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Not everyone is cut out for book-learning and that’s ok. Realistically, being able to name, say, every capital city in the world isn’t actually that useful. However, knowing the difference between a city, a continent and a country is possibly the bare minimum someone should still be aware of.
We’ve gathered some of the most wild examples of the Americans saying things that are simply an indictment of their education system. So get comfortable as you scroll through, prepare to be deeply confused and disturbed, be sure to upvote your favorites, and share your thoughts in the comments below.
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#1
French, Spanish, Latin Are Dead Languages
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#2
America Is The Reason You Have Cars
#3
"It's Color Not Colour"
Americans come to the world with the same enthusiasm that they bring to all-you-can-eat buffets: idealistic, in good intentions, and blissfully unaware of what they've loaded onto their plate. Part of the reason is simply geographical size. In a nation where driving to the next decent supermarket can take three hours (hyperbole, but still), boarding a train to another country and crossing borders seems as distant as taking a camel through Death Valley.
Most people grow up wandering beaches in Florida or Montana's small towns and believe that "world travel" is merely a longer car trip, tolls optional. Another baddie is our school curriculum that sometimes treats world history as an appendix to learning about American history. Students can rattle off the causes of the Civil War in excruciating detail but stall when asked who governed India prior to 1947.
#4
In Europe You Can't Buy Utility Knifes
Ann Kapoxeet 2 days ago
America (US)...where people walk around carrying a*****t rifles like they're lunch boxes 😱
#5
"England Doesn't Speak English They Speak British. America Speaks English"
#6
“No One That Speaks English Writes In Celsius.”
Robin Roper 2 days ago
To be honest, the dote who posted this probably thinks Canada is the 51st state.
It's not really a conspiracy and is more cramming all factoids about domestic politics into textbooks that would make War and Peace seem short. When foreign capitals and cultures get a paragraph wedged at the rear of the book, it's easy to graduate with honors in U.S. geography and a passing mark in "Everybody Else's Land."
#7
Solar Panels Run Off Power Plants Which Are Powered By Fossil Fuels
Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 2 days ago
I hate having to fill my solar panels with petrol to generate electricity.
#8
This Is Self Explanatory
#9
"France Has Like 100 People In It"
On a video talking about US insurance and healthcare
And then there's the media bubble. Turn on most cable news channels or social media feeds, and you’ll find a nonstop loop of domestic stories punctuated by headlines like “Trade Talks with Some Country You’ve Never Heard Of.”
#10
Modern Europe, Japan And China Is Less Than 75 Years Old
#11
I Figured Out How European Time Works And It Was Like A Lightbulb Went Off In My Brain
#12
No One Goes To Europe For The Food
Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 2 days ago
You do know deep frying is not a cuisine right? Even if it is, the Scots have got the US beat. Deep fried Mars bar anyone?
International coverage often pauses long enough to mention a crisis before switching back to celebrity gossip, political theatrics, and sports highlights. With algorithms serving up more of what keeps viewers clicking, little wonder that an average American might recognize every Kardashian but not the prime minister of a neighboring country.
#13
“Pretty Sure Scale Wise The Entireity Of Europe Would Fit Between NY And Chicago.”
Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 2 days ago (edited)
There is something thats a bit denser in this post and it is not the railway network.
#14
Ah Yes, The Ever Trusty No-Internet WiFi Technology
Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 2 days ago
I neither use the internet or wifi, I submit my posts to BP using the postal service.
#15
On A Post With A Recipe That Measures With Grams
Language plays its part too. In many European countries, you’re more likely to encounter people who speak three or four languages by high school graduation. In the USA, however, learning something besides English is typically presented as an after-school elective for extra credit rather than as a required ability. Why bother, after all, if everyone else "speaks English"?
#16
“Our American Language”
#17
Americans With Water vs. Europeans With Water
Upstaged75 2 days ago
You mean they don't carry around 10 pound Stanley bottles like a status symbol?
#18
'Im Proud To Be Irish'
This monolingual concept can make visitors lost not just because they can't read signs and menus, but because they've lost the mental exercise of navigating the world in another language.
#19
"They May Have Created The Language But We Perfected It"
#20
"Euro-Poors Do Not Believe In Refrigeration"
#21
Calls People Out For Bad Grammar. Also, Has Bad Grammar
Financial and logistical barriers erect a last shell of insulation. Passports used to be trinkets rather than necessities, and the cost and inconvenience of visas even deter inquiring minds. Holiday budgets are spent on the cost of flights, little left to go and visit museums or chat with locals when you're there. It's easier and cheaper to binge-watch a foreign drama on Netflix than to fly to its filming location, and you get subtitles instead of jet lag.
#22
“NYC Has Better Asian Food Than Asia Does.”
Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 2 days ago
Also best Italian, best Irish, best German, best English, best at all World foods I bet.
