Britons as Dumb as Americans

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/britainpeoplehistoryoffbeat

Quarter of Brits think Churchill was myth: poll

LONDON (AFP) - Britons are losing their grip on reality, according to a poll out Monday which showed that nearly a quarter think Winston Churchill was a myth while the majority reckon Sherlock Holmes was real.

The survey found that 47 percent thought the 12th century English king Richard the Lionheart was a myth.

And 23 percent thought World War II prime minister Churchill was made up. The same percentage thought Crimean War nurse Florence Nightingale did not actually exist.

Three percent thought Charles Dickens, one of Britain’s most famous writers, is a work of fiction himself.

Indian political leader Mahatma Gandhi and Battle of Waterloo victor the Duke of Wellington also appeared in the top 10 of people thought to be myths.

Meanwhile, 58 percent thought Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s fictional detective Holmes actually existed; 33 percent thought the same of W. E. Johns’ fictional pilot and adventurer Biggles.

UKTV Gold television surveyed 3,000 people.

Nothing new, its no different in the rest of europe. Were in the age of anti-intellectualism. I blame tv, no ones reading anymore.

Wow - that is pretty shocking.

I think ignorance of history is one of the real problems of modern society, but could be mitigated - the books are there, read them - but Brits not believing in Churchill is beyond the pale.

Ha! The British not knowing who Churchhill is! Oh, but we’re stupid Americans? Once I find their nation on my office globe, I shall write “ignorant” between their borders. Uh, the one shaped like a boot, right?

[quote]Sloth wrote:
Ha! The British not knowing who Churchhill is! Oh, but we’re stupid Americans? Once I find their nation on my office globe, I shall write “ignorant” between their borders. Uh, the one shaped like a boot, right?[/quote]

That is France, dumbass. Britain is shaped like the head of a horse. Or maybe its backside…

[quote]Zap Branigan wrote:
Sloth wrote:
Ha! The British not knowing who Churchhill is! Oh, but we’re stupid Americans? Once I find their nation on my office globe, I shall write “ignorant” between their borders. Uh, the one shaped like a boot, right?

That is France, dumbass. Britain is shaped like the head of a horse. Or maybe its backside…[/quote]

Oh, well exuuuuuuse the hell out of me for not having a PhD in Geology.

A few points:

  • The “Britons” in question were all teenagers.
  • The figure is closer to 1/5 than to 1/4. - There are plenty of mythical stories surrounding Churchill.

Most importantly, the results are representative of the kids watching UKTV Gold. This is like saying 70% of Americans still believe Saddam was associated with 9/11 when the figure only applies to Bush-supporting Fox viewers.

[quote]lixy wrote:
A few points:

  • The “Britons” in question were all teenagers.
  • The figure is closer to 1/5 than to 1/4. - There are plenty of mythical stories surrounding Churchill.

Most importantly, the results are representative of the kids watching UKTV Gold. This is like saying 70% of Americans still believe Saddam was associated with 9/11 when the figure only applies to Bush-supporting Fox viewers.[/quote]

No. It’s significantly worse than that.

And as someone who has lived over here (UK) for most of the past three years, British teenagers are, by and large, retarded. As bad as the U.S. educational system is, things are worse here.

[quote]thunderbolt23 wrote:
Wow - that is pretty shocking.

I think ignorance of history is one of the real problems of modern society, but could be mitigated - the books are there, read them - but Brits not believing in Churchill is beyond the pale. [/quote]

So are you making fun of the Brits’ pale skin?

The median person in any large society is ignorant.

[quote]BostonBarrister wrote:
The median person in any large society is ignorant.[/quote]

I more relevant observation would be that the average teenager in any large society is ignorant.

Go ask American teenagers who Harry Truman was.

Schools are dropping the Holocaust from history lessons to avoid offending Muslim pupils, a Governmentbacked study has revealed.

It found some teachers are reluctant to cover the atrocity for fear of upsetting students whose beliefs include Holocaust denial.

There is also resistance to tackling the 11th century Crusades - where Christians fought Muslim armies for control of Jerusalem - because lessons often contradict what is taught in local mosques.

The findings have prompted claims that some schools are using history ‘as a vehicle for promoting political correctness’.

The study, funded by the Department for Education and Skills, looked into ‘emotive and controversial’ history teaching in primary and secondary schools.

It found some teachers are dropping courses covering the Holocaust at the earliest opportunity over fears Muslim pupils might express anti-Semitic and anti-Israel reactions in class.

There is more but I have been having problems with the T-Nation server

Schools told to dump Churchill and Hitler from history lessons

Patriotism lessons would glorify Britain’s morally dubious past, say teachers

Citizenship lessons must teach diversity not British history and values, say MPs

Migrants to be quizzed on benefits but not British history

Immigrants wanting to settle in Britain are to be quizzed on how to claim benefits - but not on British history.

The Home Office yesterday announced that it was extending the scope of the controversial Britishness exam. It will now include questions on what benefits you are entitled to, and how to lodge a claim.

[quote]GDollars37 wrote:
No. It’s significantly worse than that.

And as someone who has lived over here (UK) for most of the past three years, British teenagers are, by and large, retarded. As bad as the U.S. educational system is, things are worse here.[/quote]

I finished the UK state education in 2000 and agree wholeheartedly. Having a younger sibling who has only just finished this year i can also say that things are getting worse and not better in our state schools. I am not just talking about discipline, but standard of teaching, content of the national curriculum and over emphasis on exam technique rather than actual knowledge and critical thinking.

I just thank god that i had parents who took an interest in me; supplied me with quality books (fact and fiction), took time to answer my questions and encouraged critical thought.

Sifu, those pieces are ridiculous. What a disaster and a shame.

The Left wins in education in the UK. The US system is not great, but I am suddenly appreciative for what we do have, and hopefully we can preserve it.

Awful.

[quote]Sifu wrote:
A lot of Daily Mail articles…(and yes, that’s pejorative)[/quote]

Can you please maybe get to the point.

If you’re trying to make the case that Britons are as dumb as Americans, then I suggest you take a look at the stance they took when Bush was rolling the drums of war around 2003.

They were dumb alright, but Yanks still take the cake. (and yes, that’s a flamebait).

The British are becoming ignorant of their history because the Labour party says it is racist and discriminatory to teach British history to kids in British schools. Why? Because of all the kids who are not british who are in those schools.

The Labour party has for many years been trying to wipe out the national identity and turn the country into a Balkanized patchwork of multi-culture. Where the indiginous people are taught to be ashamed of their heritage.

Quite frankly I would have to say that Zap’s initial analysis that the British are as dumb as Americans was way too generous. Americans would never put up with the kind of nonsense that the British do.

The British supported taking out Saddam, nuff said on that one.