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30 Times People Failed At Geography So Badly, They Made The Internet Facepalm (New Pics)
Most of us have been there: you post something online that you’re 100% sure is the absolute truth, flexing those big cognitive muscles of yours… only to realize that you made a mistake. You blush. You start sweating. You realize that you’ve made an utter fool of yourself. On the internet of all places! And now, your blunder will forever live in the Internet Hall of Infamy, also known as the r/facepalm subreddit.
The online community is full to the brim with people making epic mistakes. But few of them are as painful to see as when someone boasts about their [cough] ‘deep’ knowledge of geography [cough]. For anyone even with a rudimentary knowledge of geography, the posts you’re about to see might make you lose a bit of hope in humanity. Put on your safari hats, scroll down, upvote the worst geo fails you’ve seen, and don’t forget to share your unfiltered opinions in the comments, dear Pandas! Just remember not to feed the F-grade students…
Once you’ve completed the trek through this list and if you feel like you’d love to go on another humorous adventure, then you’ll probably love Bored Panda’s previous article about facepalm-worthy geography fails. Check it out right over here.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
You Can Only Pity Such People
RELATED:
#2
When You Dont Know What You’re Talking About
Julia Mckinney 3 years ago
"And Ted, the Moderna Vaccine was partially funded by Dolly Parton!"
#3
Blindly Playing Yourself
Jeremy Bayer 3 years ago
Detroit has a lot of abandoned homes. I took my Spanish friend to tigers baseball game and as we drove through Detroit he asked me why it looked like Europe after WWIi
Look, Pandas, we all had our favorite and least favorite subjects back in school. For instance, yours truly always enjoyed history, literature, and biology. Math, on the other hand, was a pure nightmare. For me, personally, geography fell squarely in the middle of the pack.
The subject itself was incredibly interesting. After all, who doesn’t enjoy learning about volcanoes and global cultures, and drawing maps in class? However, a lot of this enjoyment rose and fell depending on the teacher. Some were very strict and gave you awful grades for failing to memorize all of the important geographical locations around the world. Others, however, made the subject fun, relatable, and, well, not a chore.
#4
Virtue Signalling
Mar Nadal 3 years ago (edited)
This whole cultural appropriation thing is a very recent woke stupidity. If you study even a little bit of history, you will see that cultural appropriation is what has made humanity what it is. There is nothing more fruitful than cultural contact. Protesting about this is at the same level as flat earthers.
Natalie Bohrteller 3 years ago
Thank you so much for finally mentioning it! I was afraid everybody would just follow all of this nonsense blindfolded...
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TotallyNOTaFox 3 years ago
"White Knights" at their finest - being more offended than the people that are actually affected by something
Robert B 3 years ago
Yeah, I wanna place a bet on the pc person being white. 10 to 1. On top of that I wanna see this goddess costume. It’s difficult to figure out whose right with out seeing the reason for the argument in the first place.
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Raven Sheridan 3 years ago
It's a sad day, when Chinese people get cancelled for wearing traditional Chinese clothing. 😔
Whitehart 3 years ago
There is a difference between appropriation and appreciation. It all depends on the respect that is shown to the culture. I'm all for respectful displays to educate or enhance people's enjoyment of other cultures. But using cultural trappings to denigrate the cultures they depict, like all forms of disrespect, should be stopped.
Marc Lauzon 3 years ago
Kim Kardashian and the Kimono is a good example of bad cultural appreciation.
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Mistiekim 3 years ago
There is cultural appropriation and then there is gate keeping. Sometimes someone might wear their hair or wear a shirt common to another culture and they aren’t even aware of it. They just liked it and meant no disrespect, yet are admonished by a member of that culture saying it’s “theirs”. You can usually tell when someone is flat out being disrespectful or trying to be hurtful. That is the time to be using the term cultural appropriation.
Auntriarch 3 years ago
If you aren't taking the p**s and you aren't pretending it was your invention and making money out of it, I wouldn't worry
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Bibmibap 3 years ago
Cultural sharing and appreciation is important, but I think what you might be missing when you denigrate cultural appropriation is some of the motivation behind the frustration of minority groups when they, historically, have been treated as lesser for their culture, and then they see the dominant culture not just borrow or 'appreciate' something, but take whatever they want from that culture and profit enormously from it. White rappers and pop artists, for instance. Influencers and fashion designers. The not mocking thing is important, of course, and making sure you're not s******g all over something sacred, but so is the structure of our world that rewards people extremely unequally for similar attributes.
JE Cummings 3 years ago
Cultural appropriation is like cancel culture: It only exists in the minds of people wanting to interfere in other people's lives.
