I have been back from Australia for a couple months and I decided it was time to resurrect my blog in order to reflect on what I learned during my time abroad. I want to explore how my experiences can be applied to life here in America. Stepping outside of America and looking at it from a different culture teaches that there is much to be loved about this country and much that could be changed for the better.
Something I learned right away in the research I did before going to Australia is that the world tends to know a lot about what is going on in our country, but for the most part we are clueless about what is going on in other parts of the world. I think it’s fair to say that it would be unusual for someone in another country to be unaware that Barack Obama is our current president, making him the first African American president we’ve had. After all, it is a big deal and has surely made news coverage around the world.
However, Australia just booted out their old Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in favor of Julia Gillard who is their first Prime Minister that has never been married, one of the first born overseas and of course she is the very first female Prime Minister. This is a fascinating event and yet I would be shocked if anybody here had any idea that this happened.
And it is not just Australia that we are out of touch with. Does anybody know or care that there has been a civil war raging in Uganda for over 20 years and 90% of the rebel army consists of children? Do we keep informed with what is happening right across our border in Mexico with the drug lords wreaking havoc? If it does not directly relate to America, or seem to impact our daily lives, it goes ignored.
Every year from elementary school through high school students are required take a history class, primarily a US history class. Students learn about how this country got started and follow its progress through the time around World War II. It might vary year to year- some years focusing more on Lewis and Clark, and some spent memorizing all of our presidents, but people or events that don’t directly relate to the US are hardly touched on.
I was amazed when talking to my host brother in Australia because while he is only 17, his knowledge of current events and world history is incredible. Australians spend a lot of time learning about what is happening around the world in addition to what is going on in their own country. I’m not sure why that doesn’t happen in America. It’s certainly not because the information isn’t available. Now more than ever, we can find out about what is going on around the world with just the simple click of a mouse. I am not sure why we don’t care to seek out this information. Maybe it’s because we are overwhelmed enough with what is going on right in front of us. Whatever the reason, we need to make an intentional effort to care about what is happening to our neighbors around the world and maybe we could even stop being viewed around the world as “stupid Americans.”
Some great thoughts here! I was embarassed to realize that I didn't know about Australia's recent prime minister change, and I usually do a pretty good job of keeping up on the news. But while it's true that people in other countries know more about the U.S. than we do about them, it's also worth considering that the U.S. is the world's leading superpower and that we play a major role in shaping internatioal culture through our cultural exports -- for better and worse. So in a sense it's no surprise that #13 knows more about #1 than #1 knows about #13.
ReplyDeleteIt's very true that Americans tend to know more about themselves than they do about other countries... but I also think it's fair to guess that there are many other countries in the world that operate in the same way. It's good to know your own history and how your country got to where it is today! However, I'm not saying it's a good thing to be self-centered and ignorant of what's going on in the rest of the world... but going off of what Doug said, it only makes sense that a lot of smaller countries know more about us than we know about them.
ReplyDeleteI was fortunate enough in high school to not only go through U.S. History, but also World Challenges, which focused on the histories and cultures of other parts of the world. Now that was just my high school, but I'm sure many offer similar classes. I totally agree that the United States comes off as self-centered and ignorant of what is going on in the rest of the world, but it is always spoken of as if its a one-sided issue. Just because smaller countries know much more about the U.S. than we do about them, doesn't mean they are informed on every other country, including those smaller than them. I agree with all the points you made in this post, but I think it is important for people in any country to take them into consideration!
ReplyDeleteLaura, I can relate to the idea you get that American's just don't stay up on current events, especially about other countries. I get what Doug is saying about America being a superpower in the world at the moment, but I'm not sure if that validates our ignorance...
ReplyDeleteI think it's so good to look back on a major event in your life, after you've had a bit of time to process it, and really think about what you learned. Foreign countries can offer so much insight into yourself and where you come from.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with our need to be aware of events happening in the world that may not directly affect the U.S. The civil war in Uganda is top on my list, and I don't know how something like that could go unnoticed by America for so long. Yet when our news only focuses on a few big stories at a time, we have to be a lot more motivated and dig for issues that are not directly handed to us. I think that's where we fall a bit flat, because when it's our responsibility to seek out the news, it's easier to just ignore it.
Boom. You are so right that we know nothing about the events of the world. Largely, I think it's because we are not really encouraged to know the other countries' affairs. Everything has to pass through the United States, and if we're not involved, why should it pass in front of our radar at all? This narrow-mindedness keeps us uninformed and keeps the stereotype (an often correct one) of the "Ugly American" alive. I look forward to this blog. Can one be about booting the prime minister? I'm interested.
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