Posted: Sun May 19 2002
Americans "Really Fucking Dumb" Says Report

Few in America understand science and the scientific method, and most Americans are willing to believe pretty much anything for no reason whatsoever, according to a new phone survey by the National Science Foundation.

The survey, part of the National Science Foundation's report on the state of science knowledge in America, asked participants general questions about science such as "How long does it takes for the earth to go around the sun?" and "True or false: oceans contain water."

"The results were deplorable," says National Science Foundation researcher Charlie Moody, "only about half of the population got the questions right. The other half called us 'demons' for asking such blasphemous questions and immediately performed purification rituals."

But not everyone agrees with Moody's conclusions. "I'm not too sure what 'deplorable' means, but is it really important to know how long it takes for the Earth to go around the sun?" asks Daniel York, head of a non-profit group called Americans is Good Enough. "It's not like people are ever going to need to know that stuff to get a job."

York also notes the US is not at the bottom of the list, "We're better than Somalia, or even Zaire."