://www.ibrattleboro.com/article.php/20040306135800443 3) Maybe it is better that we first see the good sides of the foreign people, it gives us some interest to learn more about them and know them better. But education has many components and in the end, there are probably so many people in proportion with good or bad education on either side of the Atlantic Ocean. European can be more critical about some particular aspects of US politics, because they are not exposed to the propaganda of the US media, but they have also their own...
  • Hmmmm....let's see... ;)
  • May I have the Names of some people who really think so?And if possible a link to reach them?
  • because Americans butcher the English language
  • Because, while Europeans have culture, Americans have a dangerously large private sector. :P
  • I think that overall, Europeans are better-educated than Americans. Kids in school advance much faster. I grew up in the states, and when a friend my age from Austria visited me and talked school, she was about two years ahead of me in terms of material! She had learned what I was learning years ago. Also, Europeans learn languages at a younger age which is proven to make you smarter and even help you learn other subjects, with the added benefit of speaking that other language.
  • Because they are... American schools don't need to do a good job because there are so many immigrants filling the most interesting jobs... at least in high tech there's no shortage of H1 workers (myself included), who are also cheaper. Someone's gotta work at MacDonalds! I have many cousins that live in Europe, there is no doubt in my mind that European schools are better, my cousins have way more "common sense" than the American's I've met, and much better business sense, than people of comparable jobs stateside.
  • I think, as a rule, Europeans are better-educated. But the European(or at least the French) system is so different that the American system that it is hard to compare. The kids in France are really pushed to study and learn and it is incredibly competitive at the end of high school. Kids here have alot of homework and they don't have the emphasis on sports that US kids do. Also, culture is more available and is encouraged more in France than in the US. I'm American and was educated in the US but my daughter has been going to primary school in France for the last 6 years, so I see a big difference between her education and my own. Although there is also a big difference in educational requirements between different states in the US. However, I do have a big complaint about French education and that is that the kids are required to learn by rote and it's not necessary that they understand what they are learning. They do start learning languages earlier (but still too late in my opinion) and I won't go into my opinion of how they learn a language-specifically English. But there are still alot of French people who do not read books and who watch junk TV (old American sit-coms or the reality TV programs that are very popular here. So, bottom line is I think that there are well-educated and badly-educated people in both Europe and the US.
  • It is not a matter of geographical locations nor nationalities, it is a matter of permanent home teaching and then the teaching levels at schools. In America parents are working several jobs a day thus time to teach their children is very scarce. Education in schools is quite lame at present. Something must be done about it in due time before it is too late.
  • Being a European who has lived in more than one country,and taught in two I do not agree. The French were but are not now,to generalise of course.The English are taught little of history if at all,and the majority do not read .The most popular T.V. programmes are mind blowingly disgusting and stupid.The private public schools have a better education ,but is limited to what the establishment decide can be safely transmitted .Ireland and Scotland have given much to France and to 'English' higher culture which is then absorbed as 'English'.Ireland has always been a naturally spiritual/literary culture and Scotland a scientific /entreprenial one. It is advisable to know the difference,since both of these cultures valued 'education' highly,while being poorer materially.England imposes her view of history [and limited to her achievements]on Scotland ,and the English know nothing of history[unless you include the W.W.'s] The internet developed in U.S. and is the best and most liberating tool known to humanity. I admit to past prejudice against Americans because of silly arrogant English academics when I was younger. However it is they who I find so limited now and dry and so P.C. The best of the U.S. is something to be proud of. I find them [you ] passionate ,informed and funny without being sarcastic. I prefer you to the French , and the English anyday. I generalise of course. [France limits info. too]
  • Europe was involved in two world wars.So I think that being educated isn't the solution.I am spanish.
  • Us Americans are spoiled bastards for the most part. No culture, slow school system, bratty children.
  • Because Americans ARE former Europeans and it's from the Middle East and Europe that modern civilisation comes from.
  • Europeans DO usually get a better education and a huge number of people come out of high school speaking a second language fluently (not kind of know it but can't hold a conversation). They don't dumb down education so students who refuse to do the work can pass. This is not to bad mouth American education , it is to say it can and should be more demanding.
  • not sure why
  • Most people dont think that. Where did you get the idea that most people do? That covers a globally huge number of people and I think you'd find just the opposite if a poll was taken.

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