Monday 4 February 2008

Winston Churchill and Sherlock Holmes. Many voters don’t know who was real and who wasn’t

According to a survey 47% of those surveyed thought Richard I (the Lionheart), was a myth. Worryingly 33% thought the same about Sir Winston Churchill and Florence Nightingale.

Conversely 59% though Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson were real people.

Did the people conducting the survey especially look for thick people, or is it yet another indictment of State Education?

Possibly both - but more likely the latter, as even the those of the most modest mental ability, exposed to a half decent education would be more than likely to get such simple questions right.

More worrying, what else don’t the respondents have a clue about - and how does this affect important decisions they make in daily life, based apparently on completely mistaken information.

More worrying still ;-) These people can vote...

2 comments:

Henry North London 2.0 said...

Most voters actually think that their vote isnt worth the effort

Thats even more upsetting

CFD Ed said...

Voter turn out in elections is, I believe, usually around 60%, so I would qualify that as 'many voters'. Arguably as many as 40%. Never-the-less you make a valid point.

There are also those who feel their vote is still worth the effort - but only so they can look themselves in the eye in the mirror each morning.

I fall in the latter group, especially since Gordon Brown has so graphically demonstrated that manifesto commitments are not actually commitments at all. When those who seek election so clearly hold those who elect them - and our democratic institutions and traditions in such contempt, we really do have cause to worry.

What is really and truly worrying though - is that many voters don’t seem to be concerned about these things at all…