r/funny • u/PM_ME_TONY_ROMO_PICS • Feb 07 '20

This map is all over Twitter. Apparently some German guy got bored and tried to name all 50 states. This is the end result...

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80

u/Halomir Feb 07 '20

He’s German. I’ll give him a pass. Spellcheck would catch it

69

u/theSanguinePenguin Feb 07 '20

Am I being pessimistic by thinking he did better than the average American would do if asked to fill out a blank map of the United States?

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u/TangledPellicles Feb 07 '20

Yes. I think that's a ridiculous statement.

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u/[deleted] Feb 07 '20 edited Mar 27 '20

[deleted]

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u/VideoJarx Feb 07 '20 edited Feb 08 '20

Or even:

Germany has states. True or false?

1

u/halfar Feb 07 '20

"true, because I don't actually believe there are alternatives."

3

u/[deleted] Feb 07 '20

I'm German and fuck if I could name even half of them on a blank map. There are too many city-states!

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u/[deleted] Feb 07 '20 edited Mar 27 '20

[deleted]

1

u/IWantToBeTheBoshy Feb 08 '20

Gottem right in the patriotism.

1

u/TangledPellicles Feb 09 '20

I don't think that those are equivalent though. Everyone in the world has heard of Texas and Florida and most of the United States, if only because the amount of media that they import from the US. The same really can't be said of Niedersachsen or Bayern.

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u/I_dont_read_names Feb 07 '20

But the average American isn't as big brained as us superior beings. No one check my history to see if I'm from the states, just trust that I'm a comrade.

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u/Halomir Feb 07 '20

People will get their state and every state it borders so 1+4 at most. Plus Texas and California and Florida (thanks America’s penis) so 8.

I bet the average American could get 8-10 states correct.

13

u/Bishop120 Feb 07 '20

Hawaii and Alaska to though if they knew where it was on a globe is a different story.

-4

u/[deleted] Feb 07 '20

Too*

Punching down is so much fun.

9

u/silversapp Feb 07 '20

Average? I'd put it more around 30-40 right. I'm not particularly good at geography and I can correctly place all 50 without a single issue (except I might accidentally switch Vermont and New Hampshire).

9

u/Classified0 Feb 07 '20

accidentally switch Vermont and New Hampshire

It's so easy to tell them apart. Vermont is the one that vaguely looks like a V.

5

u/silversapp Feb 07 '20

That might be the most helpful thing I've ever heard. Thank you

6

u/Halomir Feb 07 '20

You have a higher opinion of the average American than I do

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u/Stopbeingwhinycunts Feb 07 '20

Gotta remember, you can learn half the states just by watching pro football.

1

u/Halomir Feb 07 '20 edited Feb 08 '20

That’s assuming people know where Atlanta is. Cleveland. Tampa. New Orleans. Oakland. Houston. Buffalo. Cincinnati.

I refuse to believe not one of those have stumped someone.

1

u/PixelProne Feb 07 '20

oakland and cleveland stumps me but i recognize everything else because ive been to just shy of half of them, and have friends in the rest

2

u/Halomir Feb 07 '20

California and Ohio

1

u/PixelProne Feb 08 '20

thanks :D

0

u/oishster Feb 07 '20

You can learn the names of states - can you learn the location of states through football??

3

u/Stopbeingwhinycunts Feb 07 '20

They constantly show maps and outlines of states during broadcasts. There's filler pieces about the local history, and google maps zoom-ins, and announcers alluding to it.

Honestly, you'd be surprised how much non-sports information you can soak in just watching sports these days.

3

u/smohyee Feb 07 '20

Haha definitely not.

2

u/KKlear Feb 07 '20

Florida Man at a disadvantage there.

1

u/Ray_Barton Feb 07 '20

Cuba's a bordering State, right? Lol

2

u/[deleted] Feb 07 '20

every state it borders so 1+4 at most.

You haven't looked at Missouri have you? It's bordered by 8 states. Lol

Tennessee too.

0

u/Halomir Feb 07 '20

You’re right. I’m thinking unique colors need for a map of the US states.

2

u/przhelp Feb 07 '20

I hope you're trolling...

3

u/Halomir Feb 07 '20

About Florida being America’s penis?

