So American Who Wants to be A 'Super' millionaire...

[Evergreen]

For $10,000

In George Orwell's book "Animal Farm" which tyrannical leader was one of the pigs named after?

A) Atilla
B) Moussolini
C) Napolean
D) Charlemagne

Now at this point my gf remarks, you know being american I bet she hasn't read any books and won't even know the answer to this.

Contestant : "omg I don't know, can I ask the audience?"

At this point my gf remarks, I wonder how many of the audience even knows this.

Audience : C (57%)

Heh was all I can say.

[Deffeh]

I know things that people dont

[KraKto$is8]

Did she win?

[KaneED]

Its C.

Does that help you?

[KraKto$is8]

No, knowledge of the answer does not lead to knowledge of what the contestant said.

[Evergreen]

I think the fact for that such a well read book, the fact that only 2 of the answers could be described as tyrannical dictators and the fact 43% of the american demographic that night still couldn't tell, is rather telling.

And no she lost, best question of the night was, Which of these cities are not in iraq.

God that was such a winner.

[MrL_JaKiri]

Originally Posted by Evergreen

I think the fact for that such a well read book, the fact that only 2 of the answers could be described as tyrannical dictators and the fact 43% of the american demographic that night still couldn't tell, is rather telling.

Which weren't tyrannical

[edit]

Plus it's the kind of thing you may well not remember, especially since it's a while since you've read the book.

[Rids]

I havent read the book, nor has anybody I know, I've never mentioned it in coversation with anybody.

I still knew it was C though. Theres a lesson there somewhere.

[Dante Hicks]

Maybe more people have seen the animated version in the UK than in America. I know it's been on TV loads of times.

[Lupin]

there was a english tv show in german tv, in which an english man always travels to different countrys (ie usa, jamaice etc..) to do some special tasks. one was, to prove the stupidity of the american population.

(freely translated, so beware)

"after whom is the victorian centuary labelled?"
-"queen elizabeth"

"given name of prince charles?"
-"Steven"

etc..

bottom line, it is well known that a big part of the american population lacks of common knowledge.

now leave am alone fs, it is getting boring

[Dante Hicks]

The American population, unsurprisingly, has more common knowledge regarding American matters.

I was playing "Jeopardy Deluxe" on a SNES emulator the other day, and I did awfully. Why? Because I don't know what state celebrates Andrew Jacksons birthday or whatever else. I'm not particularly ashamed of this. Similarly Americans not knowing a character in a British book is not particularly shameful.

[ChubbyChecker]

The last time I read the book was 8 years ago and I got the answer right.
Do I win a million dollars now?

[KraKto$is8]

Originally Posted by Rids

I havent read the book, nor has anybody I know, I've never mentioned it in coversation with anybody.

I still knew it was C though. Theres a lesson there somewhere.

That you googled for it?

[Nodrog]

I wonder what percentage of British people could name the characters in a work of classic american fiction such as Huck Finn or On The Road.

[pablissimo]

BACKFIRE

[Intrepid00]

Originally Posted by Evergreen

For $10,000

In George Orwell's book "Animal Farm" which tyrannical leader was one of the pigs named after?

A) Atilla
B) Moussolini
C) Napolean
D) Charlemagne

Now at this point my gf remarks, you know being american I bet she hasn't read any books and won't even know the answer to this.

Contestant : "omg I don't know, can I ask the audience?"

At this point my gf remarks, I wonder how many of the audience even knows this.

Audience : C (57%)

Heh was all I can say.

Oh noes, last I checked your GF lived in America as well.

BTW, I knew it was C, of couse I went to private school and not our shitty, but according to the Teacher Union doing a wonderful job, public schools.

Also, since when did European books become the need know of the world.

[Evergreen]

Originally Posted by Nodrog

I wonder what percentage of British people could name the characters in a work of classic american fiction such as Huck Finn or On The Road.

Animal Farm is considerably more up there than those titles.

With regards to american fiction, Of Mice and Men, The Grapes of Wrath etc common reading material in the English Cirriculum in the UK.

As for the Jeopardy thing, isn't that creepier that they believe the only affairs that are important to learn from are their own? It leaves them rather open to repeating the mistakes of other cultures further down the line heh heh.

[Intrepid00]

I thought Evergreen lived America. Shouldn't it be now "It leaves us..."

[Evergreen]

I reside here but I am not North American, and no I'm not trying to disown it like your idiotic 3rd/4th generation immigrated foreigners who REALLY ARE NORTH AMERICAN. I only moved here in January and as such I have been shaped and formulated by my 23 and a half years of living and being raised and educated in scotland.

The end.

[Intrepid00]

Obviously your GF, which has lived in America. What? Her whole life?

[Nodrog]

Originally Posted by Evergreen

Animal Farm is considerably more up there than those titles.

With regards to american fiction, Of Mice and Men, The Grapes of Wrath etc common reading material in the English Cirriculum in the UK.

I couldnt name any characters from the Grapes of Wrath, oh well I guess I am dumb and uneducated.

[Dante Hicks]

That's because you don't listen to enough Rage Against the Machine.


(i.e., the Ghost of Tom Joad!)

