How gullible are we?

[Kadagar_AV]

This is an old experiment, but it has just been repeated in Sweden.

A student tried to get people to sign a petition to ban "dihydrogen monoxide".

Why?

it can cause excessive sweating and vomiting.
it is a major component in acid rain.
it can cause severe burns in its gaseous state.
accidental inhalation can kill you.
it contributes to erosion.
it decreases effectiveness of automobile brakes.
it has been found in tumors of terminal cancer patients.

92% were FOR the ban.
7,5% were undecided
0,5% understood it was water.

An american experiment has been made showing about the same statistics.



What does this say about democracy, when 92% of the population wants to ban water if you put it the right way?

[Jolt]

BAN DEMOCRACY!

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

It shows that 92% of the population needs to go back to high school and retake a science course.

[Lemur]

Kadgar, I think you're mis-attributing the source here. I think you will find that this is where this experiment came from.

[Incongruous]

Bogus.

If it was brought up a national agenda, then the party proposing it would be hammered not just by the opposition but by independent scientists, people would understand and tell those who were for it to bugger off.

Democracy saved!

[Sasaki Kojiro]

It shows that 92% of people will sign something just to get you to quit bothering them.

[CountArach]

I didn't get that it was water until I thought about it for a little while - I didn't pay much attention in science and I dropped it as soon as I was allowed to.

All this shows is that explanation and debate is important for Democracy. Without it stupid decisions will be made.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

While I don't think that the question is necessarily relevant in and of itself, I do think that it raises an important point about democracy.

In Athens, the youth were educated - with a specific goal in mind. That goal was essentially to create a solid, well-rounded, active citizen who would participate in the democratic system. Recently, in our schooling, we haven't seen this. Students are taught the basics, as always, but something very important is missing. Students cannot be taught this in a single civics course - they need constant reminding in every course that they should be active citizens, and that if they are not they are shirking their civic duty.

[Beefy187]

I didn't realise at all. Only alternative names I can recall is H2O..

Firstly, I didn't really enjoy science. Experiments back in primary schools were fun, but in my high school days.. I decided that I had more important stuff to learn like Film and TV so I decided not to do science courses. I thought its better not to do it if I can't even stay focus and remember everything.

Secondly if the fellow said "Ban the water!" I think everyone would've understood it. They just need to put it in simpler terms so all the people know exactly whats going on.

All we need in democracy is opposition party pointing out that "dihydrogen monoxide" is Water.

[Kadagar_AV]

Kadgar, I think you're mis-attributing the source here. I think you will find that this is where this experiment came from.

Don't get me wrong, I have the GREATEST respect for P&T...

But they were not first :)

[Scurvy]

Its been said already, I had no idea what dihydrogen monoxide was, and I doubt I will remeber it. If someone gave me that list of side-effects, having ambushed me with a clipboard, I might just sign it to make them go away. we have opposing parties, and the media to 'protect' the elctorate from such things, although no party would ever propose it anyway.

[HopAlongBunny]

This goes straight to the heart of questionnaires and polling data in general.

Properly crafted, a poll should give exactly the results the sponsor desires; which is why most polling data omits the question(s) asked, order they were asked, sample size, and population sample was drawn from.

[CountArach]

This goes straight to the heart of questionnaires and polling data in general.

Properly crafted, a poll should give exactly the results the sponsor desires; which is why most polling data omits the question(s) asked, order they were asked, sample size, and population sample was drawn from.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yhN1IDLQjo

Had to beat EMFM to that link.

[Rhyfelwyr]

I sign any petition thrown at me, just so it puts some pressure on our lazy politicians who won't notice something unless you hit them in the face with it.

I mean, the public might be stupid enough to sign such a petition, but I can already imagine a few bills getting through various stages at Westminster before someone realises what it was about.

[Marshal Murat]

That's why we have Representative Democracy, to prevent the masses from making stupid decisions.

Or the politicians exploit dihydrogen monoxide as a political tool "GLOBAL DIHYDROGEN MONOXIDE WARMING"

[Aemilius Paulus]

I was waiting for this thread for quite some time, yes. I am authoritarian, mostly on the grounds that people are incredibly imbecilic most of the time. They know nothing of economics, politics, and science to make almost any decisions on what measures should be passed. I may know some more than an average person on science, economics, and politics, but woefully little to make even the smallest government decisions. Who are the people to argue how large the stimulus has to be? Only .4 percent have a solid grasp of economics.

