Tea Partiers Know Science

A finding in a study on the relationship between science literacy and political ideology surprised the Yale professor behind it: Tea party members know more science than non-tea partiers.

Kahan wrote that not only did the findings surprise him, they embarrassed him.

“I’ve got to confess, though, I found this result surprising. As I pushed the button to run the analysis on my computer, I fully expected I’d be shown a modest negative correlation between identifying with the Tea Party and science comprehension,” Kahan wrote.

“But then again, I don’t know a single person who identifies with the tea party,” he continued. “All my impressions come from watching cable tv — & I don’t watch Fox News very often — and reading the ‘paper’ (New York Times daily, plus a variety of politics-focused Internet sites like Huffington Post and POLITICO). I’m a little embarrassed, but mainly, I’m just glad that I no longer hold this particular mistaken view.”

A lesson other broad brushers should learn.
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/t ... html?hp=r3

But consider this, I think people who aren't politically active tend to not be as intelligent.
So even my lefty frenemies I think are smarter than the majority of Americans who instead choose to obsess about Dancing With The Stars instead of keeping active with local and national issues.

Rick wrote:

A finding in a study on the relationship between science literacy and political ideology surprised the Yale professor behind it: Tea party members know more science than non-tea partiers.

Kahan wrote that not only did the findings surprise him, they embarrassed him.

“I’ve got to confess, though, I found this result surprising. As I pushed the button to run the analysis on my computer, I fully expected I’d be shown a modest negative correlation between identifying with the Tea Party and science comprehension,” Kahan wrote.

“But then again, I don’t know a single person who identifies with the tea party,” he continued. “All my impressions come from watching cable tv — & I don’t watch Fox News very often — and reading the ‘paper’ (New York Times daily, plus a variety of politics-focused Internet sites like Huffington Post and POLITICO). I’m a little embarrassed, but mainly, I’m just glad that I no longer hold this particular mistaken view.”

A lesson other broad brushers should learn.
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/t ... html?hp=r3

I think most broad brushers do not have the integrity to admit something that does not resonate in their echo chambers.

I'll willingly tip my hat to the Yale Prof that has published the results of his research and his own surprise at the results. Realizing that you have a problem and then publicly admitting you have a problem are the first steps in resolving the problem.

otisptoadwater wrote: I'll willingly tip my hat to the Yale Prof that has published the results of his research and his own surprise at the results. Realizing that you have a problem and then publicly admitting you have a problem are the first steps in resolving the problem.

Concur. A paragon of honesty and virtue.

The money quote: "“But then again, I don’t know a single person who identifies with the tea party,” he continued. “All my impressions come from watching cable tv -& I don’t watch Fox News very often — and reading the ‘paper’ (New York Times daily, plus a variety of politics-focused Internet sites like Huffington Post and POLITICO). I’m a little embarrassed, but mainly, I’m just glad that I no longer hold this particular mistaken view.”

I think most politically active people are smarter than you average American, especially apathetic clods who just watch bad television. But I wonder if those on the other side would be willing to agree with that?
Most of them seem to think anyone who disagrees with them is an idiot, especially if you are a knuckle dragging TEA party sympathizer.

His answer says volumes about the political vacuum that surrounds our academic institutions; would our young people be better off learning from a few years of mandatory Federal service in the DoD instead? I'm guessing that wouldn't be the best solution for every young person but I'd like to see some sort of mandatory community service post High School and pre-College for every citizen. Get each kid into a situation that challenges them to be who they have the potential to be, maximized their potential and develop them into the young adults they can become, while helping the population around them. Being pointed in the right direction and getting a little help focusing on what to do next is invaluable to young people (IMHO).

A follow up. Of course this is just anecdotal.


http://ace.mu.nu/archives/344295.php#344295


October 19, 2013
"The Tea Party is the United States' Lifeline" [OregonMuse]
I pulled this from the AoSHQ yahoo group and thought this might be interesting to y'all on a slow Saturday. Lots of good stuff here. Thanks to Michael Shields for posting it to the group.


Remember the story about a Yale professor, embarrassed because Tea Partiers aren't as stupid as he thought? Read this comment on that Yale professor's blog, by a self-identified Brazilian named, Rodrigo Del Cistia Andrade:

Let me add an international twist:

I am a Brazilian self-taught Software Engineer. I also taught myself English, to the point where I managed to hold a Cambridge CPE, despite the fact that I've never stepped on anglophonic soil and zero formal training. So my analytic and reasoning faculties seem to be in working order.

Now, with that out of the way, here's why I strongly identify with the Tea Party: in my view, they are right, and they are the US's lifeline. They represent the virtues that led to American Exceptionalism (and YES, this does exist).

I find caricaturing Tea Partiers extremely ironic, and it would be hilarious, weren't it so revolting. In my experience, being a lefty liberal is EASY. It is the default stance of the intellectually lazy."...

I find caricaturing Tea Partiers extremely ironic, and it would be hilarious, weren't it so revolting. In my experience, being a lefty liberal is EASY. It is the default stance of the intellectually lazy."...

It's also the default stance of bigots, same kind of thinking... even by people who profess to be "journalists". They see a couple people at a rally holding an offensive sign, and those people suddenly represent the entire movement, they become the story while the 99% are not.

Rick wrote:

I find caricaturing Tea Partiers extremely ironic, and it would be hilarious, weren't it so revolting. In my experience, being a lefty liberal is EASY. It is the default stance of the intellectually lazy."...

It's also the default stance of bigots, same kind of thinking... even by people who profess to be "journalists". They see a couple people at a rally holding an offensive sign, and those people suddenly represent the entire movement, they become the story while the 99% are not.

Unless it's an OWS rally. They are still fringe elements there.