[Evergreen]

Originally Posted by Intrepid00

Obviously your GF, which has lived in America. What? Her whole life?

She lives in canada, part of the commonwealth. They learn things like french here and world affairs and don't abuse human rights.

[Lupin]

bottom line so far, it is all dependend of your demand.

[Tactitus]

It seems to me that television game shows have a strong incentive to feature mediocre contestants answering questions of only moderate difficulty, as a means of engaging the viewing audience. Most people want to believe they are of above-average intelligence and what better way to play to this vanity than by watching contestants struggle with questions to which most of the viewers at home know the answers.

Judging by the popularity of these shows, it appears to work.

[SYMM]

A quick quote from last week's Private Eye would seem to show British people (or quiz-show contestants at least...) are equally stupid:
Eamonn Holmes: What year is the title of a famous book by George Orwell?
Contestant: 1949

Anne Robinson: What year did the first world war end?
C: 1948

[Evergreen]

Originally Posted by Tactitus

It seems to me that television game shows have a strong incentive to feature mediocre contestants answering questions of only moderate difficulty, as a means of engaging the viewing audience. Most people want to believe they are of above-average intelligence and what better way to play to this vanity than by watching contestants struggle with questions to which most of the viewers at home know the answers.

Judging by the popularity of these shows, it appears to work.

The fact they also managed to pick a 200 member audience who are equally dumb amused me too.

[MrL_JaKiri]

Originally Posted by Evergreen

The fact they also managed to pick a 200 member audience who are equally dumb amused me too.

Same situation.

[Intrepid00]

Originally Posted by Evergreen

She lives in canada, part of the commonwealth. They learn things like french here and world affairs and don't abuse human rights.

Holy shit, they must not teach them how to read a map though.

PS Oh Really

http://www.amnesty.ca/IndigenousPeop...eoples+Actions

[Stealth]

It's funny how most 'elitists' I find on the net are either from England, or that general vicinity....

[MrL_JaKiri]

Originally Posted by Stealth

It's funny how most 'elitists' I find on the net are either from England, or that general vicinity....

There are lots of "elitist" americans about.

[Lupin]

it is funny how people on the net put everything and everybody in a box.

[MrL_JaKiri]

Originally Posted by Lupin

it is funny how people on the net put everything and everybody in a box.

That must be a big box.

[JammyJim]

Can someone explain to me why it is necessary for one of the largest countries in the world which has a plethora of its own affairs, A nation which is traditainonally isolationist in its outlook and a nation which considers itself to be (and is) at the height of world power with no real need for much interaction with other nations if it so chooses....should learn about the culture/news/books/entertainment of other countries?


Im British. I know about american culture. I know squat about German/Belgian/Japanese etc culture.

I dont know because i dont care. I dont care because these countries seem unimportant to me. (maybe not germany but hey).


Its the same for Americans.

[Dante Hicks]

They should know so they'll "appreciate" more (lol) the movies they make out of British books.

[JammyJim]

p.s.

sunday : just because someone freezes up when trying to remember a childrens book on national television doesnt mean they represent the combined knowledge of an entire society.

[MrL_JaKiri]

Originally Posted by JammyJim

sunday : just because someone freezes up when trying to remember a childrens book on national television doesnt mean they represent the combined knowledge of an entire society.

Animal Farm isn't strictly speaking a childrens' book.

It's subtitled 'A Fairy Tale', but then The Man Who Was Thursday is similar in several respects, but that's not a childrens' book by any stretch of the imagination.

[Nodrog]

Originally Posted by JammyJim

Can someone explain to me why it is necessary for one of the largest countries in the world which has a plethora of its own affairs, A nation which is traditainonally isolationist in its outlook and a nation which considers itself to be (and is) at the height of world power with no real need for much interaction with other nations if it so chooses....should learn about the culture/news/books/entertainment of other countries?

Why would you care a priori about your own nation's 'culture' either? Surely a rational person would look around for the material that best catered to their tastes and values rather than restricting themself to goods primarily from the country in which they reside. Someone who uses nationalism as an excuse to only partake in the "culture/news/books/entertainment" produced by those who live within a set amount of miles from his present location is ignorant, regardless of the country he is from.

[Intrepid00]

Can't say I really liked Animal Farm to be honest:/

[Structural Integrity]

Culture is overrated anyway.
So is analog communication.
I'm awaiting the age of brainplugs and the ability to download all this useless information to my head.

[Bunga]

I'm also waiting for that day, SI.

[Evergreen]

Originally Posted by JammyJim

p.s.

sunday : just because someone freezes up when trying to remember a childrens book on national television doesnt mean they represent the combined knowledge of an entire society.

They didn't freeze up, they genuinely didn't know.

As for Current American affairs, perhaps this question was more appropriate for displaying the ignorance, the following question was, which of these cities is not a city in iraq, (they gave the name of three cities in iraq that have been involved in the news with regards to the US military and also gave an afghanistan city) She pot lucked it.

I think for sure that the people who write the questions for this show, aren't try to give people at home questions they know the answers too (cause as it scaled beyond $60k it got rather hard) but more that they are bitter enlightened Canadians or Americans :P

I guess in the end it's a have to see it thing.