Running with Americans. Boring conversations due to lack of knowledge

You're really trying to convince me that people in the US don't know world history because their brains are too crammed learning the Mayor of Akron's name?

Ok, I'll give you that.

(on the flip side, couldn't you make the same argument that people in the UK, Italy etc have hundreds or thousands more years of recorded history. American history is only 2 and half lifetimes.)

What about art, music, film, philosophy etc...whats our excuse there?

We piss excellence.

Wait, you bring up geography and political institutions on a run?!? OP, you sound awkward as fuc. No wonder no one wants to talk to you.

What you're not understanding is that the country is so large and different that you can't really lump us all into one and judge the country that way. Someone from Alabama is going to have an entirely different worldview than someone from North Dakota, or South Carolina, or anywhere you want to name. I don't say that people from England are all morons just because every person I've met from France is an idiot since they both reside in Europe do I? No I don't. And sure England and France are very different right? Someone who makes this argument is ignorant of the differences between states in the US are they not?

Canadians represent wrote:

Wait, you bring up geography and political institutions on a run?!? OP, you sound awkward as fuc. No wonder no one wants to talk to you.

ya man! Freedom and chicks 24/7. Freedom and chicks.

I'm an American you dolt.

You're not the only one reading this. You played devils advocate are you really that dense?

Takinadump wrote:

You're not the only one reading this. You played devils advocate are you really that dense?

right......

I noticed you completely sidestepped my point about the relatively short length of our recorded history.

Just face it, the typical person from our country is less interesting to talk to than people from many other countries. We place too much emphasis on grinding out our lives in meaningless jobs so we have nothing interesting to say.

lol..........riiiiight wrote:

Takinadump wrote:

You're not the only one reading this. You played devils advocate are you really that dense?

right......

I noticed you completely sidestepped my point about the relatively short length of our recorded history.

Just face it, the typical person from our country is less interesting to talk to than people from many other countries. We place too much emphasis on grinding out our lives in meaningless jobs so we have nothing interesting to say.

I don't agree at all. Maybe someone from another country is more interesting to you but that's all perspective isn't it? I think what the OP should have gathered is what's obvious from being here on the boards. People that are active in running and have been most of their lives are not good at being social. Anyone American I know that would be in a running camp usually lacks good social skills.

My argument wasn't that Americans know what's going on in their own country anyway. What I said is that they can't know. Maybe your average person in whatever other country you want to name knows superficial things about their countries history but don't act like every person is a scholar and knows the entire history of their country,they don't. You don't know enough people to take that leap.

Takinadump wrote:

lol..........riiiiight wrote:

right......

I noticed you completely sidestepped my point about the relatively short length of our recorded history.

Just face it, the typical person from our country is less interesting to talk to than people from many other countries. We place too much emphasis on grinding out our lives in meaningless jobs so we have nothing interesting to say.

I don't agree at all. Maybe someone from another country is more interesting to you but that's all perspective isn't it? I think what the OP should have gathered is what's obvious from being here on the boards. People that are active in running and have been most of their lives are not good at being social. Anyone American I know that would be in a running camp usually lacks good social skills.

If it was just my opinion it would be one thing.

I have spent 20 years working around the globe and with people from dozens of different countries. Most of them seem to think we are dull and consumed by crappy low brow entertainment and work. I've lived all over this country and with a few minor exceptions, their view of Americans seems accurate in most regions.

not an isolated opinion wrote:

Takinadump wrote:

I don't agree at all. Maybe someone from another country is more interesting to you but that's all perspective isn't it? I think what the OP should have gathered is what's obvious from being here on the boards. People that are active in running and have been most of their lives are not good at being social. Anyone American I know that would be in a running camp usually lacks good social skills.

If it was just my opinion it would be one thing.

I have spent 20 years working around the globe and with people from dozens of different countries. Most of them seem to think we are dull and consumed by crappy low brow entertainment and work. I've lived all over this country and with a few minor exceptions, their view of Americans seems accurate in most regions.

