Small Questions - Part 4

[Doctor_Wu]

Greetings podium... the questioning continues...

I am asking a series of small questions to the podium members... and am genuinely interested in the opinions of my fellows. I would like to extend my appreciation to all who have participated up to this point... and would further like to encourage some notable podium regulars who have abstained from participation to join the fun.


Today's Question is ...


In your opinion...

What percentage of the American people are stupid?

There is a belief on both the right and the left that the majority of people are fools. I ask this question not to disparage those who believe it true... I have found it among friends of mine from all over the political spectrum.

Of course some of you are not shy in your view on this matter...

[Danman114]

I don't think there are many people who are stupid all the time. I think its more a situational stupidity with most people.

Also, the beleif that most people are stupid from those in the podium I think is slightly inaccuarate too. I think most people don't care (about politics). And whether that is stupid could be argued to no end.

I would say at any given moment, 10 people (who are awake) out of 100 are doing something a majority of the population might consider stupid. (Like posting about politics on SD while playing madden '05 and eating dinner...)

[SomethingsRight]

As anyone will tell you, and me too, I'm the smartest person in America!


Actually, I think Americans are very "smart" and very few smart. Depends upon what exactly you are talking about too. In comparison to the rest of the world, Americans are smarter than they are.....almost always.

We are the greatest nation on this planet: financially, smartly too, militarily, economically, religiously, we are soaked through and through with being the greatest at ___________. (you fill in the blank with anything there)

Our greatest strengths could also be our greatest problems though. Why does everyone else hate America? Because they are not us and wish they could be.

The undisputed truth is: We are the center of this planet on the majority of everything it produces, sells, buys etc. and if that's not smart, I don't know what is.

[Ne0rC]

Think of the most middle of the road guy you know, Half of the country is below his intelligence.

[mmathis]

A person can be smart, but people are stupid. No ifs, ands, or buts - people are stupid. American people, British people, Muslim people, Jewish people, all people are stupid all the time. Even if every single individual person is smart by themselves, when you put a bunch of persons together, they become extremely dumb

[hondacrasher]

A person can be smart, but people are stupid.
Try working @ a fast food restaurant... you will meet the :censored: ppl ever!!

Examples:
"Can I use this coupon that expired back in 1996???"
"My chicken (Popeye's chicken & biscuits) was too hot. Can I have my money back?"
"My milkshake was too cold. Can you warm it up for me?"
or my fav...
Ppl who order meals but don't read what's in it (side items, condiments) or the price
:crylol:

[mmathis]

Try working @ a fast food restaurant... you will meet the :censored: ppl ever!!

Examples:
"Can I use this coupon that expired back in 1996???"
"My chicken (Popeye's chicken & biscuits) was too hot. Can I have my money back?"
"My milkshake was too cold. Can you warm it up for me?"
or my fav...
Ppl who order meals but don't read what's in it (side items, condiments) or the price
:crylol:

I said a person can be smart :)

[Doctor_Wu]

A person can be smart, but people are stupid. No ifs, ands, or buts - people are stupid. American people, British people, Muslim people, Jewish people, all people are stupid all the time. Even if every single individual person is smart by themselves, when you put a bunch of persons together, they become extremely dumb


Indeed, crowds are the worst. I fear crowds.

[rayzac]

Try working @ a fast food restaurant... you will meet the :censored: ppl ever!!

Examples:
"Can I use this coupon that expired back in 1996???"
"My chicken (Popeye's chicken & biscuits) was too hot. Can I have my money back?"
"My milkshake was too cold. Can you warm it up for me?"
or my fav...
Ppl who order meals but don't read what's in it (side items, condiments) or the price
:crylol:
Or even:

Your restaurant made me fat. I will sue you.
Your coffee was hot and burned me.

Or the jury that sided for the plantiff in that one.

[Flatline]

Tricky question Wu! One could argue that by and large people in general are stupid...smoking is still around even when their own manufacturer tells you it isnt safe...obesity and heart disease kill more and more all the time, yet fast food gets more and more popular...dont get me started with the crowd mentality...for the love of all things good and pure will somebody tell me why reality TV is still around? Anyways, stupidity is a strong word and I think that there are levels to it, not just black and white but lots of grey...but I would have to say that 100% of us do stupid things every once in a while, nobody is immune to stupidity...thats the only thing I CAN guarantee :nod:

[dalesd]

Indeed, crowds are the worst. I fear crowds.

