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Why are so many Americans so bad at maps and geography?

Posted on 2/23/26 at 1:16 pm
Posted by cbree88
South Louisiana
Member since Feb 2010
10235 posts
Posted on 2/23/26 at 1:16 pm
I work with a woman at a bank in Metairie who has no idea where Houma or Thibodaux are on the map. She doesn’t know what direction they’re in from Metairie or how to drive there from Metairie. She’s been living in the New Orleans area for 65 years.

How does this even happen? I can’t imagine being that clueless with maps or geography. 75% of the people I meet are like this. They practically need a GPS to get from Metairie to Mandeville.

I would hate to ask random people from Louisiana, much less the rest of the country, to identify New Orleans or even Louisiana on a map. fricking pathetic


This post was edited on 2/23/26 at 1:19 pm
Posted by Sun God
Member since Jul 2009
51158 posts
Posted on 2/23/26 at 1:20 pm to
Why you limiting this to Americans?

The UK baws I worked with would argue with each other about shite like this all the time and I think their country is about as big as Connecticut
Posted by Cosmo
glassman's guest house
Member since Oct 2003
130310 posts
Posted on 2/23/26 at 1:21 pm to
Why care about that when google maps just tells me what to do?

-zoomer right before they drive into a lake
Posted by facher08
Baton Rouge
Member since Aug 2011
5805 posts
Posted on 2/23/26 at 1:22 pm to
I don't know but it's been my favorite subject since even before I was in school. There is a home video of me on Christmas ignoring all of my toys and instead spinning a new family globe around asking my aunt what every country was.
Posted by FeauxPaw
BRuh
Member since Sep 2015
1117 posts
Posted on 2/23/26 at 1:23 pm to
quote:

I think their country is about as big as Connecticut


Lol. Case in point.
Posted by LSUFanHouston
NOLA
Member since Jul 2009
40574 posts
Posted on 2/23/26 at 1:24 pm to
Same reason why Americans are bad at history and civics

Perhaps having football coaches teach these subjects in high school was not a good idea.
Posted by HonoraryCoonass
Member since Jan 2005
19998 posts
Posted on 2/23/26 at 1:25 pm to
Some people don’t have maps.
Posted by lowhound
Effie
Member since Aug 2014
9932 posts
Posted on 2/23/26 at 1:25 pm to
I think it's a gender thing. My wife can't even navigate Disneyworld with a GPS phone map showing her exactly how to get where she wants to go much less try to figure out what direction a certain business is in our hometown from where she's at without getting an app to look it up for her. Then I can find my way in the dark to my deerstand with nothing but a flashlight without looking at a map at all and know which direction I'm headed. Men are hunters, women are meant to stay put in the kitchen.
Posted by slidingstop
Member since Jan 2025
1982 posts
Posted on 2/23/26 at 1:25 pm to
You want to feel even worse? Ask her to spell a few words.
Posted by BabyTac
Austin, TX
Member since Jun 2008
16184 posts
Posted on 2/23/26 at 1:26 pm to
I recall the days when traveling, you had an atlas and had to map it out yourself. Sometimes stopping because there was a glitch or something you didn’t see on the atlas.

FWIW; I’ve never had a ‘GPS’ in my vehicle. I buy what I can afford.
Posted by Sun God
Member since Jul 2009
51158 posts
Posted on 2/23/26 at 1:27 pm to
Posted by facher08
Baton Rouge
Member since Aug 2011
5805 posts
Posted on 2/23/26 at 1:28 pm to
quote:

Perhaps having football coaches teach these subjects in high school was not a good idea.


Cheerleading coach in my case. She hated me because she didn't know anything and I exposed her. One day she decided the island country of Sao Tome and Principe were two different countries even though I pointed out there was one flag, government, anthem, etc. For some reason, she made that her hill to die on, and she did.
Posted by Patsy Parisi
Member since Dec 2025
870 posts
Posted on 2/23/26 at 1:28 pm to
The dumbing down of the American education system.
Posted by Sun God
Member since Jul 2009
51158 posts
Posted on 2/23/26 at 1:28 pm to
quote:

FWIW; I’ve never had a ‘GPS’ in my vehicle. I buy what I can afford.

Great point, GPS systems only exist in very expensive cars like military planes
Posted by facher08
Baton Rouge
Member since Aug 2011
5805 posts
Posted on 2/23/26 at 1:29 pm to
quote:

Some people don’t have maps.




I understood that reference.

Posted by Sun God
Member since Jul 2009
51158 posts
Posted on 2/23/26 at 1:30 pm to
quote:

There is a home video of me on Christmas ignoring all of my toys and instead spinning a new family globe around asking my aunt what every country was.

What was it like growing up being autistic
Posted by Cheese Grits
Wherever I lay my hat is my home
Member since Apr 2012
60968 posts
Posted on 2/23/26 at 1:30 pm to
quote:

Why are so many young Americans so bad at maps and geography?


FIFY

Post WW II young men had scouting. Learned how to get anywhere with a map and compass. Learned how to survive in the wild and feed on what was free. Kids today may be better educated say in a college degree, but no street smarts and no problem solving ability.
Posted by Hangover Haven
Metry
Member since Oct 2013
32612 posts
Posted on 2/23/26 at 1:31 pm to
Some shite is just not important to women...
Posted by TexasTiger08
Member since Oct 2006
29587 posts
Posted on 2/23/26 at 1:31 pm to
The vast majority of Americans are unintelligent, and have zero clue about anything not fed to them via social media or their phone.
Posted by FeauxPaw
BRuh
Member since Sep 2015
1117 posts
Posted on 2/23/26 at 1:32 pm to
This post was edited on 2/23/26 at 1:34 pm
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