Life: Idiotropic

So may be there's more than one way to view the world.  ;)

May be it's not as simple as 2+2=4.  Or may be, another view could see things differently.  May be 2+2=24.  In the case of rabbits, this could certainly be the case.

Just days ago I was absolutely confident in my 2nd grade knowledge that there are seven continents.  I learned that years ago.  It is fact.  Just like 2+2.


Then this issue came up at school.  I argued it.  Of course, there are seven continents.  Who would be stupid enough to think otherwise?  Then I looked it up just for fun.  And you know what?  That's just one view.  Much of the world teaches 6.  Some even teach 5.


You can argue that North and South America are on two different tectonic plates and are thus, two.  But many would argue that they are touching and are only 1.  Many believe that Europe and Asia are one because really, it is just one gargantuan landmass separated more by ethnicity than by any geographical means.


So, my paradigm has shifted.  Slightly.  I can see it now and understand better.

And I believe that's important.  My initial reaction and the reaction of others that I know over something as minor as the number of continents was a bit strong.  I immediately decided that we (in the states) were correct and thus, the education that my children are receiving here - in this place that would dare teach that there are 5 or 6 must be horribly bad.  That they were the ignorant ones.

May be no one is "ignorant."  We are all just approaching the same picture with a different view and a different set of rules.  I can still play by my rules, but if I know and understand their rules, then instead of ignorance, we can talk about it.  It now becomes something interesting instead of maddening.


As for the hubrous that is thrust upon the US.  No.  I won't buy that.  The United States gets called a lot of things by folks over here - often, I believe, because like me, they aren't fully informed.   It is difficult enough to get an accurate picture through US news, but to learn about our country through EU news, and the US music and movies, doesn't really say what the United States really is.

Although, I think it's important to try to understand it, we can't accept it either.  To sit down and accept the view of the US that the world would put upon us, we give up our ideals.  To say that we are arrogant aggressors, we are playing into a world view that will do much more harm than good. 
 
No, we don't teach 7 continents to create a division that keeps South America poor and inferior.  No we are not oppressors.   It is quite the opposite.  The US is arguably the most generous country out there - often to our own financial detriment.  Yes we have rich - many have worked for that.  Yes we have greedy - it comes with the territory.  No, we aren't perfect - no country is.


But Americans can be proud.  Or United Statsians.  Or UncleSamians.


I'm just a US Oregonian.