why most of the Americans don't understand the real situation about the world.?
596172
Because whether people want to admit it or not, the American media plays an ENORMOUS role in how we perceive ourselves, and the world.  Watching millions of repetitive images daily via advertising (print and television); television shows; movies; magazines, and news (print and television)...all of these mediums combine to shape our images of who we are and our place in this world.  We get a sense of "normalcy" by our lives matching what we like on TV. That's why most Americans strive to be the nuclear family: two parents, two kids and a dog, and a nice house with a white picket fence.  \n\nSame is true with foreigners.  Our media tells us that the U.S. is one of the few developed countries in the world.  When we see images of Africa, we see naked people running around with flies on their eyes, starving and living in huts.  I have known many Africans from many different countries in Africa (North, South, East and West), and NOT ONE of them lived in those type of conditions, and I asked every, single one of them how they lived.  They laughed when I told them my images of their native lands.\n\nArabs are abstract to Americans, too.  Thanks to 9/11, now Arabs are almost synonamous with terrorism (and camels and sand).\n\nForeigners see lots of America thanks to the export of our movies, so our lifestyles aren't that foreign to others.  However, the media even twists what our reality is.  Many foreigners think we are all rich, which is bullcrap.  \n\nI think if the media were more honest, people would have a better, more accurate understanding of the world, but they aren't, so we don't.
948474
You don't understand being an American.
17027
That is a fabulous question. The only possible answer I could think of is that American people seem to be extremely ignorant and downright stupid. They don't read. They don't even watch the news. And they lack the critical thinking skills it takes to comprehend even the most basic of facts and to derive the truth from all the information being given via those articles and news stories. \n\nThey have also learned to stay ignorant and not to question because they think they are being patriotic when in fact they are being un-American by following such a ridiculous and corrupt government.
616853
I have no doubt there are many well-informed Americans, but they are in a minority. There was a poll of Americans some years ago that indicated 80% thought the Persian Gulf was a major source of concern for the USA. But only 20% knew where it was.
398057
because most americans are stupid and cant see past the end of there noses..
987689
Americans, for the most part, are lazy. They would rather believe something just because they saw it on television, then look it up for themselves. Furthermore stations like Fox News feed on this.
127047
The biggest problem facing America in my view is a creeping insecurity that causes people to be unreasonably fearful and, as a result, more selfish and less open to knowledge and understanding. This fear might arise from a lot of different events - the war in Iraq, 9/11, layoffs, crystal meth in smalltown America - but it has turned into a chronic condition all its own.\n\nWe're all marshalling our metaphorical soldiers around us, trying to keep out the unfamiliar, pile up some money against the uncertain future. We're not taking care of each other because we're so afraid.\n\nIn a way, we're much like the people rioting against the West in the Muslim world. From the Western European/U.S. perspective, people are getting all bent out of shape about something that we take for granted. But imagine that we could remove ourselves from our own perspective and watch our responses from some TV screen in another world. Would our fear-based reactions look any more rational? I'm not sure they would. They seem reasonable because they're familiar. But think about the way gang violence destroys poor communities. Think about the way that sports fans torch cars. Of insurance fraud. Of deep-seeded, insidious hypocrisy in so many aspects of our lives.\n\nI'm not sure we should be afraid; politicians of all descriptions have been exploiting the fear, though. We don't have a sensible, sensitive, and rational voice that doesn't belie self-interest.\n\nI don't know what we can do now. Maybe each and every one of us can give up something unnecessary and wasteful - driving an SUV, smoking cigarettes, watching reality TV - and take time to learn as much as possible about the people we share the planet with.
1159211
HI,I CAN TELL YOU ONE THING.OUR SWEET LITTLE WORLD HAS ALWAYS HAD PROBLEMS ,BUT ONE THING IS FOR SURE ,WE HAVE NEVER HAD SUCH A FULL COVERAGE OF EVERY EVENT IN OR AROUND THE WORLD.TO GET THE BUSINESS GOING MASS MEDIA SOMETIMES EXAGGERATES.WHAT YOU SEE OR HEAR IS NOT ALWAYS WHAT HAS HAP PEND.AFTER ALL OUR  WORLD HAS EXPERIENCED FAR MORE WORST THINGS IN IT`S  LIFE.
375843
Please, forgive me if what I am going to say hurt your feelings. I am only trying to answer the many things you are wondering about and that, it seems to me, confuse you. We live in a very chaotic world and it is no wonder that you feel the way you do. But I think that there are many people, all over the USA, that are doing just that; trying to explain to the concerned citizen the kind of world we live in. There are many excelent publications and web sites where a concerned citizen can find all the information he or she wants in order to have a better understanding of whatever situation he or she feels puzzled by. It behooves all of us to try to find the "truth" about anything that might attract our attention or worry us, or whatever.\nSome people try to explain what is really happening, in any realm or situation, either because they are professional communicators, or teachers, or specialists in the subjects or voluntarily because they want to share their expertise with the common folk. But it is we who have to find by ourselves that elusive truth that it is out there.\nLess television and more good reading should be our motto.\nKeep reading!
198201
I think a lot of it stems from the American educational system. People who've gone to school in the US usually have zero knowledge of almost anything about the rest of the world.  I don't mean to say that Americans are stupid or ignorant; but it's really frustrating to the rest of the world to see Americans who don't have a passport, have no desire to experience another culture, and couldn't tell you where Sweden is in Europe (let alone anywhere in Africa or Asia). It makes the rest of the world feel like Americans are totally oblivious couldn't care less about everyone else on the planet.
844530
Can some people be so blind to the flaws of this country. How can you believe we are so innocent. It's almost despicable to see the ignorance spewing out of some of these peoples mouths, how can they call themselves Americans when they just blindly support whatever leadership is thrown their way and every decision without any question. It almost makes me sick.
1069044
Yes, because Americans have a short memory.  When something like that first happens, it's fresh in peoples minds so they feel compelled to do something about it.  But as times passes, people have their own problems to deal with so that leaves very little room for other problems.  Plus, people assume that the government is doing something about it and alot of people think they are only one person, how could they help.
774711
people are not all aware of these truths .
36645
Democracy is a joke! us americans think that we are free that is not the case, and america thinks that it's there job to polize the world
728114
I have learned that it is not the American people that the rest of the world doens't like, it's the politics and policies of the government.  Sometimes it comes across as anti-american.  I do wish that the ones who are saying these things would get to know some Americans as you have.  There are good and bad from everywhere.
1147929
There's at least one American out here who agrees with you.  Such a sad state of affairs.  And the worst thing about it is that people can't see it.  Doesn't anybody look beyond the nice news stories the Republican-owned press keeps putting out?  For instance, http://www.democracynow.org (an independent media outlet) has a daily M-F show that goes beneath the surface on what's happening in the US and in other parts of the world.  We're conditioned to believe our beloved country can do no wrong... but it's time to grow up and open our eyes.
1176044
Isn't that funny, i was asking myself the same thing. I assume that most have never travelled abroad and experienced the world beyond their own back yard. Call it ignorance. But I do agree that there are people out there who don't know that there is a whole world of opinions and ideals that are waiting to be explored. By the way, explore some of the questions in politics and you will discover that there are a considerable amount of people who are questioning their present government in the US.