I emphasized my favorite bit. Americans aren't readers.
Contrary to the common belief, Americans are not less historically conscious than Europeans; in fact, the reverse is true. The Franco-Prussian War or the Italian wars of unification were roughly contemporaneous with the American Civil War, yet the former events are largely relegated to academic works, whereas the latter continues to create an unending flood of popular overviews, biographies and unit histories — with Abraham Lincoln being the most written-about figure in American history.
The entire quip is ridiculous. I've never even visited Europe as a tourist so I can't say what Europeans know or don't know. But Americans are incredibly incurious about history and pretty much everything that isn't entertainment or pop culture.
The Franco-Prussian War or the Italian wars of unification were roughly contemporaneous with the American Civil War, yet the former events are largely relegated to academic works, whereas the latter continues to create an unending flood of popular overviews, biographies and unit histories — with Abraham Lincoln being the most written-about figure in American history.
This is just ratings obsession
Our Civil War - way more popular. Franco- Prussian war they ask - never heard of it. But people can't stop talking about our Civil War. They love all the handsome civil war generals - the most handsome generals folks. The radical left marxist democrats want to tear down their statues. It's disgraceful. Disgraceful. Our Civil War was the best folks. You know Lincoln was a Republican. Not a lot of people know that - but he was a Republican. Democrats say we're racist, but Lincoln was a Republican. We freed the slaves - nobody thanks us for it. Very unfair.
The writer has a serious case of American exceptionalism brain.
It's also dumb because the Franco-Prussian War was re-litigated two more times afterwards in WW1 and WW2, and has only not been repeated again because western Europe fell under the American sphere of influence which prevented any more major European wars. It's essentially irrelevant for modern times despite only happening 150 years ago.
Meanwhile, the American Civil War was never properly ended. The slave-owning class that started it continued on and is still in power today, and the vast brainworms of "The South Will Rise Again!" were never rooted out and destroyed. All it takes for the average American to have to think about Lincoln is spending twenty minute with their racist uncle, so obviously it's more relevant.
Comparing Americans to European is stupid, they're basically the same except that the US is further into decay. If you want to see the European of the future just look at the American of the present
I don't want to defend Euros but the dumbest people I've met have been from the US
Real American exceptionalism there
My sibling had to inform our mom who was in her 50s how the electoral college worked and that her vote didn't really matter outside of swing states. Before she started dating a Trump guy the only news she had ever watched was E! News. Now she watches Fox too.
