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Bill Burke · 27th August 2005, 11:44 AM

If a large majority of the public were shown to believe A) that they know the apparently unknowable, B) that they know it with great certainty, and C) that they do this with great consistency, I hypothesize that it would be correct to conclude that 'the public is massively stupid. '

Do you agree with that hypothesis?

If you do, I wonder if you would also agree that this stupidity can be demonstrated by finding a finite number of valid, public opinion polls where the universe is the American adult population. that clearly show A, B and C for, say, 70% or more of those responding?

And how many such polls do you think would be required asr conclusive proof for this hypothesis?

Thank you.

Georgieboy · 13th September 2005, 07:12 AM

I dont think your poll would be demonstrating that the public is massively stupid, you would be just demonstrating that people believe in the metaphysical, and well... we all know that

.

if im not making my point right iÂ´ll just make a quote, though i kinda hate quotes (read my sig

), but i consider this one a very good and accurate one, though i cant remember it correctly word by word goes something like this:

"Intelligent people can justify perfectly to themselves things they got to believe for not intelligent reasons"

Being dumb or intelligent is not the issue in all the problems we discuss over here, its the very heavy DESIRE of the human brain to believe in dumb things.

Kopji · 2nd October 2005, 07:32 PM

One of my favorite recent polls. This on geography by the National Geographic Society. Laced with humorously pithy and ironic comments, it is quite readable. Meet your children.

Quote:

Worldwide, young adults performance in locating Israel was very weak across the board. In no country could even half of young adults surveyed locate Israel on a Middle East/Asia map; on average, fewer than one-fourth of respondents could locate it, including only 14% of young Americans.

By contrast, more young Americans (34%) could determine that the island used for the last season of the television show Survivor is in the South Pacific.

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ge...operSurvey.pdf

Bodhi Dharma Zen · 2nd October 2005, 08:15 PM

Originally Posted by Kopji

One of my favorite recent polls. This on geography by the National Geographic Society. Laced with humorously pithy and ironic comments, it is quite readable. Meet your children.

That demonstrate, at least, that a vast majority of people is painfully ignorant. What a shame.

ReFLeX · 2nd October 2005, 08:24 PM

I'd use the word ignorance well before stupidity. Remember, intelligence and thus stupidity are basically measured relatively. It's just like the fact that half of the world's people will always have below-average intelligence.

Kopji · 2nd October 2005, 10:35 PM

Hard to say and I don't claim to know. If I discovered I were ignorant about something that mattered, but did nothing about it, would I then be stupid?

I'd say 'yeah'.

Politicians claim to represent 'mainstream' values, I suppose this is what they mean by that.

Anti_Hypeman · 4th October 2005, 08:19 AM

Huh? Whats a hypnothosist?

ceo_esq · 6th October 2005, 10:40 PM

Originally Posted by Bill Burke

If a large majority of the public were shown to believe A) that they know the apparently unknowable, B) that they know it with great certainty, and C) that they do this with great consistency, I hypothesize that it would be correct to conclude that 'the public is massively stupid. '

Do you agree with that hypothesis?

How do you define "apparently unknowable"?

BLACK HAT · 7th October 2005, 01:25 AM

Two polls are needed.

The smart people take one, the stupid people take the other.

27th August 2005, 11:44 AM	#1
Bill Burke Student Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 36	Proof of massive public stupidity? If a large majority of the public were shown to believe A) that they know the apparently unknowable, B) that they know it with great certainty, and C) that they do this with great consistency, I hypothesize that it would be correct to conclude that 'the public is massively stupid. ' Do you agree with that hypothesis? If you do, I wonder if you would also agree that this stupidity can be demonstrated by finding a finite number of valid, public opinion polls where the universe is the American adult population. that clearly show A, B and C for, say, 70% or more of those responding? And how many such polls do you think would be required asr conclusive proof for this hypothesis? Thank you.
Bill Burke Student Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 36

13th September 2005, 07:12 AM	#2
Georgieboy New Blood Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 6	I dont think your poll would be demonstrating that the public is massively stupid, you would be just demonstrating that people believe in the metaphysical, and well... we all know that . if im not making my point right iÂ´ll just make a quote, though i kinda hate quotes (read my sig ), but i consider this one a very good and accurate one, though i cant remember it correctly word by word goes something like this: "Intelligent people can justify perfectly to themselves things they got to believe for not intelligent reasons" Being dumb or intelligent is not the issue in all the problems we discuss over here, its the very heavy DESIRE of the human brain to believe in dumb things.
Georgieboy New Blood Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 6	__________________ Quotes are informal fallacies of authority, lacking the most basic logical systems, and easily torn apart by critical thinking, its final goal: Persuasion of gullible people who just wont ask further questions. And no, this is not a quote...

2nd October 2005, 08:15 PM	#4
Bodhi Dharma Zen Advaitin Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Here Posts: 3,861	Originally Posted by Kopji One of my favorite recent polls. This on geography by the National Geographic Society. Laced with humorously pithy and ironic comments, it is quite readable. Meet your children. That demonstrate, at least, that a vast majority of people is painfully ignorant. What a shame.
	__________________ Im too busy living, why waste my time believing?

2nd October 2005, 08:24 PM	#5
ReFLeX Pool Shark Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: The Canadian OC Posts: 1,146	I'd use the word ignorance well before stupidity. Remember, intelligence and thus stupidity are basically measured relatively. It's just like the fact that half of the world's people will always have below-average intelligence.
	__________________ Believing is seeing. Animals were harmed in the making of this post. Popularity contests: good, or democratic?

6th October 2005, 10:40 PM	#8
ceo_esq Illuminator Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 4,940	Originally Posted by Bill Burke If a large majority of the public were shown to believe A) that they know the apparently unknowable, B) that they know it with great certainty, and C) that they do this with great consistency, I hypothesize that it would be correct to conclude that 'the public is massively stupid. ' Do you agree with that hypothesis? How do you define "apparently unknowable"?
ceo_esq Illuminator Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 4,940

2nd October 2005, 07:32 PM	#3
Kopji Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Mogollon Rim Posts: 7,710	One of my favorite recent polls. This on geography by the National Geographic Society. Laced with humorously pithy and ironic comments, it is quite readable. Meet your children. Quote: Worldwide, young adults performance in locating Israel was very weak across the board. In no country could even half of young adults surveyed locate Israel on a Middle East/Asia map; on average, fewer than one-fourth of respondents could locate it, including only 14% of young Americans. By contrast, more young Americans (34%) could determine that the island used for the last season of the television show Survivor is in the South Pacific. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ge...operSurvey.pdf

2nd October 2005, 10:35 PM	#6
Kopji Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Mogollon Rim Posts: 7,710	Hard to say and I don't claim to know. If I discovered I were ignorant about something that mattered, but did nothing about it, would I then be stupid? I'd say 'yeah'. Politicians claim to represent 'mainstream' values, I suppose this is what they mean by that.

4th October 2005, 08:19 AM	#7
Anti_Hypeman Death Dealing Doom Machine Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,011	Huh? Whats a hypnothosist?

7th October 2005, 01:25 AM	#9
BLACK HAT Hoochie Coochie Man Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 119	Two polls are needed. The smart people take one, the stupid people take the other.
	__________________ BLACK HAT Soldiers are dying needlessly, the economy sucks, gas prices are sky high, the President is ineffective and no one has the balls to write a song about it.