Originally Posted by jayeff

Many times I wish I had studied mass pyschology properly instead of just dabbling in it. Because for example in the case of the WMD's (or rather the lack of them) isn't it bizarre that a year ago only a little over one-third of Americans believed they had been found and now half do.

The phenomenon is explained by some analysts who claim that reality is less important to many people than wanting to feel good about their country. Which in this context means finding a justification for the invasion of Iraq. And there is perhaps an explanation in that just before the Harris Poll this summer, a couple of Republicans did make a noise about a weapons dump that was discovered. They chose not to mention that the weapons were all old and useless, and I guess if you wanted to believe what they were implying, you simply ignored everyone who later pointed out that missing information.

Otherwise, most of the things Americans apparently don't know are down to poor education. The US has the lowest education standards of any industrialised nation and at least in terms of the most popular media, there isn't much risk that Americans' basic ignorance of the world around them is likely to be disturbed.

But it is only a matter of degree. Polls in other countries can be almost as embarrassing and everywhere, cost, rather than a sincere desire to educate, dominates.