Jan 23, 2018
Listener Tiffany from Puerto Rico wants to know what we think about this racist, ignorant map that supposedly denotes how Americans really view the world. Now obviously, we don’t like it, and Tiffany wasn’t looking for us to confirm its accuracy. So we take it as a springboard to talk about the realities of terrible geographic knowledge that plagues American… and probably every other nationality.
If you leave us a quick voicemail, we’ll play it -- with an actual answer -- on next week’s program. And if you want these episodes early and gain access to all of our bonus content, support us on Patreon. Or maybe you want a postcard? We have those, too.
We get a kick out of letting the PodcasterPro computer brain try to interpret our words every week. No, this isn't how transcripts of podcasting should be done, but it's funny!
00:00:00
We're he be get on a bus to do when they got up to go to
Africa. What's wrong with you from rare year. You can take it. Oh,
it's one tower. This one is one time. This is one on this one time.
Oh my God, Just one time. You're going to be not question this
week, my love from Tiffany, Paul, Reds, She writes, Hi, she though,
And I'm not going to be Burrel. She says, Hi Shiboh. I recently saw
a map on the Internet, which I have a close to this email message
titled The world according to Americans. Since you are American
world travelers, I would like to get your personal perspective of
the map, especially These statements related to the countries you
have already visited, looking forward to your response. Thank you
very much. Tiffany Rama. Put the reco is where Tiffany is from now.
Obviously, you can't see this map will put a link through the map
in the show notes. So if you're listening, I'd just scroll down
your lessening notes which should be in the app if not get a better
podcast app and click on this map. That's a great question.
Tiffany. Thanks for asking. I'm She lady And I am Ibo Tara. We are
XIV. Oh, you are listening to this one time the podcast. Now this
Map my love which the people listening right now should have pulled
up on their phones. Yeah. Given his question was what about the
commentary around the So I'll describe it because I know some of
you were driving. Some of you are too lazy to follow instructions
and click through do not offend our listeners. It's only the one
person.
00:01:51
You know who you <laughter>. So this is a map where
Americans have like I guess it's two supposedly making fun of the
fact that Americans don't know about things. So here's the one for
Europe. For example, everything in the far eastern side of Europe
and into Asia is called just Khamis. The area where Turkey is call
Thanksgiving meal France's smelly people, England is just the word
Mummy as a variety of things like that. If you go over to the Asian
side of things that India is yoga, for example, You get the
picture. You kinda get what this is all about the for some reason
in South America, Brazil is listed as the Land of no pubis. I guess
for a Brazilian waxes. The idea though, anyhow, This is the map in
question my love and Tiffany would like to know how we feel about
it in general. And also I think she's asking, Does do our
experiences into some of these countries. We have been to match the
expectation listed by the Americans. What do you think? Uh, I
haven't checked South American. I've met several South Americans,
K, but I have not check them. All right, I that's one half. Yes. So
the spot would Thailand were Yes, Thailand. Thailand is here, and
of course, Thailand is you're not not you shouldn't be teacher was
raised on this map. It shows up as sex slaves, but it's not just
Thailand. I mean it that they've got Thailand, They've got me in
Maher And they've got Lau and Cambodia.
00:03:28
Yeah, All of that is mixed together just as one bigger area
says sex-slave right above that is the People's Republic of China
town. So this is not a nice map. No, it's not a nice map. And and I
think that there there's more to those areas Thailand included than
the sex slaves. There's so much more thing. I mean, we'll yes. Are
you going to me and asked on this show? We've continue. So I think
it's a part of. And so you have the sex-pats and the new also have
human trafficking red happens. And so it is a little bit a part of
the culture, But it there's so much more. And the people that are
in those countries are just amazing what like anything. I think
this map has a bit of a grain of truth to it, but to me it's it
speaks less about these locations like all of South-East, or at
least allow Cambodia Myanmar and Thailand, all mixes. I think it
speaks more to and a question is more about, So is this really the
way Americans view the world? And how has that? How has our
opinions as Americans changed as as we have traveled, the world was
what is what she's looking for. Now, I have a theory on that. I
have with theory that the Americans that look at this map have no
idea whether what any of these countries. <laughter>, they've
never been out of their, uh, armchair, I think if you ask most
Americans that don't travel, which by the way is most Americans,
They would have a tough time. Naming more van. I'm gonna go with
five countries and have a Rob, really placing them on a map.
They've got Canada, They can nail Canada every single time. They
can nail Mexico every single time. Proximity after that it's
questionable. I wouldn't bet you. They'd get Brazil. If you showed
him a map without any names on it whatsoever, and just had the
country lines drawn, They could probably point to Brazil, right?
What they would not be able to do is have an approximation of where
the actual boundaries of Brazil. Why No way you would be able to do
that. And I think if you over to Europe, but actually Let's stick
with in the North American and South American conned that that him
a speedier, let half of the world.
00:05:48
I think they probably get Cuba. Right. And I was thinking maybe
Jamaica. Maybe men, Maybe the Bahamas. Yeah, big what we find, the
Bahamas if they could find him on a dam at But initiatives, little
small specs that that they could probably get rate. I think when it
comes to Europe. Oh yeah, England and Iceland. Everything else is a
question mark. Uh, maybe Ireland. Okay, sure. But I they would just
roll that whole thing together. I as a There's no way they're going
to get there is a ring is that the Ireland It's its own individual
country were the Ireland That's part of England for some strange
reason. I don't think anybody gets <laughter> But you know
I'm a make another American's your I think I was that way. Yeah.
