Last week was National Geography Awareness Week. Maybe you weren't aware of that. Finding out about places on this planet - and the people who live there - has always been a fascination for this self-admitted geo-geek. Some listeners managed to stump me when I issued the geography challenge. That's OK, since some people think I need to get taken down a peg or two when I claim some absolute expertise on the subject. Ever since I got a state capitals game in second grade, big and small geography facts have stuck like glue to me. That never made me the most popular kid in class, or out of it for that matter, but it did give me an appreciation of an often misunderstood subject. Americans are a small minority of the world's population, yet people in most other developed countries have a much greater awareness of us than we have of them. That may explain why so many Americans are at a loss to know, understand or care about the perception the rest of the world has about the U.S.A. Knowing the capital of Michigan (Lansing!) may not be the key to success in your day to day life, but a majority of citizens lacking the most basic information about geography - and social studies in general - can spell a disadvantage as we compete in a world market. On a lighter note, it can be fun. I figure if some people can fill their brains with baseball players' batting averages and the plots of every primetime "reality" TV show, then I can cram a few "where in the world" facts into my head. So I'll take State Capitals for $2000, Alex! 
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
National Geography Awareness Week
Last week was National Geography Awareness Week. Maybe you weren't aware of that. Finding out about places on this planet - and the people who live there - has always been a fascination for this self-admitted geo-geek. Some listeners managed to stump me when I issued the geography challenge. That's OK, since some people think I need to get taken down a peg or two when I claim some absolute expertise on the subject. Ever since I got a state capitals game in second grade, big and small geography facts have stuck like glue to me. That never made me the most popular kid in class, or out of it for that matter, but it did give me an appreciation of an often misunderstood subject. Americans are a small minority of the world's population, yet people in most other developed countries have a much greater awareness of us than we have of them. That may explain why so many Americans are at a loss to know, understand or care about the perception the rest of the world has about the U.S.A. Knowing the capital of Michigan (Lansing!) may not be the key to success in your day to day life, but a majority of citizens lacking the most basic information about geography - and social studies in general - can spell a disadvantage as we compete in a world market. On a lighter note, it can be fun. I figure if some people can fill their brains with baseball players' batting averages and the plots of every primetime "reality" TV show, then I can cram a few "where in the world" facts into my head. So I'll take State Capitals for $2000, Alex! 
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