On Sat, 20 Jan 2001 17:49:00 -0500 (EST), Mark Weaver said:
> I would think that it would be one of two things that cause this.
>
> 1) plain old American arrogance
NO comment !!
> 2) a very "small" world view caused mainly by spending too much time in
> ones own back yard and not having enough contact with the outside world.
Yes - it does seem for the visitor that there is a 'small world
view'
A year or so ago, I spent a few weeks in the US, and was really
surprised
at the numbers of people I met who hadn't been 'Out of STATE" let
alone
the country.
> America being as big "physically" speaking as it is I wouldn't be all that
> surprised to find out that 80% of its population has never been out of the
> country.
I could 'understand' people I met who didn't know where my country
was,
or that It's best known after all for it's ability to hold off a
concerted invasion
attempt by the US Military for nearly 20 years only by means of
Flour-bags
and Rubber Duckies!! However, that I seemed to know more about the
general physical geography of North America was a real stunner!!
I remember one young woman who was amazed that one could sit in an
aircraft for 15 hours without even seeing land just getting to the
US, and
THEN spend another 5 or 6 hours getting from one side to the
other!!! The
same young woman was later heard to argue with another about the
difference between Texans and Arizonians - her primary argument
being
that one must be more suntanned than the other - 'because of all
the desert'!!
> That doesn't include Canada or Mexico. I'm referring to off the
> continent adventures and such. Its surprising how different the outlook
> and attitude of the Europeans is from that of the Americans. Being an
> American myself the difference between the European and American world
> views is sometimes startlingly great.
I think you all think that, I think I know that you all think that,
I just wish that
we all knew that we all knew that we all thought that !! <grin>
It would be a wonderful world if ALL it's (the worlds') population
realised just
how small this speck of interplanetary dust we inhabit is!!
Cheers
John
--
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