So you think you know what's what?

Well that was a pleasant surprise! I picked Sweden because my country wasn't in the list, and my guesses got me to #1 in the ranking, with Sweden at #11 so I guess I really do know Sweden better than the people in Sweden. :D

I'm not sure how much of it to attribute to dumb luck, though. I did answer everything by gut feeling, but I thought I had a reasonably solid gut feeling about all of them, but also there were only 8 questions so it's quite possible to get a good score with basic knowledge combined with a few lucky cases of gut feeling ending up being correct.

Reply to Barry Etheridge

if you'd asked me most of those questions beforehand I would have said that I had no idea without looking it up.

I also don't base anything re my political or social philosophy on any of that information, and I don't see why anyone would, unless they're specifically formulating positions about the percentage of people who feel some way, or the percentage of the GDP that's spent on something, etc.

I readily agree that we don't, for the most part, have a handle on what's what and what's not. I did the quiz yesterday and did quite well, though was embarrassed by missing a question on wealth distribution which I grouse about a lot. (I wasn't far off, though.)

Is it a problem? Yes. Will anything be done about it? Probably not. Why not? Because most people are not, and are not going to be even midlevel devision makers, and it doesn't matter what they know or don't know. The power elite isn't dedicated to the task of democratizing power, and hence, democratizing knowledge. Fifty years ago, insightful observers of the educational scene concluded that one of the primary functions of the educational establishment was to regulate the labor pool. Classroom teachers, of course, didn't think that's what they were doing, and probably principals didn't either. But school (the last 2 or 3 years of high school and undergraduate college) do delay more or fewer students from going directly into the labor pool, and it helps direct them to the right area of the labor pool.

Teaching geography in its various forms--maps, economic facts, demographics, etc., is a piece of the cure. So is teaching history -- local, national, and international history. The solution is not difficult IF it is deemed worthwhile. As it happens, it has not been deemed worthwhile.

Quoting Terrapin Station

I also don't base anything re my political or social philosophy on any of that information

No? But I bet your political and social philosophy is informed, none the less. Knowing how many billions of dollars are spent on extra pairs of shoes or pet peripherals (not food, but all the other stuff) or entertainment-oriented magazines isn't the basis for a philosophy, but it could be the basis for understanding that many nations have enough extra money floating around to solve some of their problems, IF they wished to.

Jeopardy facts. While important, it's best not to overrate them. How you think is more important than what you know.

Reply to Thorongil I would also say that what you know how to do is the most important thing to know. It means you can be a reliable and productive member of a society. This includes, of course, rational thinking.

Interesting to see that what's what consists to a large extent of what most people thing is what, or think ought to be what. A higher percentage than I expected.

Ah, no Ireland there. Chose the UK instead. Did OK. (Y)

Quoting Thorongil

How you think is more important than what you know.

Not when how you think is based on what you think you know.

This was cool, I learned something from it thanks.
I also see how it applies to politics.

If you think you know what other people believe that does have some impact on your own beliefs.

For example I was particularly surprised how many people in the US believe sex before marriage is immoral...especially considering how often it occurs.

I did alright I guess, and scored only slightly better than the national average for the survey.

Reply to Baden That doesn't contradict my statement.