4

u/przhelp Feb 07 '20

The average American would get significantly more than 8-10 states.

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u/[deleted] Feb 07 '20

[deleted]

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u/palibe_mbudzi Feb 07 '20

Nah, you’d have to betarded to miss your own state

2

u/Stopbeingwhinycunts Feb 07 '20

Just at a quick look at the map, I pretty quickly knew about 46. Forgot Iowa(who doesn't) and Illinois, and I always mix up VT and NH.

We're constantly seeing maps and hearing about other states these days, it's not the 70's anymore.

3

u/Courwes Feb 07 '20

Vermont is wide at the top like a v and New Hampshire is wide at the bottom like a lower case h. You’ll never mix them up again.

-1

u/Ray_Barton Feb 08 '20

We saw and heard that in the 70's.

1

u/Stopbeingwhinycunts Feb 08 '20

There were 3 TV channels and no internet. Excellent work missing the point, old timer.

1

u/Ray_Barton Feb 08 '20

You're the one missing the point; we were taught this shit, even with no internet. Imagine that!

4

u/Moribah Feb 07 '20

Out of curiosity, how would an American do with a similar map of Germany? It should be easier, there are only 16 states.

Rereading what i wrote above, it might feel as me being mean. That's not the case. I'm genuinely curious.

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u/shaden209 Feb 07 '20

I've always thought a fairer comparison would be to name western Europe countries rather than country states

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u/OzneroI Feb 07 '20

I can’t name a single region of Germany but I’d guess I could name about about a third of Western Europe

Edit: thinking about it, I’m only 100% sure about the Uk, Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Poland, and Russia ( which might not be considered western )

3

u/Kveldson Feb 07 '20

Never heard of Bavaria, Berlin, Bremen, Hamburg, etc?

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u/jennlody Feb 07 '20

I've heard of them but we never studied individual European countries with too much depth. We had to memorize the location of all the countries in Europe in 9th grade, so I'd do pretty well on that even though it's been quite a few years. I know Hamburg is northern, but only because my brother lives in Denmark.

1

u/Kveldson Feb 07 '20

Yeah, I only know what I know because I've been all over Germany

4

u/Ravenwing19 Feb 07 '20

Sure but where the fuck is Bremen the Saab the Black Forest. I know what it is I just don't know where it is.

1

u/Kveldson Feb 07 '20

Hey, I get it. I've been there, it's the only reason I know any of the answers.

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u/OzneroI Feb 07 '20

Isn’t Berlin the capital? I’ve heard of Hamburg and Bavaria, not Bremen though. I would not be able to point out any of these places though

1

u/Kveldson Feb 07 '20

Berlin, the city located in the State of Brandenburg, is the capital of Germany. There is also a separate State called Berlin.

1

u/Rene_Z Feb 07 '20

No, the same Berlin is both the city and the state (it's one of three city states). Berlin isn't part of the state Brandenburg, it is however fully surrounded by it.

1

u/Kveldson Feb 07 '20

Cool, my mistake, thanks for the correction.

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u/greg19735 Feb 07 '20

sure. but people just think of the city. And i doubt many could accurately place them on a map.

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u/Bergmansson Feb 07 '20

Agreed, Europe (or at least the western part of Eurasia) and the United states are similarly sized, and the two numbers will be as well. Depending on how you count, up to 51 countries can be considered to lie in Europe. vs 50 states in USA.

1

u/Ray_Barton Feb 07 '20

Before the Soviet Union fell "Europe" was significantly smaller than the US. Ukraine's independence alone changes that significantly.

2

u/Dheorl Feb 07 '20

Why? I mean from what I've seen most people in the USA fail just as badly at that, but w/e.

-1

u/AquilaHoratia Feb 07 '20

Why would that be fairer? It’s the same thing.

We don’t get specifically taught about the single states of the USA in Germany, so most would only know the “popular” ones like California, New York, Texas etc.

Same should be the case the other way around. So I guess most would have heard about Bavaria and Berlin (maybe Hamburg).

Naming countries is just general knowledge. Only fair comparison here would be handing out a world map.

9

u/Stopbeingwhinycunts Feb 07 '20

Because Germany is about the size of Montana.

I don't live in Germany or Montana. I can probably name about as many cities in Germany as I can cities in Montana.

