Americans Were Asked To Find Iran On The Map, And Some Of Them Pointed At USA
Americans are split on the recent drone strike ordered by President Trump that killed Iran’s highest-in-command general, and on what action the US should take next. But despite everyone sounding off about the aftermath of the attack and the possibility of war with Iran, one thing that many can agree on is that they have no clue where the country in question actually is.
A recent survey, taken just days after the news of the killing spread, but before Iran retaliated upon US bases in Iraq, showed that just 23% of American voters could locate the country on a world map. When they were shown a more zoomed-in map, eliminating the Americas, East Asia, and Australia from the options (as well as the option to throw your hands up, say “screw it” and point to the middle of an ocean) that number only rose to 28%. How would you have done on this quiz?
Morning Consult’s data editor who oversaw the survey also shared the results on Twitter
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Image credits: morningconsult
A similar experiment in 2017 had Americans trying to point out North Korea on a map, and in 2014, they were asked to find Ukraine, with similar results. Disturbingly, in both surveys, there was a positive correlation between not knowing where the country in question was, and being in favor of airstrikes or deploying US troops there. That’s right: people are more likely to want to send their country’s beloved troops to places they can’t even envision.
The recent survey on Iran didn’t identify any such correlation between geographical knowledge and opinions on the implications of the strike, but it did reveal some other unfortunate truths. If you want to get smug about party lines, we’re going to have to stop you right there, because Democrats and Republicans both scored under 30%, with independents not scraping much higher (a margin of error of 2% makes those few percentage points not worth squabbling over.)
What’s more, even college-educated respondents struggled to locate Iran, with well below half responding correctly. Geography is usually lumped into “social studies” in US high schools, with many teachers reporting that they spend little time on it, and realistically, few people are learning geography after they graduate if they’re not majoring in it.
The data editor explained the survey’s findings
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A much lighter survey once asked Americans to label European countries, with hilarious results. Admittedly, quizzing Europeans on their knowledge of American states doesn’t go too well either, but isn’t that a bit of a false equivalence? There’s a huge difference between not knowing the parts of another individual country, and not knowing the locations of entire major players in world history and news.
The results of the Europe challenge may be amusing, but it’s hard to see the funny side of geographical ignorance when it involves countries that deeply affect and are affected by the politics of one’s own. We’re not asking anyone to memorize a world map or the historical timeline of another country in five minutes, but if you see a country’s name in the news five times a day and you realize you’re not sure where it is in relation to yours, Wikipedia is free.
A lot of commenters had a hard time believing how people can be this wrong
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Maybe the United States should spend less money going to war, and more money on their education system
As an American stuck in a dumb public school, looking at a bleak future and fighting for a scholarship, i think that might be nice....
Yes @AlphaPuck your anecdotal evidence outweighs empirical data. *eye roll*
@AlphaPuck success is whether you like your job or not, not how much money you make. And by the way, college gives you a better resume, and you have so many more options of what to do with your life. If you make 100 dollars less than someone else, it doesn't matter as long as you love your job more!
@Alphapuck, given that the statistics above clearly show those who have a college degree were more likely to get the answer correct, I'm not sure your argument holds up.
I went to all public schools in the 80s and every year we studied geography. I know where Iran is and it sure as hell is not in the USA. Though, back then, schools were different and serious.
@snap crackle plop Except I never took a geography course in college. Unless you are a history major I cannot think of a major in which that is required. All Im saying is that maybe we should stop using college as the metric for "success".
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@WillemPenn Empirical data shows that going to college, getting a degree for say a $100K per year job while also owing $100K in student debt puts you far behind a tradesman that spend <10K on a degree and now makes that same 100K per year with no debt. Don't try to troll the statistician... you will lose.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
So you think if you got an iPad then you suddenly get a scholarship? Why do you think you have to go to college? I have my degree and I live next to a guy 5 years younger that paid 6K for trade school and he makes 50% more than I do... and I paid 30K for school. Please dont believe the college lie.
And those guys are voters.. Wouhaaa!!! Great and deep education... 😂🤣
@AlphaPuck........history maybe? Wars? How about just the general news that is on tv, internet and hey even on good old paper. Educate yourself??
I am astounded at the amount of information at everyone's fingertip in this day and age, yet there are so damn many people who want to remain bag-of-hair ignorant ... nobody seems to want to educate themselves anymore - SMH o.0
Rick Mercer~Talking To Americans: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFgPX0hnNfA&t=87s
We get taught geography ... there are just a lot of stupid people wherever you go . Not just in America . I've known of people in their 20's not knowing who the president is 😵
@snap crackle plop Proof? I mean has there been even ONE big study on other countries recently?
some of those I imagine just don't want to know out of sheer embarrassment, not to mention some of the best joke of the decade are because of America's ignorance and their clown-leader
USA is #1 in stupidity though.
This comment has been deleted.
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Perhaps the government funded schools should spend their money wisely instead of on Social Justice Warrior bullsh*t.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Thats the opposite solution. USA was ranked #1 in the world in 1978 prior to the Department of Education being started. Then when the government took over education from the local municipalities, our ranking is now 28th. Do some research before making stupid comments on the internet.
