I hope there is some inaccuracy to this.

[devin0116]

I will allow you all to discuss the legitimacy of this.....

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/04/2153628.htm?section=world

Nearly quarter of Brits think Churchill a myth: poll
Posted Mon Feb 4, 2008 11:41am AEDT


Man or myth? Winston Churchill outside 10 Downing Street in 1943 (AFP)
Britons are losing their grip on reality, according to a poll which shows nearly a quarter think Winston Churchill was a myth, while the majority reckon Sherlock Holmes was real.

The survey found that 47 per cent thought the 12th Century English King Richard the Lionheart was a myth.

And 23 per cent thought World War II prime minister Winston Churchill was made up.

The same percentage thought Crimean War nurse Florence Nightingale did not actually exist.

Three per cent thought Charles Dickens, one of Britain's most famous writers, is a work of fiction himself.

Indian political leader Mahatma Gandhi and Battle of Waterloo victor the Duke of Wellington were also in the top 10 of people thought to be myths.

Meanwhile, 58 per cent thought Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's fictional detective Sherlock Holmes actually existed, and 33 per cent thought the same of WE Johns' fictional pilot and adventurer Biggles.

UKTV Gold television surveyed 3,000 people.

- AFP

[TruBlu]

3,000 people is an accurate representation of roughly 60 million? .05% of a population polled yields "Britons are losing their grip on reality..." Take everything with a grain of salt, and if it still tastes bad, don't chew on it: spit it out! :D

[ang1sgt]

Also remember that Poll results can be skewed to get the required results. Political Polls are the worst in this regard, second only to News Agency Polls. Ever wonder WHY some of these polls even exist? What was the need for them?

[Drill for life]

3,000 people is an accurate representation of roughly 60 million? .05% of a population polled yields "Britons are losing their grip on reality..." Take everything with a grain of salt, and if it still tastes bad, don't chew on it: spit it out! :D

Hahaha :D classic bro.

[devin0116]

My thoughts exactly, but where do you find 1/4 of 3000 people who believe that Winston Churchill was a myth, and the majority think Sherlock Holmes was real?

[TruBlu]

My thoughts exactly, but where do you find 1/4 of 3000 people who believe that Winston Churchill was a myth, and the majority think Sherlock Holmes was real?

I don't know, four-year-old's and junkies; America isn't the only part of the world with entirely ignorant sects of the population... And to supplement Top: Was it 3,000 of their choice? Did they simply survey at their convenience and ask questions like: "Do you think the famous Winston Churchill, the supposed Prime Minister of Britain during World War II ever actually existed?" Wait 'till you hit Probability and Statistics and see all the odd ways you can take the same situation and turn it into... well... this.

[C/SSGT Seifer]

Yeah, and WWII didn't even happen. Its a made up war that started in the video game Call of Duty... lol. Honestly, I find some of these things funny and scary at the same time. It seems unlikely that this is accurate, however the half the people in my high school would probably say that Native Americans were just ghost stories, so its the same crap no matter where you go.

[devin0116]

I don't know, four-year-old's and junkies; America isn't the only part of the world with entirely ignorant sects of the population... And to supplement Top: Was it 3,000 of their choice? Did they simply survey at their convenience and ask questions like: "Do you think the famous Winston Churchill, the supposed Prime Minister of Britain during World War II ever actually existed?" Wait 'till you hit Probability and Statistics and see all the odd ways you can take the same situation and turn it into... well... this.

Oh I know how easy it is to create a poll in ones favor.

P.S. Already went through Probability and Statistics.

[TruBlu]

Oh I know how easy it is to create a poll in ones favor.

P.S. Already went through Probability and Statistics.

Good stuff then. You should be the least surprised when you hear this crap then. :p

[Billyd]

"Figures never lie, but Liars always figure"

Take any and all "surveys" with a LARGE pinch of NaCl. A poll conducted by any organization is and will forever be tilted in favor of whoever pays for it. As was stated above, quite a bit will depend on the wording of the questions asked. Quite a bit will also depend on how the respondant answers the question.

Have you ever noticed that questions concerning race never have "Human" as an option?

[fjer]

Take any and all "surveys" with a LARGE pinch of NaCl.

Make sure not to confuse that with a pinch of Na and Cl, that might not turn out well. Does it really surprise you that people have a very limited grasp on history? It may be that the questions were worded suggestively, but even then, the only people who would be fooled would be those who are not sure, which is almost as bad as not knowing.

P.S. 3000 is a plenty big enough sample, and stats is teh gheigh.

[TruBlu]

...and stats is teh gheigh.

Um, what? :dontgetit:

[Buffa1oso1di3r]

Um, what? :dontgetit:

He's saying that stats is gay.

[fjer]

He's saying that stats is gay.

Exactly, گی

[TruBlu]

Exactly, گی

Sorry, not all up on the 'internet speak.'

[armysc_25b]

Sorry, not all up on the 'internet speak.'
geeze ur such a n00b

[fjer]

Sorry, not all up on the 'internet speak.'

It was actually the word "gay" transliterated into Perso-Arabic script ;)

But, back on topic: American's aren't much better (http://www.americancivicliteracy.org/2008/summary_summary.html)

[TruBlu]

But, back on topic: American's aren't much better (http://www.americancivicliteracy.org/2008/summary_summary.html)

I believe one Shooter had me fixated on this study for some time. It addresses important issues, but it's simply not an accurate representation...