Monday, April 22, 2024

Random Notes from a Crank

Here are some interesting factoids from the Harper's Indexes from March and May: 
  • Percentage of Americans who say that the nation's crime rates are getting worse: 77
  • Who say that crime is an "extremely serious" or "very serious" problem in their local area: 17
  • Percentage decrease in murders in the United States in the past year: 12
  • Percentage change since 2009 in the portion of white evangelical Americans who say that gay people face discrimination: -34
  • Who say that white evangelicals face discrimination: +43
  • Portion of Americans who say they would not vote for a presidential candidate who has been charged with a felony: 2/3
  • Percentage of Americans who say that the United States should spend more money on assistance for poor people: 72
  • Percentage who say so when this assistance is called "welfare": 29
  • Factor by which low-income Americans are more likely than others to identify as vegetarian: 2
  • Percentage decrease in the number of Americans who identify as vegetarian since 2018: 20
  • Percentage of Americans who believe they will be harmed personally by climate change: 45
  • Percentage change in the total net worth of white Americans since 2019: +26
  • In the total net worth of black Americans: -4
  • In the total net worth of American adults under 40: +76
  • Percentage by which employees who work in person are more likely to be promoted than those who work exclusively from home: 45

Steven Pinker's book, Enlightenment Now, connects to the point that people automatically think crime is always getting worse. 

White evangelicals are the worst. 

We'll see if voters follow through on not voting for a felonious, narcissistic, pathological liar. 

The difference in attitudes about "assistance for poor people" and "welfare" is a classic case of framing language. 

I find it odd that there are fewer people identifying as vegetarian. Perhaps those vegetarians are turning vegan? 

It makes sense that people who actually work with others in person are more likely to be promoted. 

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