Why are there so many ignorant people in the United States?
145555
Because they feel the name "American" makes them superior to others and as a results they do not feel the need to educate themselves or learn about other people and their cultures/religions.  It's a me, me, me society we live in.  Money doesn't help the situation either.  Also, people can be educated and still be ignorant.\n\nCommon sense...is it really all that common?
992109
Because US CITIZENS  are so IGNORANT!!!!!!
300497
Because people are stupid.
185738
There are Idiots and really great people in every country in the world,Americans just seem to have more idiots because your country is much larger than European countries
571783
America prides herself on being open to new ideas and to letting people speak instead of just closing our ears and eyes. Stupid ignorant people are afraid of the opposing point of view, smart and thinking people weigh both sides of the issue before supporting their choice.
215417
I do not think that way, but I do know some ignorant people that do.  (I live in the northeast, by the way.)  When people think like that, they just show their ignorance.
683577
Americans (really "US citizens"--Americans include all those who live in North, Central, and South America) are not really stupid--many tend to be very ignorant though.  This, coupled with their patriotic jingoism, makes for an interesting combination.\n\nWe must remember to examine structural reasons for this rather than blaming people in terms of biology.  For example, how can US citizens be informed when their mass media is controlled by very few billionnaires who constantly espouse pro-corporate messages rather than messages that could make people feel like they have a sense of community with each other and the rest of the world?
857507
Short Answer: That's part of the reason.\n\nLong Answer: There are several factors that contribute to the general misinformation of the populace, both liberal and conservative.\n\nThe biggest one being that not many people use critical thinking. It takes effort, and effort is not something people want to put into figuring out the newsbites they're spoon fed over mass media.\n\nApathy is another big factor. People don't want to be bothered. In general, people feel they can't make a difference which is one of the reasons why our voter turnout is so miserable.\n\nThe average American watches American TV, with American news. The average American is told what to buy and who to support. The Average American does so without questioning why. The Average American, for the most part, doesn't really care what's going on in the rest of the world.\n\nFor example, a good portion of the country believes that we went to Iraq to fight terrorists. Certain news shows back that premise. Certain politicians spin that premise. The people believe that premise.\n\nAnd therin lies the problem. Belief. Belief is what keeps people blind to facts. Belief is what keeps people thinking that Iraq had something to do with 9/11, even though now there are two government reports (with another on the way) that say Iraq had no connections to terrorism.\n\nWhen you have belief you have emotion. When you have emotion, logic and reasoning gets pushed aside. It doesn't matter what if that belief is true or not, according to the believer it is "right". Many a deplorable act throughout human history have been performed by those who believed they were "right".\n\nSo why do people favor belief and emotion? Because it is easy. It is easier to get angry than it is to analyze someone's arguments for flaws. It's much easier to just declare "YOU'RE WRONG!" than it is to listen.\n\nWhich brings us back to the current situation. Instead of hoping on the interenet and doing some research, instead of examining other country's perspective of events, instead of looking at the data an evidence and coming to their own conclusions, the American populace in general is just happy having someone paint their "picture" of what reality is.\n\nWhat is most sad to watch are the elections. The only way to know what each candidate really stood for you would have to go and examine their voting records. All the political ads were nothing more than adults acting like a bunch of kids pushing each other on a playground.\n\nI'm hoping that someday soon people will wake up, but what is happening today is really no different from what happened during the Roman times. To distract the populace, they made sure they were generally happy and well entertained. Content people are less likely to resist and question.\n\n~X~
711522
Because many Americans (erroneously) assume that America is the greatest country on Earth and that every country wants to be like the U.S.  This decreases whatever motivation Americans might have to learn about other countries.  \n\nNot only do many Americans not know about other countries, but they are also pretty oblivious to a lot of America's history.  Namely, those things that we are not proud of.  How long did it take to free the slaves, grant black people the vote and the right to attend public schools (not specifically set aside for blacks).  How much fighting did it take for women to get the vote?  When did the American judicial system finally recognize spouse and child abuse?  When did our country finally realize that infants, toddlers, and young children do not seduce their fathers?  Of the homeless, which population is the greatest- veterans, mental health patients, or families with children.  Look these questions up- you will find the answers appalling.\n\nI am American, and I love my country.  However, I do recognize that our country has weaknesses and could stand to learn from other countries.
1117959
Because ignorant people make it an issue.
310026
Because most people are stupid and don't think too much.
873896
Because the U.S. is looking out for their own self-interest.  Screw the planet!  I also suspect that a lot of the people running the country are scientifically illiterate and/or morally bankrupt.
620151
Because a lot of people are stupid.
402569
because those who think that way are ignorant.
286149
people tend to dis like or even hate what they dont understand... they are frustrated at being ignorant so they act ignorant... the funny thing is if people got to know each other they wouldn't be ignorant and all this would go away...
178373
because not many people would agree that they are ignorant or that not many people know what they do not know.
97487
Because society is full of ignorance unfortunately.