Newsflash! Brits as dumb as Americans

Viking_UK

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If you had to witness what I see here in London you'd find those percentages quite promising! :rolleyes:

That's why I moved out to the country. The people aren't any brighter, but there's less pollution and the views are better.
(Thinks fondly of the Scottish educational system, looking back with rose-tinted glasses.)

Is it all down to reality TV and factual dramtisations? Maybe we need a few interesting docos to draw the line between fact and fiction. Chances are nobody would watch them though as fiction is always "more interesting than fact" (not my view).
 

frizzle

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Hooray - we won something :smile:

"UKTV Gold television surveyed 3,000 people"

Ahhhhhh.........

So based on 750 people who watch UKTV Gold, the whole of Britain is thick as the Americans?

Since the average IQ of America is 99 and Britain is 100; I think it's fair to say that I don't believe this poll's credibility.
 

Drifterwood

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I do think that the UK is becoming generally less educated. Results apparently go up, but then also apparently standards to pass come down. Furthermore teaching people to pass a test is not the same as educating them.

Throw into this apparent global dumbing down and anti-intellectualism as discussed elsewhere and yes, I am sure that you can find dumb fucks here as dumb as anyone else's dumb fucks.

Not sure what US people would make of a question on their 12th Century history though.
 

ZOS23xy

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I thought the initial headline was about "
Brit" as in "Britney" and was a dumb American. Had my intuitive pause checked.

Everywhere there are uneducated people. Most of them don't make the news. Most of the news they generate isn't amusing. Or worth checking out, unless its a Darwin Award.

A few years ago, some New York hoodlums chased down Hindu folks and threatened them 'cause they looked like A-Rabs. Ignorance at its nadir.
 

seahorses

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Hooray - we won something :smile:

"UKTV Gold television surveyed 3,000 people"

Ahhhhhh.........

We didn't win brother dumb, we drew! We don't win, it's bad for us; we win something then spend several decades hibernating, it's too much of a shock to the system.
Dumb Sea :wink:
 

Principessa

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A few years ago, some New York hoodlums chased down Hindu folks and threatened them 'cause they looked like A-Rabs. Ignorance at its nadir.
What's that? Are you calling Ralph Nader an ignorant Arab? That's impossible! He has run for president of the US and everyone knows you must be VERY smart to do that.:tongue:


Not sure what US people would make of a question on their 12th Century history though.
Since no one but the indigenous tribes or Native Americans knew that we were even here until the late 1400's I imagine you would get a lot of dumb stares from people to who m you asked this question.
 

tripod

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Even if this is true in any small part...our Greatest Briton was not voted 'Mighty Mouse' or 'Del Boy' whereas apparently the greatest American is...Homer Simpson :confused:

That's whack, yo!

Also I bet if the same 'Who do you think is a myth' survey was done in America, Americans would fare worse :p

This study seems to be a bit salacious... I wonder just how scientific a poll it was... they would have had to interview thousands of people to get this kind of empirical data, right now... I just don't believe it, I guess I don't wanna believe it!

Wouldn't the greatest Briton be "Danger Mouse"? lol!!

Americans are the absolute dumbest people on earth, the average American couldn't find Iraq or Saudi Arabia (since they are our favorite countries... you would think that we could locate them) on the map... and the names of the countries were on the maps! Aaaarrggh!!!!!!
 

dong20

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The only mitigating factor in this poll, and those like it is the demographic of UKTV Gold viewers - Think Jerry Springer fans and you'll have an idea of the intellectual calibre of a typical respondent.

Like the polls that purport to show Americans as dumb, the you tube link for example, you sample those people you know will give you the result you're seeking. Typical MO for any 'popular' poll.

You also need to consider the questions, get the right person to ask the right question to get the desired response. The theory is exemplified here in an old episode of Yes Prime Minister.

Sir Humphrey: "You know what happens: nice young lady comes up to you. Obviously you want to create a good impression, you don't want to look a fool, do you? So she starts asking you some questions:

Mr. Woolley, are you worried about the number of young people without jobs?"
Bernard Woolley: "Yes"
Sir Humphrey: "Are you worried about the rise in crime among teenagers?"
Bernard Woolley: "Yes"
Sir Humphrey: "Do you think there is a lack of discipline in our Comprehensive schools?"
Bernard Woolley: "Yes"
Sir Humphrey: "Do you think young people welcome some authority and leadership in their lives?"
Bernard Woolley: "Yes"
Sir Humphrey: "Do you think they respond to a challenge?"
Bernard Woolley: "Yes"
Sir Humphrey: "Would you be in favour of reintroducing National Service?"
Bernard Woolley: "Oh...well, I suppose I might be."
Sir Humphrey: "Yes or no?"
Bernard Woolley: "Yes"

Sir Humphrey: "Of course you would, Bernard. After all you told you can't say no to that. So they don't mention the first five questions and they publish the last one."

Bernard Woolley: "Is that really what they do?"
Sir Humphrey: "Well, not the reputable ones no, but there aren't many of those. So alternatively the young lady can get the opposite result."
Bernard Woolley: "How?"


Sir Humphrey: "Mr. Woolley, are you worried about the danger of war?"
Bernard Woolley: "Yes"
Sir Humphrey: "Are you worried about the growth of armaments?"
Bernard Woolley: "Yes"
Sir Humphrey: "Do you think there is a danger in giving young people guns and teaching them how to kill?"
Bernard Woolley: "Yes"
Sir Humphrey: "Do you think it is wrong to force people to take up arms against their will?"
Bernard Woolley: "Yes"
Sir Humphrey: "Would you oppose the reintroduction of National Service?"
Bernard Woolley: "Yes"
Sir Humphrey: "There you are, you see Bernard. The perfect balanced sample."
 

B_ScaredLittleBoy

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Dangermouse was the one I was thinking of actually. I think I got confused between Mighty Max and Dangermouse. I don't think Mighty Max was British either... :redface:

Thundercats was though :smile:...right?
 

tripod

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Dangermouse was the one I was thinking of actually. I think I got confused between Mighty Max and Dangermouse. I don't think Mighty Max was British either... :redface:

Thundercats was though :smile:...right?

Oh God... Thundercats, my hair used to be streaked with blonde highlights when I was in college and my nickname was "thundercat"... people that didn't like me called me that! Aaarrggh! Oh, and they are making a flippin' movie of that cartoon... this year! Nooooooooooo!!!!!
 

eddyabs

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Not really a fair representation with just 3000 votes. I do tend to dispute the findings of the poll....if it does come from UKTV Gold, well, that's hardly a fair representation of our nation.

A more fair representation of the nations historical knowledge when it comes to important figures in our history, would be the 'Greatest Briton' poll that the BBC held a few years back. In that poll there were over 1,600,000 votes, and Sir Winston Churchill came top as the greatest Briton with over 440,000 votes.

And UKTV Gold being the source is laughable. Hardly surprising that this was the outcome of their insignificant poll.