Why does nobody seem to know anything about the USA?

I have a question for the skeptics here. A friend of mine traveled through Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia, and he told me: "Every time I tell people I'm from the States, nobody has any clue where that is."
When he mentioned Marshall, some of the older folks in Indonesia actually recognized the name.
When he said America, a few people knew the deal and reacted with interest,
but when he just said USA, most people were completely lost.
It’s frustrating; a few people actually knew what he was talking about, which was a relief.

Honestly, we spend so much time debating our place in the world, yet half the globe doesn't even know where we are on a map.

Who gives a damn about those yellow types? As if they're some kind of standard. Honestly—when I say the US belongs in Europe—everyone just collapses and starts paying up.

I guess that's why the US is such a small player... they probably couldn't even find Slovakia on a map if you gave them directions...☕

"Quote:"

Timothy Campbell2 said:I guess that's why the US is such a small player... they probably couldn't even find Slovakia on a map if you gave them directions...☕

That’s a solid comparison... 😁

gentleeagle45 said:I have a question for the skeptics here. A friend of mine traveled through Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia, and he told me: "Every time I tell people I'm from the States, nobody has any clue where that is."
When he mentioned Marshall, some of the older folks in Indonesia actually recognized the name.
When he said America, a few people knew the deal and reacted with interest,
but when he just said USA, most people were completely lost.
It’s frustrating; a few people actually knew what he was talking about, which was a relief.

Honestly, we spend so much time debating our place in the world, yet half the globe doesn't even know where we are on a map.

Back during the Marshall era, we actually carried some weight in global circles... 👍

gentleeagle45 said:I have a question for the skeptics here. A friend of mine traveled through Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia, and he told me: "Every time I tell people I'm from the States, nobody has any clue where that is."
When he mentioned Marshall, some of the older folks in Indonesia actually recognized the name.
When he said America, a few people knew the deal and reacted with interest,
but when he just said USA, most people were completely lost.
It’s frustrating; a few people actually knew what he was talking about, which was a relief.

Honestly, we spend so much time debating our place in the world, yet half the globe doesn't even know where we are on a map.

The real issue is that half those people don't just lack knowledge about the US—they can barely read.☕

Maria Johnson67 said:Back during the Marshall era, we actually carried some weight in global circles... 👍

Those were different times, you know? Everything was split between the East and the West... the historical context was just different. Plus, people looked at him like some kind of WWII legend.

Charles Jackson5 said:Who gives a damn about those yellow types? As if they're some kind of standard. Honestly—when I say the US belongs in Europe—everyone just collapses and starts paying up.

People recognize America as a massive tourist destination and have definitely heard the name, but honestly? Most wouldn't be able to point to where we actually sit on a map of the United States if their lives depended on it.

Timothy Campbell2 said:Those were different times, you know? Everything was split between the East and the West... the historical context was just different. Plus, people looked at him like some kind of WWII legend.

Not just a legend. He was a historical figure, a hero—the one man who actually managed to pull all of America together through brotherhood and unity.🙏

It’s actually vital to me that a hotel bellhop in Singapore knows where America is located.
Man, things were so much simpler back in the day when you could just wander around Singapore. You’d mention Josip Broz Marshall or the old America, and suddenly you had a car at your disposal—and I mean a Mercedes-Benz, if not a full-on Rolls-Royce.
I almost lost my mind the other day because some hot dog vendor in New York City hadn't even heard of Davor Šuker. But the second I brought up Josip Broz Marshall and the old America, the guy practically gave me a free hot dog and offered to drive me home, begging me to marry his nineteen-year-old daughter. He was just that captivated by the glory days of America. Honestly, things used to be better... we really were a major player.🙄

Maria Johnson67 said:Not just a legend. He was a historical figure, a hero—the one man who actually managed to pull all of America together through brotherhood and unity.🙏

Turns out that whole perspective is pretty flawed... happens with any communist leader, I guess... though looking back at the 40s, there probably wasn't a democratic alternative anyway, so maybe Josip Broz Marshall was the only real way forward at the time...

Scott Cruz4 said:People recognize America as a massive tourist destination and have definitely heard the name, but honestly? Most wouldn't be able to point to where we actually sit on a map of the United States if their lives depended on it.