While you worked around the globe were you out getting the opinions of the poorest class and the most numerous of each country? I doubt it very much.

honest question, how many years have you spent in other countries? what exactly are you basing your opinion on?

Well that and... wrote:

honest question, how many years have you spent in other countries? what exactly are you basing your opinion on?

My opinion is that you shouldn't judge any group of people on your own tiny experiences. That's basic enough for anyone to follow as I wouldn't denigrate any person from any place without knowing them. I have the ability to say that I don't know everything, whereas you who have met at the most X number of people, which whatever number is X is nowhere near enough can definitively say things about an entire population with conviction.

Takinadump wrote:

Well that and... wrote:

honest question, how many years have you spent in other countries? what exactly are you basing your opinion on?

My opinion is that you shouldn't judge any group of people on your own tiny experiences. That's basic enough for anyone to follow as I wouldn't denigrate any person from any place without knowing them. I have the ability to say that I don't know everything, whereas you who have met at the most X number of people, which whatever number is X is nowhere near enough can definitively say things about an entire population with conviction.

It's hard to take someone seriously who defends Americans' geography knowledge by claiming that the distance from Maine to Mexico is 'several times the size of Europe.'

You do realize that Europe is bigger than the US, right?

not an isolated opinion wrote:

I have spent 20 years working around the globe and with people from dozens of different countries. Most of them seem to think we are dull and consumed by crappy low brow entertainment and work.

Why does the rest of the world consume American entertainment if they find it to be crappy and low brow?

My friend from the Netherlands learned English because he grew up watching American movies. I don't think many people around the globe are watching enough Dutch movies to learn the language. American musicians from Bruce Springsteen to Vampire Weekend can sell out shows all over the world. Asia absolutely love American jazz.

There are certainly things that Americans are ignorant about. Entertainment is not one of them. In fact, it is probably our most significant export.

Well that and... wrote:

Takinadump wrote:

My opinion is that you shouldn't judge any group of people on your own tiny experiences. That's basic enough for anyone to follow as I wouldn't denigrate any person from any place without knowing them. I have the ability to say that I don't know everything, whereas you who have met at the most X number of people, which whatever number is X is nowhere near enough can definitively say things about an entire population with conviction.

It's hard to take someone seriously who defends Americans' geography knowledge by claiming that the distance from Maine to Mexico is 'several times the size of Europe.'

You do realize that Europe is bigger than the US, right?

Lol, the guy is from NY. He probably thinks New York is bigger than Europe.

Well that and... wrote:

Takinadump wrote:

My opinion is that you shouldn't judge any group of people on your own tiny experiences. That's basic enough for anyone to follow as I wouldn't denigrate any person from any place without knowing them. I have the ability to say that I don't know everything, whereas you who have met at the most X number of people, which whatever number is X is nowhere near enough can definitively say things about an entire population with conviction.

It's hard to take someone seriously who defends Americans' geography knowledge by claiming that the distance from Maine to Mexico is 'several times the size of Europe.'

You do realize that Europe is bigger than the US, right?

You're supposedly a worldly person yet it took you this long and this many comments to actually search it and call me out on it.

entertainment is our export wrote:

not an isolated opinion wrote:

I have spent 20 years working around the globe and with people from dozens of different countries. Most of them seem to think we are dull and consumed by crappy low brow entertainment and work.

Why does the rest of the world consume American entertainment if they find it to be crappy and low brow?

My friend from the Netherlands learned English because he grew up watching American movies. I don't think many people around the globe are watching enough Dutch movies to learn the language. American musicians from Bruce Springsteen to Vampire Weekend can sell out shows all over the world. Asia absolutely love American jazz.

There are certainly things that Americans are ignorant about. Entertainment is not one of them. In fact, it is probably our most significant export.

Absolutely true. But they'll say that the majority of Americans listened to Justin Bieber 5 years ago so that doesn't count.