I thought this was the most telling part of the story:
Quote:
I've got to confess, though, I found this result surprising. As I pushed the button to run the analysis on my computer, I fully expected I'd be shown a modest negative correlation between identifying with the Tea Party and science comprehension.
But then again, I don't know a single person who identifies with the Tea Party. All my impressions come from watching cable tv -- & I don't watch Fox News very often -- and reading the "paper" (New York Times daily, plus a variety of politics-focused internet sites like Huffington Post & Politico).
I'm a little embarrassed, but mainly I'm just glad that I no longer hold this particular mistaken view.
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Tell a lie often enough and long enough, it becomes accepted as "Truth".
In my experience, some of the most thoughtful and analytical people I know are Tea Party members and very religious. This whole analytic only confirms what I have known as an intuitive thinker anyway.
Some of these academics, like the author, need to get out more and spend a little time at the local watering hole. It'll give 'em a whole new perspective on the human condition and they won't need a study to validate it either.