George Rebane
Union columnist Terry McLaughlin penned an important column in today’s (3nov22) newspaper titled ‘Perceptions and reality’. In there she cited studies from academe and data from government agencies about the large deficits in what our adult population, which includes the electorate, knows about our country and what beliefs they actually use on which to base their decisions. The information derived from academic surveys paints a picture of a population that has almost no knowledge about the important parameters that define the country they live in. McLaughlin does an excellent job in summarizing the skewed view our neighbors have about America.
For example, Americans’ average belief in share of adults who belong to unions is 36 % to the actual value of 4%. They believe that about 26% of American household incomes exceed $500,000 when the real share is about 1%. They also think that about 41% of Americans are black when the reality is approximately 14%. The numbers are 39% for Hispanics instead of 17% according to the census. We believe that 30% of us are homosexual when again the real number is 3%; that 21% are transgender which in reality is 0.6%.
It’s not hard to attribute the reason we have such a grossly misinformed citizenry. Almost all of them have been educated by barrel-bottom teachers in unionized public schools which promote the country’s leftwing narrative, and that recently have started incorporating various neo-Marxist ‘critical’ curricula based on the teachings of the Frankfurt School (more here). All of these educational institutions, even at the university level, are teaching the country to believe that there is a new norm in place that is markedly different from what the older folks were taught and grew up with. And all of this is reinforced daily by the preponderant leftwing (aka lamestream) media. When we look at its emphasized news items, ads and commercials, and entertainment program contents, we see such skewed population shares being foisted on the consuming audiences with brains in neutral.
And to put a bow on this state of our nation, McLaughlin cites “research (that) seems to indicate that shining a light on public misperceptions and providing accurate data may have little or no impact on changing the firmly held positions and opinions of Americans on almost any topic.”
The lament of those who are not so encumbered is what will this existential plurality take into the voting booth next Tuesday. Looking at the condition of our country, and especially California, we know how they have mis-marked their ballots in the past. Given the hysterical level of daily lies from the Left – the economy is sound, crime is low, borders are secure, Republicans will destroy democracy, wind and sun will replace fossil fuels, higher taxes and more regulations are good, … – does not promise anything better from the upcoming mid-term election. But then again, I may be wrong. Even a pecking blind chicken will eventually find a seed.
rebanesruminations.com 
Leave a comment