I don't get why the comment should be wrong - the only thing that you added was that it's the Department of Educations fault. But maybe if they had better funds they could improve the education
@LuckyL Then explain how local municipalities, charter schools, and even homeschooled kids get a tiny fraction of that funding and perform so much better! More money is not the solution. Money does not equal grades.
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Because you are dumb as fuck.
I don't expect people to get it right, but at least knowing the general area would be nice. Also...Dumbfuckistan made me giggle. 😅
When you realise that some located Iran in ...USA
There IS a town in Texas named Iran, so technically.... (okay, it's actually spelled Iraan)
OMG..I'm still giggling...
And knowing dry land from water would be a good start.
I live in Europe, I studied tourism and I know I would point only somewhere close to Iran. A bit shameful after studies, but I agree that near is enough. People should have at least a general idea about the map.
I'm very interested in what those US Americans were thinking that put Iran in the middle of an ocean or in another body of water, and also those that put it in their own country. Did they ever had Geography? Dumbfuckistan made me laugh too
Hell, I don't want them representing my country! Please, take those idiots who got it wrong.
Note that most of the dots placed in the US were on Texas and Oklahoma...just sayin'... -Dr M, former Texas college professor
me, too
The best way to learn geography is to have a global map in a toilet with no wifi
I would definitely be better at geography in that circumstance.
you can still make some use of that wi-fi by looking at Google Earth.
Maybe the United States should spend less money going to war, and more money on their education system
As an American stuck in a dumb public school, looking at a bleak future and fighting for a scholarship, i think that might be nice....
Yes @AlphaPuck your anecdotal evidence outweighs empirical data. *eye roll*
@AlphaPuck success is whether you like your job or not, not how much money you make. And by the way, college gives you a better resume, and you have so many more options of what to do with your life. If you make 100 dollars less than someone else, it doesn't matter as long as you love your job more!
@Alphapuck, given that the statistics above clearly show those who have a college degree were more likely to get the answer correct, I'm not sure your argument holds up.
I went to all public schools in the 80s and every year we studied geography. I know where Iran is and it sure as hell is not in the USA. Though, back then, schools were different and serious.
@snap crackle plop Except I never took a geography course in college. Unless you are a history major I cannot think of a major in which that is required. All Im saying is that maybe we should stop using college as the metric for "success".
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
@WillemPenn Empirical data shows that going to college, getting a degree for say a $100K per year job while also owing $100K in student debt puts you far behind a tradesman that spend <10K on a degree and now makes that same 100K per year with no debt. Don't try to troll the statistician... you will lose.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
So you think if you got an iPad then you suddenly get a scholarship? Why do you think you have to go to college? I have my degree and I live next to a guy 5 years younger that paid 6K for trade school and he makes 50% more than I do... and I paid 30K for school. Please dont believe the college lie.
And those guys are voters.. Wouhaaa!!! Great and deep education... 😂🤣
@AlphaPuck........history maybe? Wars? How about just the general news that is on tv, internet and hey even on good old paper. Educate yourself??
I am astounded at the amount of information at everyone's fingertip in this day and age, yet there are so damn many people who want to remain bag-of-hair ignorant ... nobody seems to want to educate themselves anymore - SMH o.0
Rick Mercer~Talking To Americans: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFgPX0hnNfA&t=87s
We get taught geography ... there are just a lot of stupid people wherever you go . Not just in America . I've known of people in their 20's not knowing who the president is 😵
@snap crackle plop Proof? I mean has there been even ONE big study on other countries recently?
some of those I imagine just don't want to know out of sheer embarrassment, not to mention some of the best joke of the decade are because of America's ignorance and their clown-leader
USA is #1 in stupidity though.
This comment has been deleted.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Perhaps the government funded schools should spend their money wisely instead of on Social Justice Warrior bullsh*t.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Thats the opposite solution. USA was ranked #1 in the world in 1978 prior to the Department of Education being started. Then when the government took over education from the local municipalities, our ranking is now 28th. Do some research before making stupid comments on the internet.
I don't get why the comment should be wrong - the only thing that you added was that it's the Department of Educations fault. But maybe if they had better funds they could improve the education
@LuckyL Then explain how local municipalities, charter schools, and even homeschooled kids get a tiny fraction of that funding and perform so much better! More money is not the solution. Money does not equal grades.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Because you are dumb as fuck.
I don't expect people to get it right, but at least knowing the general area would be nice. Also...Dumbfuckistan made me giggle. 😅
When you realise that some located Iran in ...USA
There IS a town in Texas named Iran, so technically.... (okay, it's actually spelled Iraan)
OMG..I'm still giggling...
And knowing dry land from water would be a good start.
I live in Europe, I studied tourism and I know I would point only somewhere close to Iran. A bit shameful after studies, but I agree that near is enough. People should have at least a general idea about the map.
I'm very interested in what those US Americans were thinking that put Iran in the middle of an ocean or in another body of water, and also those that put it in their own country. Did they ever had Geography? Dumbfuckistan made me laugh too
Hell, I don't want them representing my country! Please, take those idiots who got it wrong.
Note that most of the dots placed in the US were on Texas and Oklahoma...just sayin'... -Dr M, former Texas college professor
me, too
The best way to learn geography is to have a global map in a toilet with no wifi
I would definitely be better at geography in that circumstance.
you can still make some use of that wi-fi by looking at Google Earth.