Robert B 3 years ago
Why is doing anything other than what white people do appropriating? We white folk are boring, we need all the help we can get! I get it, sometimes it can be cringy, sometimes it’s downright theft, but adopting some habit or manner of dress because you like it and it makes you happy isn’t appropriation, is being human. If one wants to be “ enlightened “ perhaps one should learn about social animals first, then political correctness.
Luna Crow 3 years ago
I've often had this thought. Especially in the US, if we're restricted to only "white people" things, then what do we really have? This country is a mixing pot of many cultures, and I think as long as they're being appreciated respectfully, it's not appropriation
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Ralph Watkins 2 years ago
Most of the woke people are not of the background they claim will be offended. I love the one woke person I chatted with online. She was telling me on how horrible African-Americans were treated across America. All of them. On how they all lived in slums, were beaten by cops, etc. I asked her where she was from. A very small town in North Dakota where their only minority was a single Native American dude. She had never seen a black person or met one. She admitted that she learned everything about what she was woke about online. It was a good chat. I told her run from her small town & go & actually meet real people of all kinds of backgrounds.
Bartley Doggett 2 years ago
So are you going to be a strident in your criticism of cultural appropriation when Chinese people decide to eat with forks or when African Asian or South American people decide to get an airplane because white Americans invented them? Do you hear how stupid your cultural appropriation argument sounds yet?
D. Pitbull 3 years ago
Reminds me of a past Bored Panda post where some people tried to 'ridicule' me for stating that a pictured Chinese Lion Dance costume wasn't a Lion but was, in fact a Dragon... people who weren't Chinese in any way (did not live there were not raised by, etc.)... I advised that unless there was a massive conspiracy by my entire family, the Lion Dance Society, the entirety of Chinatown... pretty sure that the it's a Lion.
Amity Blight 3 years ago
i've been wanting to cosplay a character from genshin impact with a qipao, but i'm white as anything. should I do it?
Rutger Lokhorst 3 years ago
Cultural appropriation is such BS!! If it is indeed used to make caricature of a group or meant to be demeaning, that is wrong. Otherwise using a style from somewhere around the globe shows appreciation or celebration!!! Also, if you are offended by my views or what I wear or do, that is yóur problem, definitely not mine.... You don't have the right to "not be offended", so go sit in a corner and cry!
#5
They Don't Teach Flags In High School Geography?
#6
More Liberian Flag Confusion
zububonsai 3 years ago (edited)
Hm, I somehow expected the dumbest /most non-educated blogs in the top 5, but here the posts deteriorate even the more I scroll down... 🫣🙄 (PS: I posted this comment when this post was around #18... 😬)
It’s not surprising that some people are completely awful at geography. After all, the world is full of folks who fail at math, science, history, and all the other subjects that some of us know and love. You’ll never find a subject where everyone’s a pro.
#7
Yahoo Answers Might Be Gone, But We Still Have Quora
#8
Ah, Yeah. I Swear It's Always Us Americans Who Don't Realize There's A Country Called Georgia
Mason Kronol 3 years ago
It's hard to have sympathy for people bad with geography and maps when they post dumb comments on the internet that has Google earth, maps and all kinds of reference material. I used to have to walk to the library to find out information. Now even Wiki has disambiguation pages to help sort out all the Georgias.
#9
Ah Yes, "Time-Zones"
However, this doesn’t excuse someone from being ignorant about basic things. You know, common sense stuff like how time zones work, what language is spoken in the United Kingdom, what the map of your country looks like, and knowing that there are currencies besides the dollar used around the globe. We all make mistakes. But it’s a bit embarrassing when you don’t have a working knowledge of the basics of geography.
#10
Imagine Being This Uneducated
Mason Kronol 3 years ago
I would like to see them redo the General Lee with that flag. Also The Hazard County Bobsled Team would make an interesting sequel.
#11
America Is The Whole Globe
#12
Canada Is A Country In Eastern Europe! Read A Book, Bro
Nobody’s saying that you should be at the level of a PhD candidate (and even they make silly mistakes!), but you have to at least be aware of your place in society and the world at large. It’s perfectly possible to spend your entire life not knowing what’s beyond the borders of your tiny little town, but it’s debatable how much fulfillment you’d find living this way.
#13
I Posted A Picture On Another Subreddit About A River In The Country Georgia And This Person Had A Lot To Say
David Martin 3 years ago
And then they don't even use the American flag emoji as they declare how American they are -_-
#14
Someone Didn’t Pay Attention In Geography Class
#15
Where Is Ukraine?
