When I took course in European history as an undergrad some years ago, there were a few strange people on the class. One thirty something man would ask extremely convoluted questions that could be written out as complex sentences that said nothing at all, which would confound the professor, a man with a Classical education. He was often patient in trying to deal with this student, though I could see that these questions got on his nerves.
One day, the discussion was on Greece and Turkey, and another student asked, “Where does the name of Turkey come from, other than ‘gobble gobbble?’”
My classmates and I were all embarrassed for him, especially since there was a young woman from Turkey in the class. She graciously explained that the name came from Turkiye, the name for the Turkish people.
It’s a moment that’s a testimony to the unsurpassed wit and intelligence of Americans to our international student guests.
Tags: American Idiots, European history, history, international students, students, stupid people, Turkey
@Brian: That prof did come very close to losing it with those two students. He was normally a charming and affable man, but Mr. Hyde could have appeared any time soon. If he brained either of them over the head with his books, the class would have applauded.
@Chris: You summed up my point perfectly. I’ve heard this catch phrase so many times in high school (where hardly anyone asks them), but I definitely saw the untruth of it in college. From the teacher’s perspective (number 4 on the list), I’ve gotten some pretty bizarre ones.
Beavis and Butthead ask more intelligent questions than some people (and that’s not saying a lot).
I would have been completely unable to show any restraint if the question were phrased that way around me. Even though I don’t know the answer.
I can’t remember which show it was, but a character was saying someone he knows is Indian. The other character responds with gestures, “Which kind, this (pointing to middle of forehead)? Or this (claps hand to mouth in war-cry imitation)?”
No, I completely disagree. If there is one thing that traveling with groups of students and adults abroad over four consecutive summers has taught me, it is that there is, indeed, such thing as a stupid question, and that some people should just be forbidden from asking questions. Period.
In Turkey, by the way, they call turkey birds “hindi,” or Indian. That would, to use Brian’s analogy, be the dot in the forehead kind of Indian…
Interesting Shin! Here’s a video on how people are so misinformed in the US!! It’s really embarassing! Could it be that Americans don’t care about the world?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJuNgBkloFE
On the subject: I remember twice people had argued about the country I was born in (Scotland, UK); 1) a STUDENT said that England was communist!!!! Meanwhile England was part of the UK….how was the rest of the UK spared??? She was too dumb to live! 2) This incident happened when I worked at Penney’s….a real power house of intelligence! My co-worker argued with me about the UK being part of the EU… he said the UK was not part of the EU! Meanwhile my British passport says European Union on it! Both cases I tried to inform these idiots, and both cases they argued with me…..a UK native! I think I know something about the country I was born in….jeesh!!