Neural Gourmet Archives | Feed Your Brain
Neural Gourmet Archives | Feed Your BrainThe latest Angus Reid/CBS poll on American beliefs concerning evolution is available (full report [PDF]). 53% believe "God created humans in present form", 23% believe "Humans evolved, God guided the process", and only 17% believe that "Humans evolved, God did not guide process". The numbers are relatively unchanged except that those believing in evolution is up 4% since November 2004. The margin of error for this survey though is 3% so I'm not sure that 4% increase means very much.
And in related but puzzling news, an Ipsos-Reid/CanWest Global survey shows that while atheists are the most disrespected group in American society, 52% would still vote for us. So... does this conclusively prove that in order to get elected in this country you have to be somebody that Americans don't respect?
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It is astounding that only 40% even believe evolution is real. Nevermind that only 17% believe in "true" evolution. How could you not believe in some form of evolution, even if it was watered down by God's guiding hand?
As to your "elect the disrespected candidate" theory; I think you're right. Americans hate themselves, and it's becoming more and more obvious. The bluster and bellicosity is merely a shield for our collective self-loathing. Of course, how do you expect self awareness from a group of people that don't even believe in science?
Pitiful.
But sometimes I have to wonder. The more loathable the candidate, the better the chance of getting elected?
As for the rest, hell, nearly half of all Americans don't know that it takes the Earth a year to go around the sun. I find it incredible that just about 5 out of 10 people I encounter on the street could not answer the question, "How long does it take the Earth to travel around the Sun?" Oh well, at least almost 9 out of 10 Americans know that the center of the Earth is very hot. Of course, that corresponds with the number of religious believers in the U.S. so I guess I shouldn't be surprised. After all, everyone knows hell is hot.