Yeah, I think I mean, even today even have traveling through I can
certainly pick out a lot more countries now, Right? But prior to
this trip, I could have named England. I probably could've also put
Spain Portugal and France Ray. I would not have been able to I know
Norway, Finland and Sweden. I don't know which one goes on label
where had actually goes, but I could name the three countries that
are Norway, Finland and Sweden. Forget anything in the Middle East,
Right? Sorry, Don't do it. Forget anything on the continent of
Africa. Could name a single country probably still can't South
Africa. Got it. <laughter>. You're good, I can do that one I
can do. Yeah.
00:07:22
India, Yes. Ryan, Yes, I could nail Russia, China. Yes, I could
get China. I could probably even get Mongolia Japan. I can get
easily your Japan. What about about Korea? I don't know if I could
at night, I would have got Korea and and even properly
north-and-south I would have properly labelled. So proud of you, I
know. Yeah. No way I could have found Thailand or Burma Miramar,
Nope. Lau Cambodia though. I probably would have gotten Vietnam, I
don't know, armed without any other referencing points. I don't
know. I'm not trying to win nine appropriate Philippines. Yes.
Would have had our Australia No problem, Right? Papua New Guinea
for some weird reason. I know, you know, I could I know the shape
of Papua New Guinea and our wide weird Dan things that won't get
out of my head. And Europe is they bundled together Like there's so
many little spot right together, So that's really a tough, tough
one. And I don't think Lake Africa, We don't really study it in
school at all. And so Well we we've we as a culture talk about
Africa as a continent. Think about African people. What can you
imagine if North America? I mean we have it just to North America
proper. You've got three really big countries, got Canadians and
Americans. Great, great. We we look alike and we found the like us
not they're not going to become mad when they get mixed in with us,
right? But then you got Mexico. That's next inside of it. Now we're
talking about pretty serious changes. Unrest people, South Africa,
South America, half of the continent speaks Portuguese. Half of
them speaks Spanish, quite different people that go around there,
But you have it all of Africa. It's gigantic, right? I mean it's
it's unions Gentry. It fits almost all of Asia, all of North and
South America.
00:09:17
Fits inside of Africa. Wrecked we still talk about as one big
lump because were dumb. We just don't <laughter>. We just
don't get it. We don't see those things a lot. So it to me, I think
it that though at this map says about us is the it's it's probably
pointing out some of the biggest bless about O Americans are bunch
of racists and don't get anything that the all those things may be
true. But I think if you ask the G average American to point out
geography point out India on a map too many of them would have a
tough time. A tough time doing it. And I wonder, Is that unique to
us? And the answer that question is no, I know realize wanted to go
on the street and interview a bunch of Thai people with a blank
math and have them name as many countries as they can. And I bet
The number is small. They would definitely get me in Mar, they
would look at Cambodia that it when they get everything next door,
they're really get everything that's adjacent to them. Just like we
Americans can get Mexico in Canada every time Wang near one hundred
percent accuracy. But I think after that, it would be just as
non-existent for for many of them. Do you think that's the same for
Europeans? That's the big question because I, I would say the
answers Now. I think they're much more travel oriented. They know
more about the areas They go to and things like that. I they travel
more. I would. I would think the answered a question for the
Continental European people who actually live on the actual
continent themselves. My assumption is that they are going to be
better at this game. Ban somebody like England roar example. But I
think a lot of it has to do with as you mentioned, the relative
travel news.
00:11:06
This about that person. Yeah. Have they done it? And probably
not. Now again, Europe is a little bit a little different because
that's a lot of small areas close together. You might have nine
different neighbors who knows what the what the border touching at.
I think like Americans, We've got to as kids it, We have fifty
states in capitalism, memorize. Every child must do this. We get
think beyond the VAT where in Europe, Europe less in we even the
countries that have individual states and likely a semi-autonomous
areas of Spain rank. Yeah. Great. You learn knows, But you've got
more room in your ahead for other things as well. So you might as
well know little bit more about your area. I bet you if you ask the
average Spaniard name and properly put on a map three countries in
Africa, for example. Nope. Would not be able to Morongo. Got it.
That's it. I I think you need to go on location in figure it out
scope. Now the did on the bus and we will try to do that. We're he
be get on a bus due to go to Africa, what's wrong with you? You can
take up. Actually, you could do that because they are connected.
They'll be a bus ride. Yeah, I'm not in Now. I don't think so.
Thanks would also anymore to add. I think I'm good. Tiffany. Thank
you very much for your question. I believe we properly answered
your question. Well, I think we answered the question. I don't know
if we properly answered it a properly inch to question, If you want
to play along and I'll I'll put links to these maps that you found
in the show notes are you can have that. And if you would like to
ask questions of the two of us, much like Tiffany did, yes, you can
send us an email as she has done or as I much prefer if you go to
XIV O . WTF slash Call us, You can leave us a quick little voice
mail You could do from your computer You could do from your phone.
Just go to XIV O . W T F slash Call us and leave us a ninety second
little question and we will get to it right away.
00:13:14
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00:14:36
Our music is by the way of laugh. Thanks for listening was
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