3 ms·

Do we have real proof that a sizeable portion of Americans believe in the secret lizard people thing? Best I could find: https://www.publicpolicypolling.com/wp

by ivape 1y ago

Do we have real proof that a sizeable portion of Americans believe in the secret lizard people thing? Best I could find: https://www.publicpolicypolling.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PPP_Release_National_ConspiracyTheories_040213.pdf https://www.publicpolicypolling.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/... "Do you believe that shape-shifting reptilian people control our world by taking on human form and gaining political power to manipulate our societies, or not?" 11% said yes or were unsure. That's from 2013, so I can't even begin to imagine what a poll from today would look like.

burnt-resistor 1y ago
Come to Texas. Qualitatively, the answer is a thunderous, enthusiastic "yes".
freeone3000 1y ago
11% said yes or were unsure?! One in fucking ten people, in the most generous interpretation, did not know whether the government were secretly shape-shifting aliens. God, how did we get here.
- dash2 1y ago
  Yeah, but some proportion of those were joking: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mischievous_responders https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mischievous_responders
- giardini 1y ago
  Belief in aliens is fairly benign. Consider that half the population have an IQ below 50.
  - freeone3000 1y ago
    Noooo, that’s not true. Below 100, as it’s weighted for this to be true: half above half below. It could theoretically be possible for the half below to also be below 50, but this would require the other half to all be above 150, and both are absurd, because there are a whole horde of people of completely average intelligence. Checking IQ test results, we see they follow a Gaussian with a mean of 100 and a stddev of 15.
    - giardini 1y ago
      Whoops!8-(( You are of course correct. Meant to say "Consider that half the population have an IQ below 100."
tbrownaw 1y ago
Well are we talking literally (under the old definition, not the new definition that the kids are apparently using these days) or metaphorically?

by ivape 1y ago

burnt-resistor 1y ago

Come to Texas. Qualitatively, the answer is a thunderous, enthusiastic "yes".

freeone3000 1y ago

11% said yes or were unsure?! One in fucking ten people, in the most generous interpretation, did not know whether the government were secretly shape-shifting aliens. God, how did we get here.

dash2 1y ago
Yeah, but some proportion of those were joking: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mischievous_responders https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mischievous_responders
giardini 1y ago
Belief in aliens is fairly benign. Consider that half the population have an IQ below 50.
- freeone3000 1y ago
  Noooo, that’s not true. Below 100, as it’s weighted for this to be true: half above half below. It could theoretically be possible for the half below to also be below 50, but this would require the other half to all be above 150, and both are absurd, because there are a whole horde of people of completely average intelligence. Checking IQ test results, we see they follow a Gaussian with a mean of 100 and a stddev of 15.
  - giardini 1y ago
    Whoops!8-(( You are of course correct. Meant to say "Consider that half the population have an IQ below 100."

tbrownaw 1y ago

Well are we talking literally (under the old definition, not the new definition that the kids are apparently using these days) or metaphorically?