What is wrong in Texas, in the USA?

In a University of Texas poll, an astonishing amount of those polled are woefully ignorant of basic science.

In their study, 60% of the population of Texas (that's about 15 MILLION people) either believe that Humans and Dinosaurs lived at the same time, or are "Not Sure".

!!!! Why do I find no surprise in this???

68% DO 'believe' in evolution, but it's mitigated by the "with or without a guiding hand from god" proviso.

But, "Human Evolution"??? Drops to only 50%, and the same "with or without" restriction in thinking.

When pollsters asked Texans: Do You Agree or Disagree with this statement? --- "God created Human Beings pretty much in their present form about 10,000 years ago" ---

38% of Texans AGREED!!!!!!

NOT bashing on a particular state, in the USA here....BUT this sort of poll HAS TO BE taken seriously, as indicative of the woeful lack of education in the USA, and the possible insinuation OF RELIGION, into the educational and indoctronational fabric of society, and this is what causes such ignorance to perpetuate.

Some paraphrasing, for dramatic effect, read the full article here.

Thank you very much....

I find it disturbing, but not suprising. However, in defense of Texas and religious peoples, there are even Presidents that think we have 57 states, or Senators that believe that African-Americans speak with a "negro-dialect" but only if they want to. There are many across the country that couldn't tell you which came first..WWI or WWII. They don't know US history, or even world history. As much as some may blame religion for this iggnorance, I blame the schools and the emphasis on End-Of-Grade testing.

Wait a minute, maybe they are UFO believers and believe there are other humans in the universe. probably much older than dinosaurs. So technically, in a paradoxical way, they are right if this is ever proven too be true.

But, i know what you mean. Yeah, whats wrong is that people don't care enough to remember it. Or even learn it, they are seeing life as a one skill then die scenario, not a get as much information as you can scenario.


And for the God part, due too their view on the scenario, they stick with what they learned growing up, religion wise. Meaning, they believe its already figured out, so they don't think about it.

[edit on 22-2-2010 by gandhi]

[edit on 22-2-2010 by gandhi]

reply to post by AlreadyGone


Thank you for your response.

I agree that people can make mistakes, and mis-speak, as in the "57 States" statement.

Sheesh, everyone, IF ON CAMERA 24/7, could also be caught in such gaffes.

BUT, my point was how a representative poll of what is basically "Middle America" drew such embarrassing results!!!

AND, yes....polls are only a "snapshot", and are not the end-all and be-all as a thermometer to measure the 'temperature', in all cases....

SO, you can argue about the validity of such polls....(as I have done often) but still, from a WOW!!! factor, it is devastatingly amazingly, well....WOW!!!

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Typos



[edit on 22 February 2010 by weedwhacker]

As there's already another thread about this posted today, I'd go so far as to say you're not from TX


[edit on 22-2-2010 by TXRabbit]

reply to post by weedwhacker


Embarrassing to you, not them. Embarrassment itself, just as everything, is personal opinion based. To them, you should be embarrassed for not realizing your going to heaven. See what i mean? Nobody's right if everyone is wrong. - Springfield buffalo

reply to post by weedwhacker


Meh, I started a thread about this also because I found it shocking (also typoed flintstones).

Results of that thread...about half unable to get past the flintstones/flinstones typo to actually comment, and from there, pretty much the rest save a few basically believe that indeed man and dinos may have walked together....because you know...ATS...Conspiracy people...alot of texans here to begin with, etc...no actual concern on this as education and science is an elitist tool or some such.

I give up. Humanity is doomed.

reply to post by TXRabbit


Thank you, TXRabbit....that other thread beat me to the punch, came in first, by a neck, whatever more analogies you wish to promulgate...

The 'search' function isn't perfect, obviously....I did that, then looked in the forum I posted, and either missed it, or searched improperly.

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EDIT....I chose to start this topic in THIS forum, which I thought was most appropriate....NOT in the "General Conspiracy" forum, where the other one is...so.....

I defer to the other thread, and ask everyone to do the same.

[edit on 22 February 2010 by weedwhacker]

Originally posted by weedwhacker
NOT bashing on a particular state, in the USA here....

But bashing Christians? Is this what you intended instead?

Originally posted by weedwhacker
I agree that people can make mistakes, and mis-speak, as in the "57 States" statement.

Uh, err, well, as you rush to defend him, while you bash the common folk, what exactly makes you think he was "mis-speaking" when he said he'd visited almost all 57 states? He didn't correct himself.

reply to post by weedwhacker


I'd like to know what these folks thought about the great SCIENCE scam/scandal/sham of global warming. Too bad they didn't ask them, so you would have something to say to defend as well as offend.

reply to post by weedwhacker


Even as a Texan, I have to admit that intelligent life is hard to find around here. If it doesn't have something to do with drugs, ranching or church, about 70% of the people I have encountered in my home state know nada. I mean, they are really intellectually clueless.

In defense, you could go to the streets of New York where the supposed "intellegencia" are, and hold up a picture of Joe Biden and you'd be surprised how many couldn't tell you who he is or what he does.

You'd get all sorts of answers. "Isn't he a movie actor?" "Isn't he a singer?" Blah,blah,blah. People in general are clueless, man.

reply to post by pumpkinorange

But bashing Christians?

WHERE did I mention the word "christian"???

Christians do NOT have a monoply on "stupid"....

I bash ALL religions, equally....and if "Christianity" is in that category, then it gets bashed, along with the rest of them....

BUT THAT WASN'T the point, here....or perhaps it was, because THAT may be the basis for the responses to the poll....

Gee....sensitive, eh?

reply to post by SpeakerofTruth

In defense, you could go to the streets of New York where the supposed "intellegencia" are, and hold up a picture of Joe Biden and you'd be surprised how many couldn't tell you who he is or what he does...

Yup!!

You're right. AND, if you or I or anyone else tried it, and tried to air it, we would likely get sued, because it is very, very much similar to something that Jay Leno does, and owns.....he calls it "Jay Walking".....and he has way deeper pockets than me, (or you, I assume....).

reply to post by weedwhacker


You haven't seen sensitive yet!!! Wait until the right Texan, or in your case the wrong Texan, comes on here and sees this. Hate to be you.

reply to post by weedwhacker


Yep. His "Jay walking" thing is a pretty good example of what I am referring to. It's funny to see how ignorant people really are on one hand, but sad on the other.

I'm from Texas . I don't want to toss blame but I think we can safely attribute the findings of this study to one group in particular... Smh.

When pollsters asked Texans: Do You Agree or Disagree with this statement? --- "God created Human Beings pretty much in their present form about 10,000 years ago" --

Actually thats really vague and mandkind does date back about 10,000 years so what is your point? 38% Agreed?

You do realize that a good part of the population in Texas are undocumented immigrants don't you?

If you are concerned about the weather in Texas let me tell you that it is fine down here and if you are feeling like their is something in the water then take a trip to Utah.

Originally posted by thehoneycomb


Actually thats really vague and mandkind does date back about 10,000 years so what is your point? 38% Agreed?

Uh, no.....

Between 150 000 to 200 000 years ago modern Homeo sapiens sapiens evolved in Africa. They then left the continent and settled throughout the entire world ...

Middle East – 100 000 years ago
Asia & Europe – 70 000 years ago
America – 25 000 years ago

Conservative

Even this is a conservative estimate. There have been artifacts dating back, we're talking clay jars and such, 800,000 years old found. Hell, there have been artifacts found in Nacogdoches,Texas that date back 12,000 years. No, man has been here a lot longer than 10,000 years.