georgeob1 wrote:It is strangely commonplace for people in other countries to claim deep understanding of America: I have heard this in Brasil and Malaysia from people who understood almost nothing about this country.
Brazilians will, almost unfailingly, know about:
George Washington
Thomas Jefferson
And just about every modern president we have.
They know what language we speak.
They know the names of many of our states.
They know our history almost as well as our average highschool students.
We, in turn, have had a president who visited Brazil and called Brazil Bolivia and Brazilians Bolivians (while
in Brazil mind you).
We have a people who for the most part can't name a single Brazilian other than Pelé.
We have a people who for the most part could not point to Brazil (a nation almost as large as the continental US) on the map.
We have a people who for the most part do not know what language is spoken in Brazil.
George, you may be right in that most Brazilians don't truely understand America at all. But when you compare that the the absolute ignorance Americans have of Brazil your point is less convincing.
To add to the above is the unconfirmed story that President Bush asked Brazilian president FHC while visiting Brazil "Do you have blacks here too?".
FHC and co. were kind enough not to confirm this story.
Yes, Brazilians don't understand America in depth. They know the stereotypes about American culture and know out basic history and geography, but Americans know next to nothing about Brazil and Brazilians.
I've lived in both the countries you named, and I'm willing to wager that these people who you say did not truely understand America understand it far far better than you do their countries, but yes, their distance makes it hard for
true understanding.
But that's what you call a "pointless point".
