Americans think the unemployment rate is 32 percent. It's 5.8 percent.Americans also think 32 percent of the population are immigrants. Only 13 percent are.
Americans think 24 percent of girls aged 15-19 give birth each year. The actual number is three percent.
On other issues, Americans get the answer not only wrong, but dead wrong.
Percent of people in the U.S. who are Muslim: believed: 15%. Actual: 1%.
Percent of people who are Christian: believed: 56%. Actual: 78%.
A new Ipsos MORI international poll taken in 14 countries finds not only these huge deviations in perception by Americans, but finds Americans compared to people in other countries are among the most ignorant.
Ipsos MORI's "Perils of Perception" study ranked respondents' perceptions and found that America is the second-most ignorant about these basic statistics. Italy came in first.
Image via FlickrGraphic via Ipsos MORIHat tip: Vox
the ignorance of people - especially here in the states - is a major source of sorrow for me.
ReplyDeleteThis is sad but hardly surprising. I consider myself well-informed, but I was wrong on most of the above questions, though not as far off as the American standard.
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