I think the real problem is groupthink (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupthink).

We're all susceptible to groupthink. That's why I try to remember the works of Mark Twain (see my sig below).

[thegoalie]

A person can be smart, but people are stupid. No ifs, ands, or buts - people are stupid. American people, British people, Muslim people, Jewish people, all people are stupid all the time. Even if every single individual person is smart by themselves, when you put a bunch of persons together, they become extremely dumb
:iagree:

Except Jews, we're smart as a people. :king:

[adams135]

Too tough a question to answer.

Is a person considered stupid just because he/she makes a decision based on emotions instead of logic?

[thegoalie]

A stupid decision is a stupid decision. Lets look at the same stupid decision for two different reasons. Paying too much for a car.

Man A walks into a dealership and asks the salesman, "What's the best price you can give me?", and then buys the car for that price. This is a stupid logical decision.

Man B knows that he can get a better deal elsewhere, but he's too excited by the test drive to think rationally and he buys the car at an inflated price. This is a stupid emotional decision.

Who's smarter, Man A or Man B? I'd say they're both equally stupid.

[adams135]

A stupid decision is a stupid decision. Lets look at the same stupid decision for two different reasons. Paying too much for a car.

Man A walks into a dealership and asks the salesman, "What's the best price you can give me?", and then buys the car for that price. This is a stupid logical decision.

Man B knows that he can get a better deal elsewhere, but he's too excited by the test drive to think rationally and he buys the car at an inflated price. This is a stupid emotional decision.

Who's smarter, Man A or Man B? I'd say they're both equally stupid.

So ... R U saying if you make a stupid decison then you must be stupid?

[thegoalie]

So ... R U saying if you make a stupid decison then you must be stupid?
If you make enough of them, yes!

[ImaginaryFriend]

About 49.99 percent of people are below average and 49.99 percent are above average. The rest are average :) However,

Stupid is as stupid does is a good yardstick........

[udub4life]

Try working @ a fast food restaurant... you will meet the :censored: ppl ever!!


Yeah I used to call em coworkers.

[The Raddish]

Our government education indoctrination centers are designed to make our kids lazy and dependent on government. The more this Marxist dream is allowed to continue, the more stupid and lazy our populace will become.

The tenth plank of The Communist Manifesto is thus: 10. Free education for all children in government schools. Abolition of children's factory labor in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production.
Granted, it is a bit dated, but is it not the same as what we have now? The Federal Government has taken control of our schools through the unconstitutional Department of Education. We are being taxed (incidentally though the 2nd Plank - A heavy progressive or graduated income tax) to support what we call 'public' schools, which teach our children that life is fair, and when it is not, it should be. They are taught to live as a commune where everyone is equal, and that is it not fair or right or just for any one student to excel, or for any other student to lag behind, and so they are taught to the lowest common denominator.

The vast majority of Americans are indeed stupid, and becoming more so with each passing generation.

And it's our own fault for letting Liberalism take control of what has now become our Communist education indoctrination system.

[Jhaan]

It's funny. My gut answer before I read the poll choices was "over half." It was a rare, convicting moment that made me aware of my pride.

Good poll, Wu.

[lordoffire]

...go to youtube and search for stupid Americans....AMPLE SUPPLY!!!

[trancepire]

Tough question. I think a downright scary percentage is gullible and/or naive, which can translate to stupid actions or beliefs. I don't believe those people, given a healthy helping of cynicism and tutelage on research, would prove to be actually stupid.

In other words, I don't believe stupid and misinformed to be synonymous. Far too many are the former, not so much the latter IMO.

[iamiam]

Stupid is as stupid does.

[seyejames]

just think about the raod guys ... you know them they yah all st;;;;;;;;p;;;d

[talgot]

I would clarify the poll in my view to say many are ignorant, not stupid. You can have an uneducated man that could take apart a engine and yet not be able to read. Some that are intellectuals might think him stupid, where if they tried to take an engine apart they might think the educated man is stupid for not knowing a thing about it. Stupid is a POV. If we utilized the word on its face I bet we could easily say 100% of people are stupid in some way.