October 26, 2004

PIPA

I knew there was something rotten in Denmark about that "separate realities" PIPA poll. I really liked the title, and I certainly agree that hardcore Bush and Kerry supporters live in separate realities. But once I started reading the report, I realized that the different realities broke down into Bush = deluded Kerry = right. Sigh. Whenever the report pointed out how dumb Bush supporters are for believing something, I found myself thinking that, depending on how it was worded, I would've answered the same thing. And that's the crux of the report: depending on how it's worded. Joe Carter leads a discussion of adjectives and Xlrq addresses the misleading questions in the poll. I firmly believe we live in separate realities, but this report did absolutely nothing to illuminate these differences.

Posted by Sarah at October 26, 2004 07:30 AM
Comments

I think i can shed some light on the two realities. There are those of us that "know" our government lies to us, and that it is a matter of time before we catch those lies. Then there are those that want to believe the government, and are hurt and shocked when they find out the government lied to them. Much of this is predicated on ones age I suppose, if you lived through the "Gulf of Tonkin" and Watergate series of lies you have no faith that anyone in government will tell the truth. If you were born post 1973, you are likely a "believer"

Posted by: Bubba Bo Bob Brain at October 27, 2004 03:21 AM

But I know plenty of people my age or younger who are convinced that the government is lying. Is that really an age distinction or just an ideology one?

Posted by: Sarah at October 27, 2004 07:29 AM

Well if your under thirty, it is probably ideology. For me it is an accumulation of things I have witnessed, things like the Gulf of Tonkin, Watergate, and the lies the Air Force tell a widow when her husband is killed as a result of a helocopter accident. I might be a cynic, but I am comfortable knowing I am writing in for president: "Mays Gilliam" a fictional character for a ficticious time. I wonder how long you will be able to hold out and not become a cynic.

Posted by: Bubba Bo Bob Brain at October 29, 2004 02:03 AM