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‘America Is The Only Country In The World’: 64 Times Internet Users Showed Just How Much They Lack Education
Good grades aren’t everything, sure. But good education, an open mind, and intellectual humility are all undervalued. Way, way undervalued. And you can see the results when you go on social media.
Look, the fact is that everyone, no matter where they’re from, makes mistakes from time to time. But some folks are so loud with their wrong opinions that other netizens can’t help but take notice. Some of the most egregiously uneducated and arrogant internet users get called out by members of one satirical Facebook group. We’re bringing you the cringiest posts and comments to make you laugh as you facepalm.
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#2
Blue Bunny of Happiness 3 hours ago
They’d freak out at the fact that within the UK regional variations are Mum, Mom and Mam.
#3
BeesEelsAndPups 40 minutes ago
I didn't know what either type of flapjack was, so I looked it up. For the pandas, like me, who are from neither country, in the UK a flapjack is a very delicious sounding oat bar. It's made with rolled oats, brown sugar, butter, and syrup, and I'll be making some tomorrow. In the US, this is called a cereal bar, and a flapjack is another word for a pancake.
The satirical ‘America is the ONLY country in the world!!!1!’ pokes fun at the global stereotype that some US citizens are narcissistic, lack education, and have little to no awareness of the rest of the world and other cultures.
Of course, despite the focus of this particular Facebook group, it’s worth remembering that absolutely everyone makes mistakes and has knowledge blind spots, no matter what country they’re from.
Learning never stops. And it takes real humility and courage to admit you don’t know something instead of pretending that your half-baked opinions and misremembered interpretations are the same as objective truth.
But you need intellectual humility for that. In reality, some people like to claim they know more about the world than they actually do. They are guilty of what’s known as ‘overclaiming’ and pretend to be experts.
#4
The_Nicest_Misanthrope 1 hour ago
Thank fùck it isn't. If USD was the global standard, I'd be even more impoverished than I already am!
#6
Hume 2 hours ago
From Hamburg, a city in Germany. And no, originally it was nothing like what we see as a hamburger today; the concept was (is) basically just having meat between two pieces of bread. And for that matter, Pizza, as we know it, is Italian American, so you could say it's from America, but the origin of Pizza goes back to the Roman Empire, so you could argue it's from Italy also, but modern-style pizza as we know it comes from America, created by Italian immigrants.
Psychologist Elizabeth Krumrei-Mancuso explains that intellectual humility is your ability to recognize your intellectual limitations, as well as gaps and inaccuracies in your body of knowledge.
Being intellectually humble can affect many areas of your life, including politics, religion, and even your career.
#8
ABC NoFourteen FUCKCENSORISM 20 minutes ago
I never understood centigrade. That's neither the name of the unit nor the name of the guy who invented it, why rename it instead of using the exact same name everyone else uses because, well, that's its name?
According to research conducted by Stav Atir, Emily Rosenzweig, and David Dunning in 2015, a phenomenon called ‘overclaiming’ leads people to overestimate their knowledge.
These individuals claim knowledge of concepts, events, and people that do not exist and cannot be known.
#11
The researchers noted that people overclaim to the extent that they perceive their personal expertise favorably.
Overclaiming can apply to vastly different areas of (perceived) expertise. For instance, in finance, science, geography, etc.
People may claim familiarity with geographical places that literally do not exist. Or they might state that they understand financial or scientific concepts that are fictitious.
#15
zububonsai 2 hours ago
If you thought a conversation hit its deep end it got even worse (or "badder"?)...
“The more individuals believe they know about a domain, the more likely they are to claim knowledge in that domain that they cannot possibly possess,” the researchers write.
Instead of people consulting a “mental index” that catalogs their knowledge, they “draw on preexisting self-perceptions of knowledge to make inferences about what they should or probably do know.”
#17
According to the researchers, “for domains of high self-perceived expertise, these inferences may induce a sense of familiarity with terms that sound plausibly real but are not.”
Alternatively, greater self-perceived knowledge motivates people to search their memories more actively for relevant knowledge.
For example, someone who is well-versed in biology or geography might therefore be more motivated to “construct a plausible notion” of what a fictional term might mean.
The main problem with overclaiming should be obvious. Self-perceived experts may give bad advice “when they should give none.” People acting on this uneducated advice may be harmed.
#24
The_Nicest_Misanthrope 1 hour ago
Always amuses me how many American's say 'fùck Yourope', but in the same breath, are desperate to tell you how exotic they are cos their great-grandma lived in Belgium once. 🙄
Another issue is that individuals who have a tendency to overclaim actually stop themselves from educating themselves further in those areas where they already think they’re experts.
“In other words, overclaiming may hinder people from truly achieving a valuable level of genuine knowledge.”
#25
Janissary35680 2 hours ago
Exactly like a fish being unaware that it lives in water... until it doesn't.
Once you’re done chuckling, cringing, and upvoting the pics you loved to hate the most, share your thoughts in the comments at the bottom of this list.
Realistically speaking, what do you think can be done to improve the level of education around the world? Are there any areas where you ‘overclaim’ and think you're an expert (even though you aren’t)?
Who is the most intellectually humble person you know? How do you stay curious and open-minded when there are so many strong opinions online? Let us know.
#31
Lazy Panda 2 2 hours ago
What does it matter if ballots are printed in multiple languages? In Wales we just get on with dual Lang signs. And Singapore copes ok with seven official languages.
#32
Blue Bunny of Happiness 3 hours ago
Or more often Postie here, although they’re not a proper postie unless they wear shorts in winter.
#35
Janissary35680 1 hour ago
Speakers of varieties of English other than North American often get subtitled on US news and other shows.
#36
Blue Bunny of Happiness 3 hours ago
I mean, it’s not perfect, but better than a heck of a lot of other places at the moment…
#38
The_Nicest_Misanthrope 1 hour ago
It's also where education and critical thinking skills go to dìe
#41
Blue Bunny of Happiness 3 hours ago (edited)
I mean technically you can, France, Andorra and Spain for example. Spain, France, Germany is a bit trickier….
#44
Lazy Panda 2 1 hour ago
I really wish this was true and we were on km. The Irish switched, so can we.
#46
#48
WindySwede 1 minute ago
adress, so you have to get a new one if you move? why can't they just search your info and know where you live?
#50
T'Mar of Vulcan 2 hours ago
I found a 2 litre Dr Pepper at a pound shop in London. Hugged it all the way back to the Airbnb. (We only get imported Dr Pepper in cans here, at specialty shops - and Spar!)
#57
Robert Millar 10 minutes ago
Well, according to a well-known Scot, the haggis is the king of the pudding race.
#64
Blue Bunny of Happiness 3 hours ago
In the UK it feels like the world is going to hell in a handcart right now…
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What do you think ?
Rose the Cook 1 hour ago
These all show extreme arrogance and ignorance. Come on intelligent Americans, we know you exist, come out out of hiding and restore your country's reputation.
Boo 1 hour ago
I made it to ten and quit before I facepalmed myself into oblivion.
Load More Replies... Rose the Cook 1 hour ago
These all show extreme arrogance and ignorance. Come on intelligent Americans, we know you exist, come out out of hiding and restore your country's reputation.
Boo 1 hour ago
I made it to ten and quit before I facepalmed myself into oblivion.
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