Identity Crisis

[Tarheel]

Don't know about their tanks, but there's this

Distracting without meaning to highjack this thread. With that stated, there is a book by Richard Adams (of "Watership Down" fame) titled "Traveller". It is fictional / historically correct book about Robert E. Lee's horse during the US Civil War. The narrator of the story is the horse named Traveller. I would consider that the TANK of the era.

Two different authors before, Richard Bach and Richard Adams. I should have less sugar in my diet.

[CameronCat]

... the teaching of Geography has fallen by the wayside in many schools.

And it ain't just recently...
For most of the 1990's I worked for a large publishing company doing automotive writing along with many other editors in the department.

Periodically, a friendly debate would break out over coffee about "American vs Foreign" cars. (Your new Ford was built in Canada or Mexico; my new Honda was built in Ohio...which is the foreign car.)

With my right hand to heaven, I swear to you that one of the 20-something editors actually believed that Canada was a US state.

[Damion]

No personal experience of that, but there was a news story I saw once which showed street kids in south Auckland. Some of them when asked what city they lived in said LA, they'd never heard of New Zealand either. It probably didn't help that the two major gangs here distinguish themselves by colour - Mongrel Mob are red, Black Power are blue - same colours used to distinguish the Bloods and Crips in the USA.

Not exactly a case of mistaken identity, but I was in a (belted) plaid at a highland games and a little girl commented that a girl in her class had a skirt just like it! I assume that meant the same sett (douglas green ancient) but kids do say the darndest things.

[Kanati]

"Guns of the South"

I've read it. It is a pretty good sci-fi read with a a history spin in it.

[The Q]

Sadly although I think geography is taught here in the UK to a better level, you can't defeat a lack of intelligence. IRRC A TV company was interviewing on the street in Blackpool on politics when they asked the girl ( late teens early 20s) who was prime minister after a bit of thought she said Barry O'Brien!!
For those who don't know Blackpool it's thought of generally as a slightly run down coastal tourist town often frequented by groups of males or females going from pub to pub.

[OC Richard]

one of the 20-something editors actually believed that Canada was a US state.

That's funny!

In a similar way I'm often surprised when people say "that wasn't made in North America, it was made in Mexico"

or

"He's down in South America."

"What country?"

"Mexico."

Hasn't anybody ever seen a map?

[James Hood]

In (some) defense of the ignorant....

Not to apologise for the vast masses of uninformed (often by CHOICE) / misinformed / clueless / lazy folks out in much of the "1st World;" two thoughts floated into mind re this thread, one from a media class, the other originating in Eastern (Hindu--Buddhist philosophy). They are paraphrased, not researched / quoted, so please be kind:

"A modern day urban person in the world of (1st World) business is exposed to, from television, the internet, radio, newspapers, magazines, books, social media, work interaction, private life / social interaction, family interation, continuing education, travel...

"...about the same amount of NEW INFORMATION in ONE WEEK as a medieval peasant farmer was in their entire life."

==================================

(this second point refers to COMPLEXITY of a person's thinking, not related to age, ethnicity, spirituality, geography, occupation, education, politics, social position)

"Souls advance as they age, all growing through the same seven levels of complexity of thinking; forty-nine steps (the seven levels times themselves as stages) along the path to full enlightenment. These levels are associated with bodily centers. (Root-infant, sacral-toddler, solar-adolescent, heart-adult, throat-transition, third eye-mature, crown-enlightened.

(Work of Dr. Claire Graves in the 80s led to some writers personifying these as: Cave, Village, Tribe, "white pcket fence," yuppie, hippie, cosmic thinker.)

"Many people never get beyond the second or third levels in their lifetime."

Just thoughts, certainly not lay absolution for those who have so munch at their disposal and choose to access / use so little.

[CameronCat]

Hasn't anybody ever seen a map?

To follow this theme, most travel agents can tell you that people occasionally inquire about needing a passport to visit New Mexico.

[Tarheel]

Wow James! That is a lot to absorb. There isn't a quiz later is there? I don't think I can google fast enough for the answers.

[Riverkilt]

Visiting Albuquerque kilted a few years ago I stopped at a supermarket to resupply. As I walked from my car a drunk panhandler trying to make friends so he could hustle some change from me shouted, "Hey Switzerland!" At least he got the first letter right.

I was born in South America.....Alabama....