Almost all of the r/facepalm geography fails are related either to ignorance or arrogance. Sometimes, both! People either don’t know basic facts. Or they think they know something, only to be proven very, very wrong.
In cases of extreme embarrassment, your instinct is probably to shy away and defend yourself. However, that’s really not the best approach because it may lead to deep-seated feelings of shame further down the line.
#16
Dunno What To Say
#17
Geography
#18
A Girl At Work Drew What She Thinks The Map Of The USA Looks Like. She's Almost 30 With 2 Kids. The Nc Public School System Has Really Failed Her
No, the mature way to react is to lean into your embarrassment. Embrace those uncomfortable feelings. Show everyone that you do feel embarrassed. Acknowledge that you’ve made a mistake. That might actually work out in your favor and improve your reputation—through humility, you become more likable.
#19
Someone's Geography Needs Some Upgrading
#20
Nordic Countries Misunderstood
#21
Getting Offended Over The Name Of A Country
Tabby_Sohee 3 years ago (edited)
Bored Panda I’m gonna need to have a serious talk with whoever decided to censor the country N***r. The COUNTRY WITH THE CAPITAL OF NIAMEY, to be clear, since it’s not letting me say it
Previously, during an interview with Bored Panda, geography and cartography expert and land surveyor Patrick McGranaghan shared his thoughts about the state of the subject. He pointed out that some students see geography in a pretty negative light. Meanwhile, geography isn’t a priority in some schools.
"I think that a lot of geography ignorance comes from the lack of geographic instruction in schools. Schools have an increasingly long list of subjects that must be taught and geography is losing its share," he shared with us.
#22
I Guess He’s Half Right
Gustav Gallifrey 3 years ago
Nick Adams was born in Australia. In 2010, Adams served as the PR consultant for The Halloween Institute, a march to make Halloween a public holiday in Australia. It was later revealed those who 'protested' were paid actors. Nick Adams is a top-shelf, class-A, bona-fide, full-blown idiot, and Australia does not want him back, thank you.
#23
I Thought The USA Was The One Bad At Geography, I Swear To God, (UK Politics Subreddit)
#24
Ah Yes, Germany Flag Fridge Magnet
"Geography has this reputation of rote memorization of things like countries and capital cities. This is not exciting to most students," the land surveyor and geography enthusiast told Bored Panda earlier. "The way to encourage geographic learning is to make it exciting.”
#25
Geography Is Hard
#26
Asian/Chinese Currency
Gini Sarver 3 years ago
i strongly recommend that you & your wife stay home, where, we all hope, that you’re safe & able to function on your own dude
#27
Amsterdam = Country
"This may be by including geography lessons in learning about different cultures around the world. Geography is a component of current events and there needs to be an emphasis on how these events are occurring in a geographic context. Geography should not be taught in isolation, it should be tied to some context such as history, the physical Earth, culture, or travel.”
#29
Definitely The Shape And Flag Of Colorado
#30
Countries On Map Of Africa Labelled Incorrectly On Gcse Geography Paper
Add New Image
What do you think ?
SeaLouse 3 years ago
Get your child a GLOBE for their room. They will grow up knowing the basics of geography.
lauralett50 3 years ago
Or at least a world map. This whole post gave me a headache.
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Gavin Johnson 3 years ago
Would anyone like to know why my flat has a huge map of the world up on the wall? I have a daughter, she’s lived here since she was 6, she’s now 12. That map has been used for discussions about where certain foods come from, where humans originated from, where countries are that are in the news, how we travelled and discovered new peoples, y’know, stuff that helps a child learn about the world around them and helps them place themselves in it.
Yeah, okay. 3 years ago
Same reason I have an analog clock with Roman numerals in my kitchen. I didn't want them to be forever confused because not all clocks are digital or have easy numbers.
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Elisabeth Clark 3 years ago
At what point does dumb become too dumb to run for office ..?
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ScretSquirl 3 years ago
When I was stationed in Hawaii (25ID) I did have a couple of tourists ask where they could get their US dollars exchanged for Hawaiian money... I almost said that "2 coconuts, 5 shells, and a lava rock was the equivalent of $20 USD but I'd give them all that for $10." but decided that since I was in uniform, that probably would have been a bad idea.
Groundcontroltomajortom 3 years ago
In the UK we're not actually really taught about flags and geographical locations, unless the teacher wants to buts its not as standard. And there's very little taught about America so many have no idea of American states!
Andy 3 years ago (edited)
Not sure where you are in the UK, but certainly in the area I grew up in Scotland it's not like that. General geography was part of the learning in primary school (projects on different countries, history etc) and mandatory as its own subject for the first 2 years of secondary school.
