The story stands out clear as day.

I was in the hostel common area minding my business, subtly listening to a conversation a few feet away. Someone from the US was talking to a guy from Germany.

At least, I would've bet the guy was German. Having been abroad for a few months, the accented English becomes a barometer for a person's country of origin. This guy was likely German–maybe Austrian, but definitely not what the guy from the US said next.

"Are you also from the US?" he asked the guy.

As a bystander, I just sighed.

Why are people from the US so ignorant?

Defending my people

As someone from the US, I can't say that it was the American guy's fault that he asked this question. He previously mentioned it was his first time outside the US and he is far from the only one this happens to.

Rather than blaming individual Americans for being ignorant, it's important to consider why we all start this way. We face an uphill battle on the path to less ignorance compared to every other country.

Here's why.

Geography

The US is analogous to Europe–50 states/44 countries make up the entities and in many cases, only a few hours by car or train separates one state or country from the next.

Each US state has a slightly different culture, but the differences are like splitting hairs. On the other hand, moving a few hours in Europe means experiencing a new language, new ideology, new problems, and new perspectives.

The differences among states in the US aren't stark enough to generate a profound sense of open-mindedness. For someone from the US to experience a different culture, they must travel much further than residents of almost every other country.

Meanwhile, travel is encouraged in the rest of the developed world, especially Europe. There, university students don't do summer internships, they travel instead. It only takes a few hours to experience something different.

Thus, people in the US have a geographic disadvantage in getting cultured firsthand. It's simply harder to get somewhere different from their home.

But that's not all.

Language

We speak English in the US, and it's a massive advantage. English is the world's international language. It's the language of travel, higher education, and cross-border business.

However, if you come from a country whose native language isn't English, you'll probably learn English in school. I've come to see that as a massive advantage in its own way.

Doing so makes you more culturally aware. You'll likely use English when talking to someone from a different place, and because you're using English (your second language) to communicate, it lends a greater appreciation to the conversation. On the other hand, when English is your first language, these conversations occur with less novelty and curiosity.

I've been able to experience both sides of this when speaking English (my native language) and French (also native–but with greater yield per conversation).

Sadly, because English is the only language you need internationally, most English-speaking countries don't apply themselves to learning another language. You see this in the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand. Other English-speaking countries like Canada or Singapore might know French or Mandarin, but only because of additional cultural influences within their borders.

The less willingness to immerse yourself in another language, the harder it is to drop the veil of ignorance.

US-Led World

Perhaps most controversially, the most stark reason why people from the US are so ignorant is that, ever since World War 2, there is no denying we live in a US-led world.

It's not just a single factor that makes this true. The US spends more on the military than any other country, the US dollar is the world's reserve currency, the US is the world's biggest economy by GDP, and so on.

Whether that status is in decline is up for debate, but unimportant in the context of American ignorance. Growing up in a country that dictates the world order, and is largely unaffected by most of what happens beyond our borders lends itself to a lack of interest in what's happening beyond the US.

Conversely, most other countries know exactly what is happening within the US because many of our policy decisions have worldwide ramifications.

This reality carries with it the sobering truth that much US ignorance comes from not needing to know what goes on beyond the US.

Conclusion

None of this is to defend the fact that people from the US are ignorant. I just know that I was the same way. It wasn't until I studied abroad in Singapore that I was interested in learning about the rest of the world.

The thought doesn't often cross people's minds in the US that travel is an option. Less than half of US citizens own a passport. (Mind you, it lets you visit 180+ countries).

Perhaps we can do better at driving interest in learning about the world through our education system. Or encourage more international travel from a cultural standpoint.

But in the end, there is no denying that it's an uphill battle to get cultured in the US, a battle that most people choose not to engage with.