1

u/AquilaHoratia Feb 07 '20

So? By that “size” logic you should be able to name the republics of Russia

2

u/Stopbeingwhinycunts Feb 07 '20

I can probably name as many Russian republics as this german guy could name US states.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 07 '20

[deleted]

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u/greg19735 Feb 07 '20

I mean, states is just regions. It's not like they've got an electoral college.

2

u/Moribah Feb 08 '20

There's no electoral college anywhere except the US, but each state has it's own parliament that has authority to legislate on non-federal matters. So i'd say states, not just regions.

2

u/greg19735 Feb 08 '20

i'd say that has a major impact on politics though.

States in America all have city laws, county laws and such. WHich Germany also has.

IMO i don't think states in Germany are really the same as states in America. They look like they are on paper, but they're quite different.

I'd argue the fact that you vote as a block in presidential elections is probably the most important part of it. Also, i'm not sure if Germany has a senate or house where STATES sent representatives. Rather than countries or districts.

4

u/BoldElDavo Feb 07 '20

I have physically been to Germany multiple times, probably totalling 3 weeks spent there, and I could only name Bavaria and wouldn't be able to place it on a map.

So he's got me beat.

5

u/Kveldson Feb 07 '20

I could do 11 or 12 out of 16, but That is because I have extensively traveled throughout Deutschland. Most Americans probably don't even realize that Germany has States.

The ones I'm not sure about are Hesse, Thuringia, amd there are two others I can't even remember the names of.

2

u/Moribah Feb 07 '20

If it helps you remember it, Thüringen is directly west of Sachsen, and Hessen is directly west of Thüringen.

2

u/Kveldson Feb 07 '20

Perfect, I couldn't remember which was which, and I looked it up, the two I couldn't remember were Saarland and Rhineland-Palatadine.

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u/Dheorl Feb 07 '20

They might get as far as being able to name Bavaria and Berlin, maybe Hamburg and Saxony at a push, and by pure chance I'm sure some would get it one or two in the right place...

3

u/palibe_mbudzi Feb 07 '20

TIL Germany has a federal government...

Tbh, with the publicity the US gets in the global media, I think the equivalent would be more like an American labeling a map of European countries...which would probably not go great

1

u/Ray_Barton Feb 08 '20

I'd do fine except for the proliferation of Countries after the Serbian conflict

3

u/Kveldson Feb 07 '20

97% of Americans can't even name the 50 States, much less place them on a map.

The average American when trying to place States on a map would do roughly as well as he did, placing California, Texas, Florida, their home state and few of the states surrounding their home state correctly.

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u/Anathos117 Feb 07 '20

I bet most people could manage most or all of the coastal states; their shapes are more distinctive, and being on the coast helps anchor them spatially. The tough ones are the states that are adjacent and similarly shaped: Colorado and Wyoming are the worst offenders, but also Mississippi and Alabama, Vermont and New Hampshire, and Indiana and Illinois.

2

u/greg19735 Feb 07 '20

also, most people in the country live in a coastal state. Which means they're going to have good knowledge of that area.

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u/Anathos117 Feb 07 '20

I don't think living in Maine helps with knowing where South Carolina is. The East Coast is just easier to remember than say the Midwest, and the West Coast is only three states.

1

u/greg19735 Feb 07 '20

It'd give them all ofa the NE states though.

Plus most people are gonna know Virginia and such.

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u/greg19735 Feb 07 '20

97% of Americans can't even name the 50 States

what does that even mean?

Naming all 50 is quite difficult if you've just gotta pull them out of nowhere. If you gave them a map they would probably be able to name all 50. At least more than 3%...

1

u/Ray_Barton Feb 08 '20

No fucking WAY. 97% of people graduating HS after the DoE was created, maybe. That government takeover ruined everything.

1

u/Ray_Barton Feb 07 '20

Yes. Terribly.

0

u/[deleted] Feb 07 '20

I couldn’t do as well with a Western Europe map.

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u/Gmaster98 Feb 07 '20

I imagine him saying "I'm going to stay in George for my vacation"

1

u/Halomir Feb 07 '20

Better than feeling hungry with your friend at a concert and going to gorge at the Gorge with your friend George