#23
La Has A Bigger Economy Than The Whole Of Europe
#24
The Holy Trinity Of Trying To Teach Someone What Prefixes Are
There are such barriers, though, that there is hope: every American who finally gets that Europe is not a Midwestern state, or that Africa is a continent, not a country, gets closer to being a world citizen. A spoonful of humility, a sense of humor, and the ability to say you've been blissfully unaware are where it begins. And who knows, once you observe the world doesn't end at your state line, you might find that the smorgasbord of human experience tastes a lot more delectable than you ever imagined.
#25
There Is Not, And Never Has Been Fascism In America
Under a post about American scientist who wants to move to Europe.
#26
You Can’t Arrest Somebody Without Their Consent In Europe
#27
Steve Irwin Is An American Hero From Australia
#28
“It Is Spelt ‘Payed’ Outside Of America As In Australia, Brittain, And Other English Speaking Non American Countries”
#29
American Freedom And Liberty
Hippopotamuses 2 days ago
Is US history not taught in US schools? It's self-evident that geography isn't. But you'd think in such a dazzling world leader, their own history would be.
#30
"Europe Is The Size Of An American Parking Lot". It Was A Video Of Cities In Europe vs. The Us
#31
“Alaska And Puerto Rico”
Robin Roper 2 days ago
live in NC and would be happy to have my area become a part of Canada. Can we secede?
#32
Keep That Commie Frenchness Away From Us
#33
The USA Invented... Peace On Earth
#34
"Europe Doesn't Even Have Gasoline And Electricity Rn"
#35
My Brain Hurts
Michael Largey 2 days ago (edited)
Teacher: "A double negative makes a positive. but a double positive never makes a negative." Student: "Yeah, sure."
#36
A Classic Celcius, Fahrenheit Thing
#37
“Niche Dialects Like British English”
Hippopotamuses 2 days ago
Oh really. I didn't know that. I wonder why! Untitled-6...e5ec3e.jpg 
#38
“50 Of Whatever Weird Currency The Aussies Use Is Is Probably Like A Dollar American”
#39
Idiotic Commenter Doesn’t Know That Opposite-Sex Fraternal Twins Exist
#40
Fahrenheit Is The Only Measurement
Auntriarch 2 days ago
Fair point about politeness though, it's rude call someone dumb. Especially if they are.
#41
“Does Anyone Know Where Portugal Is Actually Located?”
Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 2 days ago (edited)
No one knows where Portugal is. It is a mythical land that changes location every day.
#42
"No One Counts Eastern Europe. We're Not Visiting That"
Scott Rackley 2 days ago (edited)
"No one counts eastern Europe" Eastern Europe. Eastern...EUROPE. I have to wade through pools of d*****s like this daily. d u m b a s s
#43
"I Learned That In Europe, When Locals Asked Where I Was From And I Said “Minnesota, USA”…turns Out They Don’t Know Where That Is"
Depressed Lesbian(she/they/he) 2 days ago
Yeah and if a Canadian said they were from Alberta, you wouldn’t know where that was.
#44
American Math
#45
"Your Little Countries Are Not Big Enough To Be Recognised Separately."
Greg Hedley 2 days ago
Texas is smaller than NSW, the third largest state in Australia.WA ,the largest state,is a million square miles. Texas? Alaska? Tiny by comparison. Blame the Mercator maps that led your weird boss to think Greenland was huge.
#46
Only The USA Is A Full Democracy, Rest Of The Democratic Nations Are Behind
#47
Being An American In Any European Country Feels Like Being The Only Playable Character Around A Bunch Of Npcs
Joe Reaves 2 days ago
And in Europe it's legal to do that, but in America it's jaywalking. Also I don't know where the f**k in Europe he was, but the only time people wait for the green light in the UK when there's no traffic is if there are small kids around (can't give them a bad example lol).
#48
Europe - No Ice Cubes
Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 2 days ago
Not only does this person sound like they have never been to Europe, but also they have never been to the USA.
#49
"Is This Military Time? What Country U In?"
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What do you think ?
Forrest Hobbs 2 days ago
I have to wonder if some of these stupid comments were actually meant as satire.Then again, as has been observed: you know how dumb the average person is? Well, half the population is even more stupid than that. 😁
Dekker451 1 day ago (edited)
Strictly speaking, the dumber half is below the statistical median, not the average, though they are often close together.
Load More Replies...
Peeka_Mimi 1 day ago
I am an American who actually reads books, studies history and geography and I lived in Germany for a few years. This was totally embarrassing.
Onan Hag All 2 days ago
This level of gross stupidity is unsustainable. The USA will soon slide into mediocrity.
Jonas Fisher 2 days ago
It's hypocritical that folks around the world dislike Americans who are reductionist and wrong, but then judge all of America based on exaggeration and a few loudmouthed idiots. It's maddeningly frustrating.
