Are "polls" merely propaganda tools?

Every time you turn around, some blowhard on TV is citing a poll on this or that. It seems we are hammered daily with polls. Is public opinion being manipulated and are the sheep being conditioned to believe whatever they want us to believe?

I find all these polls to be very difficult to believe. How often do you see a poll and think there's no way on earth that a majority of people feel/think that way?

I mean, who is taking part in all these polls? Are they calling land-lines or cell phones? Are they using scientific or unscientific methods and sampling? If they are using internet polls, we all know those are unscientific. How can they possibly prove if a sampling is truly representative of the entire country?

What say you: Have you ever ONCE been called to take part in one of the gazillion polls you see being cited on TV each and every day? What do you think of all these so-called polls?

reply to post by coastalite


Yes.

Polls are always cited, yet I never seem to know anyone that has ever been polled.

polls are nothing but propaganda they all depend on who you ask the question and how you ask the question and then how they spin the results depending on who takes it.

polls have never swayed nor reaffirmed any issue i look at.

You should start a poll and find out for yourself.

reply to post by Miraj


I don't know anyone else who has ever been polled to take part in any of these daily "public opinion" polls we see on TV each day of our lives.

I will admit, during elections for political polls I have been called once or twice, but I have NEVER been called to take part in a public opinion poll.

Originally posted by neo96
polls are nothing but propaganda they all depend on who you ask the question and how you ask the question and then how they spin the results depending on who takes it.

Unfortunately, the sheep are swayed by polls that tell them what and how to think and who to vote for.

Never underestimate the stupidity of the American electorate.

reply to post by coastalite


no arguement the majority of americans are stupid.

second line thinks so to

Yes they are, and here's how you can tell. Notice whenever you see any poll on the news it's always in "Percentages" and not the number of people? Well, there's your answer. Lets give the poll taker the benefit of the doubt and say they actually do get these answers. Okay, if two people voted yes to somethig and one voted no, then you can clearly see how the percentages will look much higher, therefore, more effective.

Then you can always think about this, how many people do you personally know that was polled or asked to take a poll? Chances are none. When you ask people you don't know they'll tell you the same thing. So makes you wonder.

But it's the percentages that get people believing. I think we should email the news corps and tell them from now on we want to see numbers of people instead of percentages. Keep hammering that home to them and maybe they'll stop huh?