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Sandy D 3 years ago
These are horrifying, and I haven't gotten through them all yet. But my main concern / question..... Aren't there idiots in countries other than the US. I mean, I know we unfortunately provide a huge, sadly high number of the world's idiots. But I'd feel better if there were examples of multinational idiots interest of just ours in the US. I tire of the idiocy here, and just have a shed of hope that we're not the only one plagued with excessive stupid.
Elizabeth Butler 3 years ago
Public education has been actively degraded for decades in favor of private schools, as a political goal, and the results speak for themselves.
i like japan 3 years ago
I have a book on Japan with some interesting geography. Geography that said stuff like "Tokyo is a country" and put city locations in the sea/ocean. If this were a challenge post, I'd literally post this.
Farnaz Khoshbakht 3 years ago
I mean Ok you don't want to learn about the world, at least learn about your own country it's a disgrace
LynzCatastrophe 3 years ago
We have access to more information than any other time in human history. I feel disappointed.
Verena Fiori-Jambor 3 years ago
I was asked if Germany was close to Europe by an a-grade student
Cory Tollman 3 years ago
I use to work with a person who was from Kansas City, Missouri in the USA. They grew up there. They did not know that the city is on the Missouri river. She thought it was the Mississippi river.
An Unpopular Opinion. 3 years ago
I mean, it didn't state on many of these where the posters were from, but I can assume many are 'cause the school system is failing/
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SeaLouse 3 years ago
Get your child a GLOBE for their room. They will grow up knowing the basics of geography.
lauralett50 3 years ago
Or at least a world map. This whole post gave me a headache.
Load More Replies... Gavin Johnson 3 years ago
Would anyone like to know why my flat has a huge map of the world up on the wall? I have a daughter, she’s lived here since she was 6, she’s now 12. That map has been used for discussions about where certain foods come from, where humans originated from, where countries are that are in the news, how we travelled and discovered new peoples, y’know, stuff that helps a child learn about the world around them and helps them place themselves in it.
Yeah, okay. 3 years ago
Same reason I have an analog clock with Roman numerals in my kitchen. I didn't want them to be forever confused because not all clocks are digital or have easy numbers.
Load More Replies... Elisabeth Clark 3 years ago
At what point does dumb become too dumb to run for office ..?
Load More Replies... ScretSquirl 3 years ago
When I was stationed in Hawaii (25ID) I did have a couple of tourists ask where they could get their US dollars exchanged for Hawaiian money... I almost said that "2 coconuts, 5 shells, and a lava rock was the equivalent of $20 USD but I'd give them all that for $10." but decided that since I was in uniform, that probably would have been a bad idea.
Groundcontroltomajortom 3 years ago
In the UK we're not actually really taught about flags and geographical locations, unless the teacher wants to buts its not as standard. And there's very little taught about America so many have no idea of American states!
Andy 3 years ago (edited)
Not sure where you are in the UK, but certainly in the area I grew up in Scotland it's not like that. General geography was part of the learning in primary school (projects on different countries, history etc) and mandatory as its own subject for the first 2 years of secondary school.
Load More Replies... Sandy D 3 years ago
These are horrifying, and I haven't gotten through them all yet. But my main concern / question..... Aren't there idiots in countries other than the US. I mean, I know we unfortunately provide a huge, sadly high number of the world's idiots. But I'd feel better if there were examples of multinational idiots interest of just ours in the US. I tire of the idiocy here, and just have a shed of hope that we're not the only one plagued with excessive stupid.
Elizabeth Butler 3 years ago
Public education has been actively degraded for decades in favor of private schools, as a political goal, and the results speak for themselves.
i like japan 3 years ago
I have a book on Japan with some interesting geography. Geography that said stuff like "Tokyo is a country" and put city locations in the sea/ocean. If this were a challenge post, I'd literally post this.
Farnaz Khoshbakht 3 years ago
I mean Ok you don't want to learn about the world, at least learn about your own country it's a disgrace
LynzCatastrophe 3 years ago
We have access to more information than any other time in human history. I feel disappointed.
Verena Fiori-Jambor 3 years ago
I was asked if Germany was close to Europe by an a-grade student
Cory Tollman 3 years ago
I use to work with a person who was from Kansas City, Missouri in the USA. They grew up there. They did not know that the city is on the Missouri river. She thought it was the Mississippi river.
An Unpopular Opinion. 3 years ago
I mean, it didn't state on many of these where the posters were from, but I can assume many are 'cause the school system is failing/
Load More Replies... 
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