David Andrews 1 day ago (edited)
To be fair, it's also pretty frustrating when the US gives a few loudmouthed idiots the keys to power and free reign to interfere and inflict their nonsense on the rest of the world
Load More Replies...
elijo sintetico 1 day ago
No son americanos. Son gente repugnante de estados unidos, la gente que ha venido de fuera es mucho mejor que vosotros. Básicamente os odio a todos . Sois la vergüenza del mundo. Además amigos de sionistas. Pues eso. Sois un país del terror y del tercer mundo odiado por todo el planeta y no os queremos ni ver! Estáis moviendo el fascismo al resto del planeta. Espero que os sintáis orgullosos cuando muera muchísima más gente por vuestra culpa
elijo sintetico 1 day ago
You are not Americans. You are from the United States. You are part of the American continent. Right now you are Nazis
Load More Replies... Johnnynatfan 2 days ago
Once again BP has a list making fun of Americans. Come up with something original already. Its lazy.
Forrest Hobbs 1 day ago
Johnnynatfan, BP's just reposted a list of Americans making fools of themselves. If there weren't so many Americans demonstrating their incredible ignorance and bigotry every day on line, it'd be impossible to make such a list. The list compilers aren't mocking anyone - they're just showing us the truth. It's up to the reader how to react. In my case, that reaction is on the spectrum of: 🤣 to 🤯.
Load More Replies... Forrest Hobbs 2 days ago
Oh look, it's actual quotes from Americans. Funny how BP can run any number of lists showing how stupid Brits can be and none of us complain, but if BP should dare to present the truth about Americans? Well, there's always lots of Americans on hand to complain and demonstrate their acute snowflake tendencies. 😂
Load More Replies...
Carl Roberts 2 days ago
Because people from the rest of the world never say anything stupid, right BP?
Forrest Hobbs 2 days ago
BP does run lists showing how daft Brits can be. The difference is, us Brits don't get all butt-hurt over a bit of criticism. 😁 I mean, there you are, the USA: the richest, most powerful, most technologically advanced nation on Earth, and yet there's always some Americans who get all huffy if someone dares to display the truth about how some Americans are not the sharpest knives in the drawer. Why so sensitive? 🤣
Load More Replies... Forrest Hobbs 2 days ago
I have to wonder if some of these stupid comments were actually meant as satire.Then again, as has been observed: you know how dumb the average person is? Well, half the population is even more stupid than that. 😁
Dekker451 1 day ago (edited)
Strictly speaking, the dumber half is below the statistical median, not the average, though they are often close together.
Load More Replies... Peeka_Mimi 1 day ago
I am an American who actually reads books, studies history and geography and I lived in Germany for a few years. This was totally embarrassing.
Onan Hag All 2 days ago
This level of gross stupidity is unsustainable. The USA will soon slide into mediocrity.
Jonas Fisher 2 days ago
It's hypocritical that folks around the world dislike Americans who are reductionist and wrong, but then judge all of America based on exaggeration and a few loudmouthed idiots. It's maddeningly frustrating.
David Andrews 1 day ago (edited)
To be fair, it's also pretty frustrating when the US gives a few loudmouthed idiots the keys to power and free reign to interfere and inflict their nonsense on the rest of the world
Load More Replies... elijo sintetico 1 day ago
No son americanos. Son gente repugnante de estados unidos, la gente que ha venido de fuera es mucho mejor que vosotros. Básicamente os odio a todos . Sois la vergüenza del mundo. Además amigos de sionistas. Pues eso. Sois un país del terror y del tercer mundo odiado por todo el planeta y no os queremos ni ver! Estáis moviendo el fascismo al resto del planeta. Espero que os sintáis orgullosos cuando muera muchísima más gente por vuestra culpa
elijo sintetico 1 day ago
You are not Americans. You are from the United States. You are part of the American continent. Right now you are Nazis
Load More Replies... Johnnynatfan 2 days ago
Once again BP has a list making fun of Americans. Come up with something original already. Its lazy.
Forrest Hobbs 1 day ago
Johnnynatfan, BP's just reposted a list of Americans making fools of themselves. If there weren't so many Americans demonstrating their incredible ignorance and bigotry every day on line, it'd be impossible to make such a list. The list compilers aren't mocking anyone - they're just showing us the truth. It's up to the reader how to react. In my case, that reaction is on the spectrum of: 🤣 to 🤯.
Load More Replies... Forrest Hobbs 2 days ago
Oh look, it's actual quotes from Americans. Funny how BP can run any number of lists showing how stupid Brits can be and none of us complain, but if BP should dare to present the truth about Americans? Well, there's always lots of Americans on hand to complain and demonstrate their acute snowflake tendencies. 😂
Load More Replies... Carl Roberts 2 days ago
Because people from the rest of the world never say anything stupid, right BP?
Forrest Hobbs 2 days ago
BP does run lists showing how daft Brits can be. The difference is, us Brits don't get all butt-hurt over a bit of criticism. 😁 I mean, there you are, the USA: the richest, most powerful, most technologically advanced nation on Earth, and yet there's always some Americans who get all huffy if someone dares to display the truth about how some Americans are not the sharpest knives in the drawer. Why so sensitive? 🤣
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