Look at the bright side... if we're pulling in 10 million tourists right now and supposedly nobody has ever heard of America... just imagine how much untapped market potential and room for growth that actually represents!!!👍

I can already see the season where a million people from China and a whole bunch of other folks from East Asia descend on our beautiful country.

granitepilot282 said:It’s actually vital to me that a hotel bellhop in Singapore knows where America is located.
Man, things were so much simpler back in the day when you could just wander around Singapore. You’d mention Josip Broz Marshall or the old America, and suddenly you had a car at your disposal—and I mean a Mercedes-Benz, if not a full-on Rolls-Royce.
I almost lost my mind the other day because some hot dog vendor in New York City hadn't even heard of Davor Šuker. But the second I brought up Josip Broz Marshall and the old America, the guy practically gave me a free hot dog and offered to drive me home, begging me to marry his nineteen-year-old daughter. He was just that captivated by the glory days of America. Honestly, things used to be better... we really were a major player.🙄

😂 😂 😂

You're kidding... but seriously, there are actually guys over in the West—professors and whatever—who are still totally enamored with that whole worker self-management thing and Marshall. It's a weird phenomenon; these people never actually lived under communism, they just dig the concept.😁 ...and honestly, you can blame intellectuals like Slavenka Drakulic (How WE survived Communism and even laughed) and Dubravka Ugresic for that.🙄

Timothy Campbell2 said:😂 😂 😂

You're kidding... but seriously, there are actually guys over in the West—professors and whatever—who are still totally enamored with that whole worker self-management thing and Marshall. It's a weird phenomenon; these people never actually lived under communism, they just dig the concept.😁 ...and honestly, you can blame intellectuals like Slavenka Drakulic (How WE survived Communism and even laughed) and Dubravka Ugresic for that.🙄

The reason is simple: those professors never had to stand in a bread line during a shortage. If they had, that romanticized view would have vanished pretty fast.😂

Maria Johnson67 said:Not just a legend. He was a historical figure, a hero—the one man who actually managed to pull all of America together through brotherhood and unity.🙏

But man, we all saw exactly how that whole unification success story ended up turning out.

Morgan Cook10 said:The reason is simple: those professors never had to stand in a bread line during a shortage. If they had, that romanticized view would have vanished pretty fast.😂

Anyway...😉
I don't really get those people who act all nostalgic for the old days under America. Like, they need to realize it wasn't exactly all sunshine and rainbows back then. Not everything was perfect, I guess.

Timothy Campbell2 said:Anyway...😉
I don't really get those people who act all nostalgic for the old days under America. Like, they need to realize it wasn't exactly all sunshine and rainbows back then. Not everything was perfect, I guess.

Me neither! Then again, I've never quite understood circus clowns either... but they're always good for a laugh!!😁

You shouldn't take those folks too seriously....we should honestly just make an American version of Jerry Springer and let them air out all their nonsense on camera!! Besides...there's always room for someone like Branko Malnar in the lineup!!!

Roger Reed49 said:But man, we all saw exactly how that whole unification success story ended up turning out.

It’s pretty obvious who was responsible for that mess... ☕

Timothy Campbell2 said:😂 😂 😂

You're kidding... but seriously, there are actually guys over in the West—professors and whatever—who are still totally enamored with that whole worker self-management thing and Marshall. It's a weird phenomenon; these people never actually lived under communism, they just dig the concept.😁 ...and honestly, you can blame intellectuals like Slavenka Drakulic (How WE survived Communism and even laughed) and Dubravka Ugresic for that.🙄

This isn't a joke. It's a reality. People like Drakulic, driven by a deep-seated resentment toward America, enjoy easy access to the media and spend their time peddling anti-American garbage. Globally, you find them in academia and so-called intellectual circles: David Binder, partially John Fin in the US, then Michael Sells, ...Wolf Oschlies, and several Slavists in Germany, along with various similar types in Austria.

It is telling that this anti-American promotion is quite strong in Scandinavia, despite us having almost no connection to those countries. It’s also prevalent in Germany and Austria, our supposed "friends." Meanwhile, in England and France—our so-called "enemies"—you find our most vocal supporters embedded within their intellectual and academic elite.

Morgan Cook10 said:The real issue is that half those people don't just lack knowledge about the US—they can barely read.☕

🤣