Ladies and gentlemen our US... uh... Presidents?

[Tawmis]

In the same vain as my recent post in the Star Wars / Star Trek thread...

[Rath Darkblade]

ROFL

I'm not American (obviously), but even I knew who these guys are. I wonder if any Millenials would have recognised Reagan and Bush Sr., though ... I'm not trying to be ageist or condescending -- just curious. What do you think?

[JasefWisener]

Millennials were born from 81-96, but I’m sure most younger Americans would still be able to recognize them because we’re taught history in school.

[DeadPoolX]

Millennials were born from 81-96, but I’m sure most younger Americans would still be able to recognize them because we’re taught history in school.

Yeah, the oldest Millennials are nearing 40 now while the youngest are in their mid-20s. Hardly the high schoolers (or younger) that the media and idiots on social media claim.

As for history... well, I don't think most people really remember what they're taught in history classes unless they are particularly interested in it. I've come across FAR too many people who didn't know what Auschwitz was or the difference between the two world wars. Forget expecting them to know WHEN important wars took place because it's rare they'd have any clue at all.

[BBP]

Millennials were born from 81-96, but I’m sure most younger Americans would still be able to recognize them because we’re taught history in school.

Yeah, the oldest Millennials are nearing 40 now while the youngest are in their mid-20s. Hardly the high schoolers (or younger) that the media and idiots on social media claim.

As for history... well, I don't think most people really remember what they're taught in history classes unless they are particularly interested in it. I've come across FAR too many people who didn't know what Auschwitz was or the difference between the two world wars. Forget expecting them to know WHEN important wars took place because it's rare they'd have any clue at all.

Regarding your last point I definitely think that's true, unfortunately.

[Rath Darkblade]

It's a shame. I've been reading history for many years, as I'm sure some people here know -- um -- and I think it's incredible that some Americans (definitely NOT all, but some) don't know these things.

Are there any who don't know even the basics about American history? For instance, the Colonies? The American Revolution and Founding Fathers? The ACW? Abe Lincoln? That kind of thing?

I'm sure that some wouldn't, and for perfectly logical reasons: some Americans are recent migrants, and haven't had the chance to study it in high school civics. I'm prepared to make allowances. But not to know what Auschwitz is?

This is, unfortunately, where extreme right-wing groups recruit their members: people who don't know any better, and who want to belong to something - anything. I'm not saying that everyone in extreme right-wing groups are innocents or naive -- definitely not -- but I'd guess that some are. Right?

I've seen a similar sort of thing happening in Russia for decades. For instance, look at the wikipedia page for Pamyat - a Russian neo-Nazi, ultra-nationalist group, dedicated to "perserving Russian culture and religion" but actually virulently anti-Semitic, chauvinistic, anti-Freemasons, anti-almost-everything in Russia ... wow. Of course, neither Russian anti-Semitism nor the Pamyat are a new phenomenon. But these people are almost a law unto themselves -- ideologically they're a little like the Westboro Baptist Church in the US, but with their own radio station, newspapers -- websites, no doubt ... and who knows how many followers. Frightening.

All right, I am never visiting Russia now!

[Tawmis]

I am one of those people that's horrible in the aspects of numbers in history... for example what year(s) specific wars took place, that DPX mentioned. I definitely fall into that.

I believe my hatred of Math impacted my memory of History. You'd think how does that even work? Well, in school, it was critical to know the names of significant figures - but it was also critical to remember the years it happened. And my brain, literally, hates numbers. If there's a way to be too much right brained (said to be the creative side) - I definitely am on the deep side of that. Very deep side. I can tell you historical places and names - but I will never be able to tell you what years specific wars happened (unless I pull off a lucky guess, pulling it from the deeply buried left side of my brain).

Yeah, it's horrible and often makes me feel dumb - but that's just how my brain process(es/ed) things.

[DeadPoolX]

I am one of those people that's horrible in the aspects of numbers in history... for example what year(s) specific wars took place, that DPX mentioned. I definitely fall into that.

Okay, but you'd probably have an idea of when certain events took place. Like you'd know which decade World War II was in or at least what century the American Civil War took place. A lot of people (especially students) have no idea of even that much.

