Depends on your definition. A man that knows 5 languages & cultures knows 4 more than me & many (most?) Americans.
We're all ignorant to most things.
Being educated does not make you an ideal mate
- Thread starter Mr.Forte
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We're all ignorant to most things.
Desirous
Action expresses priorities
It depends what your goal is for any situation. A lot of people I went to school with have a degree, but they just got by...if you want to apply yourself, whether in school, your travels etc., you will.
godkiller
"We are the Fury"
Yes, but outside of 5 languages, a well-travelled man doesn't know anything else because he lacks education. He may find work as a translator -- and that's it because everything else is beyond him by virtue of what he does not know. Meanwhile most educated Americans may become anything by virtue of what they do know. Americans are not "ignorant" to most things whatsoever. Learning languages is not education; it is a form of knowledge, but it is not education per se. The fact the USA is the most powerful country on Earth and speaks English, while Europe speaks multiple language and is in an economic slump, is proof enough (also, I may or may not be American myself).
My experiences with highly educated women would back up op's statements. Being highly educated doesn't mean you're a great person. There's still pieces of shyt that wear business suits. 
godkiller
"We are the Fury"
Intellect does not CAUSE good grades, because personality and work ethic interact with school work to produce grades, but obviously intellect is connected too. A dull person who works hard won't achieve the same results as a smart person who does the same, but if a smart person neglects to work hard, he may achieve the same as a dullard.
Travel is a form of education and knowledge only if one immerses themselves in the cultures that differ from their own.
Going to Paris to see the Eiffel Tower doesn't mean anything.
There's no growth in that.
Going to Paris and learning about the social environment and how that shapes public opinion (which can be on anything from Socialist political views to thoughts on organic farming...) THOSE bring knowledge.
Agreed. Well said. My comment about traveling was not meant to be taken in simple context such as go abroad and gaze but rather experience cultures/traditions through first hand experience. My point is that travels bring greater exposure to the educational process for an individual, whether intelligent or not as inteligent than one could gain by simply picking up a book.
Unless this well travelled man is also familiar with the culture, geography, religion, governement & so on of these countries. That's education IMO. No, it's not all inclusive, but what education is?
But you're makin' some negative assumptions about our well travelled man. Why is everything else beyond him?
The US is the most powerful country, but its citizens enjoy very little of the fruit. What can the average American do that the average European can't?
Knowledge is infinite. We're all ignorant to most things.
godkiller
"We are the Fury"
This seems less efficient than researching French policy and writing a literature review on changing French political views. I have more faith in the competency of a person who can write a good paper than a person who "learns about the French social environment" through travel, whatever this entails. Travel is recreation, not education. A well educated person goes through tests and rungs to prove their knowledge and competency. A well travelled person doesn't.
You can read about war (for example), but it's one thing to see it happening before your eyes.
Sometimes you do need to experience things in person because no book or movie or painting or news article can truly grasp the real thing.
It's not less efficient. It's complementary to all those tests and formal education you're comfortable with.
godkiller
"We are the Fury"
Culture, religion, geography, government, etc are all interesting but not really germane to the world of 21st century education. I can learn geography with a map and religion through books. Moreover these things aren't in-demand skills today. Knowledge of Austria knowledge is less important than knowledge of math, and Austrian culture knowledge through osmosis is not rigorous enough to qualify as a barometer of intellect. Math, science, writing, general knowledge (which comes from books and study, not travel) are considered the essential components in education and are rigorous enough to push people's intellect. Everything else is just recreation and not considered education given how irrelevant and unrigorous.
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You can also learn math & science from books. That's what schools use.
But we're talkin' about different things. I'm talkin' about gainin' knowledge. You're talkin' about gettin' jobs.
godkiller
"We are the Fury"
Well, learning math, science, writing, history, etc all involve gaining knowledge. However we are actually talking about what constitutes an education, and knowledge by cultural osmosis is not "education" to me, given the lack of rigor and sophistication involved in the endeavor. I mean we more or less "gain knowledge" everyday through every action we make, but this is not education merely because every action provides feedback. Education is more than just "experience". It is instruction.
Moreover a well travelled guy may know less than a well educated guy with respects to information about any particular country depending on whether the latter studies said country. Travel gives information in inefficient "bits and pieces"; study gives information in large volumes. This is why we defer to academic experts for information and not "world travellers".
NobodyReally
Superstar
I've never dated nor did I marry based on education. Intelligence is more important. My husband doesn't have the degrees I have, but he can hold his own in a debate. That's all I care about.