This study reminded me of another similar one. People went around with a petition to end women's suffrage. Among other arguments, they stated "stop the women's suffering!". And the vast majority signed it. Not surprising at all. The general population is not very educated, especially given the gargantuan English vocabulary. In comparison to other languages, English has at least 30 synonyms for every word. You can speak English yet have the audience not understand a single word, and your speech does not even need to be technical.

92% is actually quite plausible. From all the adults I know, no one knows a bit of science, even the intelligent ones, except my science teachers of course. I would not sign the petition, as science is among one of my numerous interests and because of course di(2) mono(1) means H2O1, or simply H20. I, however, do not blame the people for not knowing it, as people usually know even less science then they know of history, geography and economics. Which is why I am authoritarian. And which is why I loathe abortion debates, for instance, as both sides never seem to get their biology straight.




Or the politicians exploit dihydrogen monoxide as a political tool "GLOBAL DIHYDROGEN MONOXIDE WARMING"
Actually, laugh if you want, but water vapour is the most potent greenhouse gas. It is incredibly common, as Hydrogen and Oxygen are so abundant on our planet, and it is very dense and heavy compared to other gases. Take water vapour away from our atmosphere, and we would have a global cooling effect. Remember, CO2 makes up a seemingly measly 0.038% of our atmosphere.

That said, save for the instability/loss of species/habitat it would cause, the long term effects of no more than 3-4 degrees (enormous increase, mind that) would be most positive. Remember how splendid our planet was before the Ice Ages, in the Mesozoic Era (just not counting the arid Triassic). Too bad the land area was smaller, although the seas were shallow as well, which contributed to the significantly smaller land area.





EDIT: Oh, and did I mention that the best way to get a petition signed is to put an attractive woman as the spokesman and the petition handler? Attractive people get so many benefits compared to average persons, that to cut their legs off would still put them farther ahead than an average bloke.

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

I'm amused that you see the average human as ignorant and easily swayed...

...and then argue that we should put these humans in charge of each other. The inmates running the asylum, no?

/and I really doubt your "cut the legs off of hot people" thing... Frankly that's a little weird.

[Hooahguy]

wow. all i can say is wow...

[Seamus Fermanagh]

I feel constrained to point out that enforcing a ban on Dihydrogen Monoxide would fairly rapidly bring an end to man-caused global warming, overpopulation, urban sprawl and a host of other problems. Maybe they're on to something....

[Husar]

I remembered it immediately, not just because there is a website that calls for it's ban with the same reasons stated. I also like complicated words a bit so i remember them better and sometimes think long about where they might come from to find out useless things noone else cares about, you don't really want to know more about it but guess it makes me a beacon of democracy now.

[CountArach]

I am authoritarian, mostly on the grounds that people are incredibly imbecilic most of the time.

So what makes you qualified to make that statement? If you too are a person and hence are prone to not knowing everything, why should you feel like you are aptly qualified to state that authoritarianism is the solution?

[Kralizec]

I feel constrained to point out that enforcing a ban on Dihydrogen Monoxide would fairly rapidly bring an end to man-caused global warming, overpopulation, urban sprawl and a host of other problems. Maybe they're on to something....

Maybe...but would you believe a politician who says he'll get rid of all water in a 4 year term?

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Maybe...but would you believe a politician who says he'll get rid of all water in a 4 year term?

I rarely believe them entirely...except when they state that they wish another term.

[Ice]

So what makes you qualified to make that statement? If you too are a person and hence are prone to not knowing everything, why should you feel like you are aptly qualified to state that authoritarianism is the solution?

He feels he is more educated and knowledgeable than the general masses. I would tend to agree.

Although I don't share his view of authoritanism, I agree that most people should not make decisions that they have little understanding about. You cannot simply be "informed" of the effect of an economic stimulus package, you must understand how it actually works.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

He feels he is more educated and knowledgeable than the general masses. I would tend to agree.

Although I don't share his view of authoritanism, I agree that most people should not make decisions that they have little understanding about. You cannot simply be "informed" of the effect of an economic stimulus package, you must understand how it actually works.

I agree with this, but watching clips of our representatives doesn't comfort me much...of course the daily show always picks on the silliest people...

[Husar]

You cannot simply be "informed" of the effect of an economic stimulus package, you must understand how it actually works.

The problems is, sometimes, like with the stimulus package, noone really knows and the "experts" all say different things. In such cases, who is going to decide which "expert" is actually correct?

[Gregoshi]

In such cases, who is going to decide which "expert" is actually correct?

The one that agrees with your uninformed opinion, of course. I mean the general "you", not you specifically Husar.

[Husar]

The one that agrees with your uninformed opinion, of course. I mean the general "you", not you specifically Husar.

Oh, I'm uninformed and dumb, it's alright.