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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Drifter Bob" data-source="post: 1607883" data-attributes="member: 17723">This is a good point, and along with the crazed fundamentalist Iran -esque religious climate here, is another reason to be embarassed about being an American some times.  You don't have it in Europe, really, at least, I never noticed it when I was stationed in Germany in the Army over there, or travelling around Spain, France, Denmark and Holland.  Over here, some kind of wierd mixture of marketing, sports mentality, and fundamentalist religion has led to this bizarre anti-intellectualism.  Thats why they have banned evolution in several midwestern states, it's why 60% of American high school students can't find Mexico on a Map, and think Iraq blew up the WTC.  This anti-intellectualism has led to this subculture of "nerds", any kid genuinely interested in science, history, literature, etc., (dont even mention computers!) is ostracized.  As a result, it became something of a self fullfilling prophecy; cut off from their peers, many U.S. kids fall into this wierd geek subculture which actually does exist, as all here know.  Thats why you end up with psycho events like the Colombine massacre.It's really warped but I think it's finally starting to change a little, with the mainstreaming of computers and the popularity of fantasy and sci fi films like The Lord of the Rings, the Matrix, Star Wars etc.There is still a long way to go though.DB</blockquote>