This just in: Newsweek has posted an article about how dumb Americans are.
Yeah, yeah. I think the one thing we all definitively know is that we are, as a nation, borderline retarded.
While taking the poll myself (with the answers right below each question), I realized that I’m just as American (read: dumb) as the next guy. This was my favorite question:
The reason “no” is highlighted is because it is the correct answer. Does this seem weird to anyone else? Is this a question that could logically have a “yes” or “no” answer? If it was, would “no” really be the correct answer?
It’s true that some people didn’t know the right answer to a lot of questions (for the record, SUVs definitely contribute to global warming). But more importantly - and I think this speaks more to the American way than sheer stupidity - we didn’t even try to answer a lot of questions. For most of the questions in the poll, “Don’t Know/Refused” was the first or second most selected answer. Well, at least we’re not cocky.
Thankfully, America got its comeuppance with the following questions:
Yeah, fuck you, Newsweek! That’s right! More Americans know who Jane Austen is than Jordin Sparks. Though not me, admittedly. Again, though, these questions illustrate our preference for admitting our ignorance openly (48% and 78% respectively just didn’t know).
Wait, you didn’t know Jane Austen wrote those books?
Uh, I mean, I probably could have picked it out of a multiple choice list. I wouldn’t have been able to chose between the Brontes, I’ve read a book by Edith Wharton, and I would never write “don’t know.” So there’s your Austen. But no, I wouldn’t have been sure of my answer.