Journalists and editors focus on these suspect numbers because they point to importance and noteworthiness. They should stop doing this. This sticks in my mind: During the first Trump administration an editor asked me what real impact a fringe group would really have politics, because their numbers were relatively small. I should have responded: "These people will soon spearhead a riot at the U.S. Capitol".
Instead of focusing on the numbers, people should focus on the impact. A large number of Americans do think that the government is hiding evidence of extra-terrestrial life. Mostly this does not have much impact on daily life, although it might erode some trust in institutions. Other fringe beliefs and conspiracy theories have had profound impacts on society.
Excellente contextualisation! We have similar problems every year in France because of poorly designed annual surveys on conspiracy beliefs and critical thinking. Unfortunately...the "people are stupid" narrative sells too well and is too intuitive for most reports to question. I'm surprised you didn't link this article with your work on the "faith in reason" scale.
Interesting, I first heard about the Pac-Man rule at a workshop run by Sheffield chamber of commerce over 20 years ago. They stated it the other way around though: if you are at a conference or similar event, and are on your own and looking for people to talk to, avoid those standing in closed groups, and look for groups that leave a gap as they are more likely to be open to new people joining.
(It was also at this workshop that I met the artist Paul Evans, who is now a very good friend. We were pretty much the only people there who didn't work for banks or solicitors, and so we soon formed our own circle of two. We've often touched on the topic of "groups with gaps" in the years since)
Journalists and editors focus on these suspect numbers because they point to importance and noteworthiness. They should stop doing this. This sticks in my mind: During the first Trump administration an editor asked me what real impact a fringe group would really have politics, because their numbers were relatively small. I should have responded: "These people will soon spearhead a riot at the U.S. Capitol".
Instead of focusing on the numbers, people should focus on the impact. A large number of Americans do think that the government is hiding evidence of extra-terrestrial life. Mostly this does not have much impact on daily life, although it might erode some trust in institutions. Other fringe beliefs and conspiracy theories have had profound impacts on society.
Excellente contextualisation! We have similar problems every year in France because of poorly designed annual surveys on conspiracy beliefs and critical thinking. Unfortunately...the "people are stupid" narrative sells too well and is too intuitive for most reports to question. I'm surprised you didn't link this article with your work on the "faith in reason" scale.
Interesting, I first heard about the Pac-Man rule at a workshop run by Sheffield chamber of commerce over 20 years ago. They stated it the other way around though: if you are at a conference or similar event, and are on your own and looking for people to talk to, avoid those standing in closed groups, and look for groups that leave a gap as they are more likely to be open to new people joining.
(It was also at this workshop that I met the artist Paul Evans, who is now a very good friend. We were pretty much the only people there who didn't work for banks or solicitors, and so we soon formed our own circle of two. We've often touched on the topic of "groups with gaps" in the years since)
12 million & 1