harsens_rob (harsens_rob) wrote,

Trying to explain stupidity - or laziness - or stupid laziness - or lazy stupidity

I've mentioned before that to gain insight into all of those polls that get quoted and manipulated in the blogosphere and on cable tv, I turn to Nate at 538.com. I even have a permanent link on my journal page (psss - it's one of the links over to the left, there).

But sometimes, I think he does just find something interesting and ridiculous and then tries to come up with a  reason that is more than "the world is full of f'ing idiots and it is unfortunate that Darwinism isn't as strong as it once was".

His latest article is one such as it attempts to explain why this poll can't really be suggesting what it suggests because there must be a reason behind stupid people answering stupidly:

Yes, you see that correctly: 21% of the respondents who stayed on the phone with the automated surveyor said that the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico makes it MORE LIKELY to support drilling more....

MORE LIKELY to drill with a massive spill all over the news.

Now, I alas, think that we have to drill for oil at this time - there just isn't the alternatives that can be rolled out overnight that is going to replace this fossil fuel (but I'd love for someone to prove me wrong). Even if we could convert to electric cars overnight (which as far as I can tell will only make us hostages to the electric company even more than we already are - all that money we have to pay the oil companies will just be shifted, not eliminated as an expense), we still have to have oil for plastics, rubber for tires, etc. Petroleum is used in too many products to completely eschew at this time.

But even though I think we have little choice (and no good choices) but to continue our domestic drilling (and we should automatically have 'first dibs' on any mineral wealth mined in our territories - having to bid on it against the open market when we effing own it is bullshit) in no way means that I am suddenly MORE LIKELY to drill because I see a huge, black oil slick traveling across the ocean.

No one would think that - it's just ridiculous. It doesn't make sense and as Judge Judy is so fond of saying, "If it doesn't make sense, it isn't true!"

Please tell me that this 21% is among the folks who just shoot off their mouths, but never go to vote on anything because otherwise life has just gotten far more horrifying. Jeezus - oil spill = want to drill more - Jeezus Crikey....

Tags: cracked, news, opinion

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