People still ignorant about current events

Undertoad · 04-16-2007, 05:50 PM

I could live on a diet of Pew Research surveys. They are always awesome.

Public Knowledge of Current Affairs Little Changed by News and Information Revolutions

This next result is priceless!

Cloud · 04-16-2007, 05:56 PM

too much news is bad for you

bluesdave · 04-16-2007, 05:56 PM

UT, I think that it is a problem in the whole Western World. People, especially younger ones, are more interested in their daily lives, careers (money), and possessions. I bet if the researchers had asked what brand of plasma HD TV gives the best picture, 80% of respondents would be able to give an answer (not the same answer, but an answer, rather than "I don't know"). It just seems to be the way our world is now.

glatt · 04-16-2007, 07:29 PM

The Daily Show audience is the most knowledgeable?!

That's hysterical!

Undertoad · 04-16-2007, 07:57 PM

bluesd, I did think about saying "Americans still ignorant..." but you and I and everyone else knows, it's pretty much the same everywhere: a third follows as much as they can, a third follows the gossip of their street and who's on TV, and a third follows where the opener is kept.

Ibby · 04-16-2007, 08:11 PM

I'm not the slightest bit suprised that watchers of colbert/stewart are the smartest. Those two are brilliant.

Clodfobble · 04-16-2007, 10:45 PM

I find it interesting that a single show on a network (the O'Reilly Factor) could score so much higher than the network as a whole (Fox News Channel.)

piercehawkeye45 · 04-16-2007, 11:25 PM

Haha, my roommates New Year resoltion was to watch morning shows to catch up with current events. Irony? Plus the fact that I bring home two newspapers everyday that he can read.

I'm not suprised that current event knowledge is going down. People are less and less interested in what is happening as long as it doesn't directly affect them. And for the studies defense, I didn't know some of the answers.

04-17-2007, 03:06 AM

I got tha' fear

TheMercenary · 04-17-2007, 01:26 PM

Interesting results.

elSicomoro · 04-17-2007, 03:03 PM

I think I'm pretty knowledgeable on current events, but I can't saturate myself in news like I used to. I did that a few years ago, then got so sick of it, I quit watching it for like 2 or 3 months.

glatt · 04-17-2007, 03:39 PM

It would take me a few moments of thinking to remember who Robert Gates is without some sort of context. So I'd probably fall in with the 79% majority on that question. But that's just a testament to his lack of public screw ups like Rumsfeld. Besides, he's kind of new. All the rest from both decades are ones I know.

Hime · 04-17-2007, 04:10 PM

I think the reason that Daily Show/Colbert Report viewers know more about current events is that if you don't already know at least a little about current events, they aren't funny. The shows cater to people who've already gotten their news from another source.

tw · 04-18-2007, 06:14 PM

All this week, PBS has been running a superb report called "America at a Crossroads". Well, since you could not watch Denny Crane womanizing, then watching the next best thing was this.

For those overseas who want to see what Americans could understand and most will ignore (research shows the young are George Jr's strongest supporters), this series should be available in the internet.

Last night was Richard Pearl making the case for more war.

TheMercenary · 04-18-2007, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tw

(research shows the young are George Jr's strongest supporters)

Great. Supporting documents?

04-16-2007, 05:50 PM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	People still ignorant about current events I could live on a diet of Pew Research surveys. They are always awesome. Public Knowledge of Current Affairs Little Changed by News and Information Revolutions This next result is priceless!

04-16-2007, 05:56 PM	#2
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	too much news is bad for you __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

04-16-2007, 05:56 PM	#3
bluesdave Getting older every day Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Australia Posts: 308	UT, I think that it is a problem in the whole Western World. People, especially younger ones, are more interested in their daily lives, careers (money), and possessions. I bet if the researchers had asked what brand of plasma HD TV gives the best picture, 80% of respondents would be able to give an answer (not the same answer, but an answer, rather than "I don't know"). It just seems to be the way our world is now. __________________ History is a great teacher; it is a shame that people never learn from it.

04-16-2007, 08:11 PM	#6
Ibby erika Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: "the high up north" Posts: 6,127	I'm not the slightest bit suprised that watchers of colbert/stewart are the smartest. Those two are brilliant. __________________ not really back, you didn't see me, i was never here shhhhhh

04-17-2007, 01:26 PM	#10
TheMercenary “Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo” Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Savannah, Georgia Posts: 21,393	Interesting results. __________________ Anyone but the this most fuked up President in History in 2012!

04-16-2007, 07:29 PM	#4
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	The Daily Show audience is the most knowledgeable?! That's hysterical!

04-16-2007, 07:57 PM	#5
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	bluesd, I did think about saying "Americans still ignorant..." but you and I and everyone else knows, it's pretty much the same everywhere: a third follows as much as they can, a third follows the gossip of their street and who's on TV, and a third follows where the opener is kept.

04-16-2007, 10:45 PM	#7
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	I find it interesting that a single show on a network (the O'Reilly Factor) could score so much higher than the network as a whole (Fox News Channel.)

04-16-2007, 11:25 PM	#8
piercehawkeye45 Franklin Pierce Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,695	Haha, my roommates New Year resoltion was to watch morning shows to catch up with current events. Irony? Plus the fact that I bring home two newspapers everyday that he can read. I'm not suprised that current event knowledge is going down. People are less and less interested in what is happening as long as it doesn't directly affect them. And for the studies defense, I didn't know some of the answers.

04-17-2007, 03:06 AM	#9
rkzenrage Guest Posts: n/a	I got tha' fear

04-17-2007, 03:03 PM	#11
elSicomoro Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 12,486	I think I'm pretty knowledgeable on current events, but I can't saturate myself in news like I used to. I did that a few years ago, then got so sick of it, I quit watching it for like 2 or 3 months.

04-17-2007, 03:39 PM	#12
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	It would take me a few moments of thinking to remember who Robert Gates is without some sort of context. So I'd probably fall in with the 79% majority on that question. But that's just a testament to his lack of public screw ups like Rumsfeld. Besides, he's kind of new. All the rest from both decades are ones I know.

04-17-2007, 04:10 PM	#13
Hime Extraordinary Machine Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Outside of Washington, DC Posts: 307	I think the reason that Daily Show/Colbert Report viewers know more about current events is that if you don't already know at least a little about current events, they aren't funny. The shows cater to people who've already gotten their news from another source.

04-18-2007, 06:14 PM	#14
tw Read? I only know how to write. Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 11,933	All this week, PBS has been running a superb report called "America at a Crossroads". Well, since you could not watch Denny Crane womanizing, then watching the next best thing was this. For those overseas who want to see what Americans could understand and most will ignore (research shows the young are George Jr's strongest supporters), this series should be available in the internet. Last night was Richard Pearl making the case for more war.

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