[Tawmis]

I am one of those people that's horrible in the aspects of numbers in history... for example what year(s) specific wars took place, that DPX mentioned. I definitely fall into that.

Okay, but you'd probably have an idea of when certain events took place. Like you'd know which decade World War II was in or at least what century the American Civil War took place. A lot of people (especially students) have no idea of even that much.

Oh, for sure - I could probably grab it from my brain and tell you probably 1940s to around 1945, and mid to late 1800s. (I could not, without googling tell you the specific year)

[DeadPoolX]

I am one of those people that's horrible in the aspects of numbers in history... for example what year(s) specific wars took place, that DPX mentioned. I definitely fall into that.

Okay, but you'd probably have an idea of when certain events took place. Like you'd know which decade World War II was in or at least what century the American Civil War took place. A lot of people (especially students) have no idea of even that much.

Oh, for sure - I could probably grab it from my brain and tell you probably 1940s to around 1945, and mid to late 1800s. (I could not, without googling tell you the specific year)

Yup! WW2 ran from 1939 to 1945 (although the US entered the war in 1941) and the American Civil War lasted from 1861 to 1865.

I wouldn't expect everyone to know certain bits of information, but there are some things everyone should know. Apparently a lot of students don't even know which war was "the one with the Nazis." That's not a new piece of ignorance, either. I distinctly recall a girl in my 10th grade World History Honors class (so it was for "smart kids") asking "which war had the Nazis?"

[Tawmis]

I am one of those people that's horrible in the aspects of numbers in history... for example what year(s) specific wars took place, that DPX mentioned. I definitely fall into that.

Okay, but you'd probably have an idea of when certain events took place. Like you'd know which decade World War II was in or at least what century the American Civil War took place. A lot of people (especially students) have no idea of even that much.

Oh, for sure - I could probably grab it from my brain and tell you probably 1940s to around 1945, and mid to late 1800s. (I could not, without googling tell you the specific year)

Yup! WW2 ran from 1939 to 1945 (although the US entered the war in 1941) and the American Civil War lasted from 1861 to 1865.
I wouldn't expect everyone to know certain bits of information, but there are some things everyone should know. Apparently a lot of students don't even know which war was "the one with the Nazis." That's not a new piece of ignorance, either. I distinctly recall a girl in my 10th grade World History Honors class (so it was for "smart kids") asking "which war had the Nazis?"

I remember in the 6th grade... not being able to understand why it was called "War War II."

[Rath Darkblade]

No problem, Tawm. Everyone's brain works differently. I'm not expecting everyone to remember everything, that'd be silly.

I'm not fantastic with numbers, but I did a diploma in software and hardware engineering, which involved a lot of complex numbers (including being able to calculate in binary (base-2), octal (base-8) and hexadecimal (base-16)). I couldn't do all that nowadays without looking it up, but it's given me a good grounding with numbers and such.

Yes, World War 2 was 1939-1945. It was a direct continuation of World War 1 (1914-1918). Having been born in Israel, I grew up learning about WW2, because it was so instrumental to the creation of the Jewish state -- not to mention the Holocaust and everything around it.

DPX, are you serious? One of the "smart kids" asked you which war was the one with the Nazis? You could've told her something ridiculous like "Hyrulians vs. Ganonites", or "Autobots vs. Decepticons".

[Tawmis]

No problem, Tawm. Everyone's brain works differently. I'm not expecting everyone to remember everything, that'd be silly.

Oh, I own up to my flaws all the time. Numbers is a huge one. If it was possible to be dyslexic with just numbers, I'd swear I have that!
(Well, $#!+ I was joking but that's a thing?... I assumed Dyslexia was the reversal/inability to read letters and numbers!)

[Rath Darkblade]

Dyscalculia. Well, I learned a new word! Thanks, Tawm.

My granny, $deity$ rest her soul, taught me my three Rs when I was very small (about 4 or so). She even taught me the multiplication table before I was 6 (well, at least up to 10 x 10). So I never had trouble with numbers, although things like calculus and trigonometry used to give me the heebie-jeebies - but algebra didn't ... weird. *shrug*