Firaxis once again claims Americans are stupid!

[Reginleif]

Despite being slapped and forced to take down comments on the official website for making a comment on American knowledge about Anatolia (I only know of this second hand), Firaxis has done it again! This is from the manual in which it discusses the Ottoman civilization:

Although relatively unknown (the Ottomans) in the West (in America), this mighty empire deserves a place of honor alongside those of Arabia, Great Britain, and indeed Rome.

I may not be a yankee, but I’m even upset about this. They claim the educated high ground, but their historical descriptions are loaded with myths, mistruths, and the legacies of 19th century history.

- For the Songhai, they make a comparison to the decline of the Aztecs, being conqured by a small, but technologically superior race, I mean force, has been thoroughly been disproven. Disease and local rivalries were the reasons.
- They try to make Greece the basis of Western culture, which is a myth, “Barbarian” and Medieval culture is. Saying Greeks invented democracy, western philosophy etc is just dumb, you might as well claim they invented the rock.
- There is a clear Western bias; Russia, India, China and Siam are described in contrasts of good and bad, while Western civilizations are described as poverty-free, superior god tier.
- They spelled moon as muon

Moderator Action: Please do not troll the forum.
Please read the forum rules: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=422889
For the record, the unaltered quote is:

Although relatively unknown in the West, this mighty empire deserves a place of honor alongside those of Arabia, Great Britain, and indeed Rome.

 

[Akar]

Greeks did invent democracy. Every citizen was given a coin, they would drop the coin into a box to vote. This is a democracy, yes?

 

[playshogi]

Well, they finally got rid of global warming in 5. Perhaps, by 10 they can stop trying to give us a history lesson. The fact that this basic stuff is in the manual, suggests that they think all their custormers know nothing about history.

 

[gfanikf]

Bah, Imperialism (the game) taught me that the Ottoman Empire was never mighty, in fact it was nigh-on impossible!

 

[stannis]

Although relatively unknown (the Ottomans) in the West (in America), this mighty empire deserves a place of honor alongside those of Arabia, Great Britain, and indeed Rome.

In America? That's not what it says. It says the West. Stop putting words into Firaxis' mouth. I agree it is wrong for them to focus on the alleged ignorance of Westerners towards Ottoman history, and I am sure that many Chinese or Brazilian people may know (or care) very little, either. But you are exaggerating this unnecessarily.

For the Songhai, they make a comparison to the decline of the Aztecs, being conqured by a small, but technologically superior race, I mean force, has been thoroughly been disproven. Disease and local rivalries were the reasons.

I know virtually nothing about the Songhai, you may well be right.

They try to make Greece the basis of Western culture, which is a myth, “Barbarian” and Medieval culture is. Saying Greeks invented democracy, western philosophy etc is just dumb, you might as well claim they invented the rock.

Western culture is a result of the marriage between the Greco-Roman and Medieval/Post-Roman worlds. Greek history and philosophy are still taught and influential today.

There is a clear Western bias; Russia, India, China and Siam are described in contrasts of good and bad, while Western civilizations are described as poverty-free, superior god tier.

I'm sure the millions of Civ players in Addis Ababa and Guangzhou will be just as furious as you. How ever will Firaxis survive the coming onslaught of global indignance at a few descriptions in the Civ 5 civilopedia???

 

[MrBanana]

You know, the average American really does have large gaps of knowledge, and I would bet 6 out of 10 wouldn't kow very much about the Ottomans.

 

[Horserush]

I don't mind the occasional jab at Americans, hey some of us could use it and there might be some truth to the fact that not many Americans know a lot about the Ottoman empire (crazier things have happened in the states). It's a game really and they even said in a podcast that you would probably fail any history test if all you used was the Civilopedia

Oh and btw: Muon

 

[Saint Rising]

I laughed through this whole post.

Troll thread, guys.

 

[Horserush]

Oh geez I fed the troll didn't I?

 

[Dbob]

Ugh....I hope this guy isn't serious...

 

[Exterminas]

Uh... may be people would drop the clichee that americans are stupid if more americans would stop acting like all the world was against them.

The post says "The West". You are aware that this, seen from the ottomans point of view, refers to a bit more thant just america, yes? Like europe. Just may be.

As an european I am safe to say: Most people you ask on the street will not be able to tell you what an ottoman is, besides a piece of furniture.

If you know that stuff, more power to you, but it would be silly to expect it from men on the street or even get all angry about that fact.

 

[The_J]

Moderator Action: Massive troll thread -> closed.