Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Depressing stuff

A survey detailed on the BBC reveals that only 48% of people in this country believe that evolution is the best explanation for the existance of the universe. I don't know if the Gideons are still sticking bibles in hotel rooms around the country (always handy if there's no loo paper left) but I'm seriously thinking of starting a fund to buy copies of works by everyone from Darwin to Dawkins and put them in hotels, schools, churches, village halls, etc. I find it embarrassing to imagine I live in such an ill-educated country.

4 comments:

lauren23 said...

1) Look at the online news for a vaguely controversial statistic.

2) Post a link to the article and have a good rant about how disgusted you are that every Briton thinks that way.

"Depressing stuff" indeed.

Iceman said...

"A survey detailed on the BBC reveals that only 48% of people in this country believe that evolution is the best explanation for the existance of the universe."

How can we expect the public to understand and act on important issues like global warming and alternative energy when a significant fraction of them don't understand even the most basic scientific concepts?

"Furthermore, more than 40% of those questioned believe that creationism or intelligent design (ID) should be taught in school science lessons."

While progressives in the US and UK have to battle to keep religious idiocy out of the school system, China and India are creating world-class education systems that focus on science and technology.

"I don't know if the Gideons are still sticking bibles in hotel rooms around the country (always handy if there's no loo paper left) but I'm seriously thinking of starting a fund to buy copies of works by everyone from Darwin to Dawkins and put them in hotels, schools, churches, village halls, etc."

'And now for a word from our sponsor Cruella...we now interrupt George Bush's state of the union speech for this message from William Blum and Noam Chomsky!'

"I find it embarrassing to imagine I live in such an ill-educated country."

Be thankful you don't live in the US!

lost clown said...

yeah, iceman, rub it in.

Ugh. Well now we have Bush declaring himself "The Science President," the freak.

MuppetLord said...

I'd love to know who they talked to, and whether the questions were leading ones.