How stupid are you? Depends on which of these truly loopy notions from recent opinion polls you agree with. If you go all the way to the bottom, please back away from the computer and call a professional helping person.
The rest of you may find this list fruitful when discussing notions of Rock Bottom on opinion polls. Some posit a relationship between Rock Bottom and Absolute Stupid, but Rock Bottom is believed to be issue-specific, whereas Absolute Stupid is assumed to be more or less constant.
- People who approve of the job Bush is doing: 36%
- People who think abortion should always be illegal: 24%
- People who think that America is ready to elect an atheist as president: 14% (Not that this is a terrible idea. I’m for it, but is America ready? Crazy talk!)
- People who think gas will cost ‘a lot less’ by the end of the year: %9
- People who say the war in Iraq is going ‘very well’: 6%
- People who say that the Foley scandal (where the Republican leadership tried to cover up a Republican pedophile senator) would make them more likely to vote Republican: 4%
Data from Polling Report.
7 October 2006 at 10:16 pm
Um, can we disagree with all of these choices or do I have to pick from just the choices given me? (Thats a real problem I have with polls anyway)
My poll question: Is a person by default “dumber” for just living in the American Culture?
A. Yes, very.
B. No, everyone wants to be just like U.S. anyway.
C. Damn thats a dumb question.
D. I’m not sure. (What you meant)
8 October 2006 at 1:23 am
The test measures degrees of Stupid at the Very Stupid end, and as such is not calibrated to measure very small quantities of Stupid. You didn’t even make it to Stupid 1; you are therefore Seriously Not Stupid.
Does American culture have a slightly stultifying effect cereteris paribus? I don’t know; I’d like to say ‘no’ because there are lots of smart Americans. But there are a few things about the USA that don’t help: (1) the lack of awareness of other cultures (even just simple geography and language). Maybe this is why the Right hates multiculturalism: it can make you aware of other cultures and become potentially less xenophobic, and they don’t want to be.
And (2) the lack of balance and analysis in media. So many people are overworked and busy, they don’t have time to examine issues, and then they’re watching Fox News. They’re just walking around poorly informed. Anyone would seem dumb if they have stupid inputs. GIGO.
If I were King and Tyrant of America, I’d bring back the Fairness Doctrine. Getting rid of it allowed a lot of trash onto the public’s airwaves.