this post was submitted on 07 Jul 2025
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Mildly Interesting

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[–] j4k3@lemmy.world 99 points 1 day ago* (last edited 12 hours ago) (3 children)

Feels like they polled an elementary school in Philadelphia

[–] prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

Feels like they polled an elementary school in Jersey

You mean the state with the highest ranked Pre-K-12 by US News and World Report? That Jersey?

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/rankings/education/prek-12

Errr, I mean "Lol Jersey sucks amirite?"

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[–] Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works 55 points 1 day ago (6 children)

These estimates are bananas, this only shows the systematic stupidification of Americans is highly successful.

[–] ProvableGecko@lemmy.world 18 points 1 day ago (4 children)

It's called propaganda! Relentless, unceasing bombardment of right wing brain rotting propaganda.

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[–] WoodScientist@sh.itjust.works 7 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

~~There are some errors in the "correct" numbers For example, note that the respondents estimated that 89% of Americans have a high school diploma or higher. Yet the chart says the real figure is 65%. But doesn't that seem odd to you? Do you think on average 35% of people drop out of high school?~~

~~No, the source of this error is that the question is poorly worded. 90% of Americans 25 or older have a college degree. The graphic indicates the poll asked specifically about adults. And it seems the respondents had the correct answer, about 90%.~~

~~I don't know where they get the figure that only 65% of adults have a high school degree. My best estimate is that they mixed up "the percentage of adults with a high school degree" and "the percent of people with a high school degree." The latter would count all current K12 students, as they obviously don't have their diploma yet.~~

~~This is one item that really stood as an obvious and glaring error. And if I can see this one, I wonder if other numbers in either the 'correct' responses or the respondents' results are just due to poor or incorrect phrasing/interpretation of questions.~~

I have two master's degrees, have spent years teaching undergraduate engineering courses, am working on a dual-major PhD in engineering...and I...apparently...cannot read a plot.

[–] atomicorange@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

Check the color of the dots, my friend. Red is the true value, blue is the survey participants’ estimate.

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[–] Ilovethebomb@sh.itjust.works 15 points 1 day ago (2 children)

92% of their population lives in either California, Texas, or NYC, if you do the maths.

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[–] jsomae@lemmy.ml 1 points 19 hours ago

I think they should be including a range for the true value for the minorities, since a lot of these numbers are inexact.

[–] Gloomy@mander.xyz 76 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (3 children)

Only 3% Atheists... And all of them are here on Lemmy.

[–] DrCake@lemmy.world 57 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I know Americans love Jesus a whole lot but really only 4%. That just seems crazy low

[–] walden@sub.wetshaving.social 83 points 1 day ago (9 children)

I think it's because people are still uncomfortable answering "atheist" on questionnaires and polls. It's easier to say "no religious affiliation", and most people are probably agnostic instead of atheist anyway.

[–] Gloomy@mander.xyz 43 points 1 day ago

You're right. This survey lists 29 % of Americans as "Religiously unaffiliated". Of those 5 % are Atheists, 6 % Agnostic and 19 % "Nothing in particular".

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[–] GreatBlueHeron@lemmy.ca 29 points 1 day ago (15 children)

33% have a college degree yet only 3% are atheist. That's batshit crazy. I can't imagine having the critical thinking skills needed for a degree and not using those skills to figure out that god is a fairy tale.

Yes I know lots of educated people are religious - I had several christian professors when I was studying mathematics / computer science. That doesn't make it any less crazy to me.

[–] Aceticon@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Being part of a Religion has social benefits, so don't be surprised if a lot of those non-Atheists don't trully believe it but participate in it because it's good for them or because of social pressure.

Certainly, and speaking in terms of Christians which is the ones I'm more familiar with, considering the number of people who actual strictly even just try to follow ALL the teachings of Jesus or even all of the 10 commandments, almost all "Religious" people pick and chose which parts they believe and which they don't.

(In modern society Greed and Envy by themselves are probably regularly broken by 99% of Christians).

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[–] BackgrndNoize@lemmy.world 10 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

I think you are overestimating the intelligence required to get a degree in this country, also lots of intelligent people have religious beliefs of some level.

And most people who don't necessarily believe in god or practice any religion still respond to such questions with whatever religion they were born into because it's not important enough to them to take a hard stance like calling themselves atheist, or maybe they choose to be agnostic so they might not pick the atheist option.

My point is lots of factors go into surveys like these, they don't necessarily paint a super accurate picture, since any type of survey will have some external and internal biases and sampling issues baked into them

[–] surewhynotlem@lemmy.world 16 points 1 day ago (3 children)

What's not represented in the graph.. I think you'll find a large portion of agnostics and "cultural Christians". I.e. people who go to church because they're raised that way in their community expects it.

[–] MimicJar@lemmy.world 11 points 1 day ago

Even if you don't go to church if you were raised going to church and then stopped, you still might call yourself a [cultural] Christian.

Also being atheist has a bad reputation attached to it for some people, so someone who meets the definition might not self identify as one.

Similarly I expect that's also why there are a fewer percentage of Democrats than there are Republicans. I may have voted down ballot for only Democrats, but am I a DNC supporting Democrat? Not really.

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[–] prunerye@slrpnk.net 13 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Honestly the most shocking number to me is that 65% of Americans own a house. How can 62% have a household income "over $50,000" and 65% own a house? Is it all old people?

[–] ryathal@sh.itjust.works 2 points 23 hours ago

Large cities and rich people heavily skew both the average and median cost for housing. It's not cheap, but there's plenty of smaller cities and towns that have affordable options.

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[–] marius@feddit.org 38 points 1 day ago (4 children)

88% own a car, but only 82% have a license? Interesting

[–] redlemace@lemmy.world 28 points 1 day ago (1 children)

You don't need a license to own a car. You need one to drive it.

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[–] pelespirit@sh.itjust.works 26 points 1 day ago (16 children)

The 42% are democrats and 47% are republicans is the true surprise. That is a huge difference even though it might not seem like it.

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