It's a flat world after all. <-Disney, but SCARY!

[Brian37]

It means ~80,000,000 Americans don't know fundamental science.

No, it means 572 Americans don’t know fundamental science.

Boru

I myself can't do a fraction to save my life, but I damned sure listen to the science. I also cant melt metal to build an engine block or build a car, but I don't falsely assume my car runs on pixy dust. Understanding that the earth goes around the sun isn't hard to understand and simple visuals can demonstrate that. 

If one stupidly believes the sun goes around the earth, and you still deny that after someone corrects you, it is no longer ignorance, but willful ignorance.

How many of these people are simply ignorant, vs willfully ignorant?

---

And that is just a big enough number to fuck things up for the sane. Unfortunately those 80,000,000 also vote too.

No, they don’t. GS got that 80 million as a percentage of ALL Americans. Not all Americans are eligible to vote, and not all of those who are eligible actually vote.

And (I may be wrong on this) most people don’t factor in astronomy when casting a vote.

Boru

I am sure they don't factor that in. But if they are ignorant of important facts, pretty sure they also ignore other topics too.

I am a bad speller myself. But I at least try. I love the red line under my posts. It forces me to check. I am not perfect, but it at least challenges me.

There is no way around the fact that people's personal beliefs affect their voting habits, regardless of politics, economics or religion. Point is, FACTS matter.

If one is ignorant of, or willfully ignorant of facts, they most certainly can fall for all sorts of other absurdities too.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

"Representative sample."

I know that number is close to accurate because I've met every fucking one of them on the Internet since 1990.

[Brian37]

Between someone who accepts the earth revolving around the sun, and someone who thinks the sun revolves around the earth, whom do you think you'd be more likely to sell an invisible Lamborghini to? Whom do you think is more likely to buy bullshit like psychics?

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

No, it means 572 Americans don’t know fundamental science.

Boru

I myself can't do a fraction to save my life, but I damned sure listen to the science. I also cant melt metal to build an engine block or build a car, but I don't falsely assume my car runs on pixy dust. Understanding that the earth goes around the sun isn't hard to understand and simple visuals can demonstrate that. 

If one stupidly believes the sun goes around the earth, and you still deny that after someone corrects you, it is no longer ignorance, but willful ignorance.

How many of these people are simply ignorant, vs willfully ignorant?

---

No, they don’t. GS got that 80 million as a percentage of ALL Americans. Not all Americans are eligible to vote, and not all of those who are eligible actually vote.

And (I may be wrong on this) most people don’t factor in astronomy when casting a vote.

Boru

I am sure they don't factor that in. But if they are ignorant of important facts, pretty sure they also ignore other topics too.

I am a bad speller myself. But I at least try. I love the red line under my posts. It forces me to check. I am not perfect, but it at least challenges me.

There is no way around the fact that people's personal beliefs affect their voting habits, regardless of politics, economics or religion. Point is, FACTS matter.

If one is ignorant of, or willfully ignorant of facts, they most certainly can fall for all sorts of other absurdities too.

So what?  Everyone is ignorant to a certain extent.

Boru

[Brian37]

I myself can't do a fraction to save my life, but I damned sure listen to the science. I also cant melt metal to build an engine block or build a car, but I don't falsely assume my car runs on pixy dust. Understanding that the earth goes around the sun isn't hard to understand and simple visuals can demonstrate that. 

If one stupidly believes the sun goes around the earth, and you still deny that after someone corrects you, it is no longer ignorance, but willful ignorance.

How many of these people are simply ignorant, vs willfully ignorant?

---

I am sure they don't factor that in. But if they are ignorant of important facts, pretty sure they also ignore other topics too.

I am a bad speller myself. But I at least try. I love the red line under my posts. It forces me to check. I am not perfect, but it at least challenges me.

There is no way around the fact that people's personal beliefs affect their voting habits, regardless of politics, economics or religion. Point is, FACTS matter.

If one is ignorant of, or willfully ignorant of facts, they most certainly can fall for all sorts of other absurdities too.

So what?  Everyone is ignorant to a certain extent.

Boru

Like I said before, I personally can't do a fraction to save my life, still not the point.

I am capable of listening to experts and getting a grasp on an overall concept, even if I don't understand the details myself.

Yes, we are all ignorant of topics we are not familiar with. But in the age of science and google, one can at a minimum find the facts.

Just like I know how to drive a car even though I cant build one from scratch, but accept it does not run on pixy dust.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

So what?  Everyone is ignorant to a certain extent.

Boru

Like I said before, I personally can't do a fraction to save my life, still not the point.

I am capable of listening to experts and getting a grasp on an overall concept, even if I don't understand the details myself.

Yes, we are all ignorant of topics we are not familiar with. But in the age of science and google, one can at a minimum find the facts.

Just like I know how to drive a car even though I cant build one from scratch, but accept it does not run on pixy dust.

Thanks for repeating yourself. 

What are you saying - that people ignorant of basic astronomy shouldn’t be allowed to vote? That there should be a Basic Science Test administered before you go into the voting booth?

By the way- it’s ‘pixie’, not ‘pixy’. 

Boru

[Brian37]

Like I said before, I personally can't do a fraction to save my life, still not the point.

I am capable of listening to experts and getting a grasp on an overall concept, even if I don't understand the details myself.

Yes, we are all ignorant of topics we are not familiar with. But in the age of science and google, one can at a minimum find the facts.

Just like I know how to drive a car even though I cant build one from scratch, but accept it does not run on pixy dust.

Thanks for repeating yourself. 

What are you saying - that people ignorant of basic astronomy shouldn’t be allowed to vote? That there should be a Basic Science Test administered before you go into the voting booth?

By the way- it’s ‘pixie’, not ‘pixy’. 

Boru

Way to once again, put thoughts in my head that are not there.

I am saying America needs to do better in educating kids at a young age.

---

"Pixie", thanks for the correction, and no, that was not sarcasm. I don't mind being corrected on my spelling. Being very serious in saying this.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

And yet you said earlier that it scares you that those 80 million people mentioned by GS can vote.  And all you know about them is that they got a survey question wrong.

Boru

[Brian37]

And yet you said earlier that it scares you that those 80 million people mentioned by GS can vote.  And all you know about them is that they got a survey question wrong.

Boru

Past, present and future........ 

I cant change the past, but everyone should work toward a more educated society. Or do you want to live in an ignorant society? Boru, you are a smart person, and I would hope you would not.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

And yet you said earlier that it scares you that those 80 million people mentioned by GS can vote.  And all you know about them is that they got a survey question wrong.

Boru

Past, present and future........ 

I cant change the past, but everyone should work toward a more educated society. Or do you want to live in an ignorant society? Boru, you are a smart person, and I would hope you would not.

I place a tremendous value on education, probably more than you realize. But I just don’t think that some people not knowing that the Earth goes round the Sun is something to get all all fatootzed about.  

In fact, one of the greatest minds of the 19th century, the principle founder of modern criminology, said, ‘What the deuce is it to me? You say that we go round the sun. If we went round the moon it would not make a pennyworth of difference to me or to my work.’

Boru