Just Some Polls . . . .

[Essyne]

Okay, something else that caught my eye - wonder what y'all think about it. . . .

According to these polls taken from Harris Interactive/Financial Times, Pew Global Attitudes, Int'l Social Survey Project, and Transatlantic Trends, "Americans are more religious, more satisfied with their personal lives and their jobs, more wary of government, and more comfortable with te use of military force than are Europeans" (The American).

So, here are the polls (all of which can be found in the March/April 2008 ed. of The American: A Magazine of Ideas):

RELIGIOUS BELIEF:

I am a believer in any form of God or any type of Supreme Being.
US-73%   UK-35%   FR-27%   IT-62%  SP-48%  GR-41%

It is necessary to believe in God to be moral and have good values.
US-58%  UK-25%   FR-13%  IT-27%  FR-41%

SATISFACTION:

On the whole, I am very satisfied with the life I lead.
US-58%  UK-33% FR-18% IT-16% SP-30%  GR-21% IR-39%

I am completely/very satisfied in my main job.
US-56%  UK-43%  FR-30% IR-59%

My personal situation will improve in the course of the next five years.
US-65%  UK-55%  FR-47% IT-41% SP-56% GR-23% IR-58%

My country is a good place to start a new business.
US-60% UK-31% FR-27%  IT-15%  SP-44% GR-26%

GOVERNMENT'S ROLE

I completely agree: It is the responsibility of the government of my country to take care of very poor people who can't take care of themselves.
US-29% UK-59%  FR-50% IT-48%  GR-45%

WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT?

1.)That everyone is free to pursue their life's goals w/o interference from the gov't.US-58%  UK-33%  FR-36%  IT-24% GR-39%
2.) That government should play an active role in society so as to guarantee nobody is in need.
US-34% UK-62% FR-62% IT-71% GR-57%

FOREIGN POLICY

I agree, under some conditions, war is necessary to obtain justice
US-74% UK-59% FR-25% IT-24% SP-20% GR-21%

I approve deployment of my country's troops to conduct combat operations against the Taliban in Afghanistan.
US-68% UK-51% FR-36% IT-28% SP-27% GR-24%

Thoughts? I thought this brought up some good points of discussion.

~Ess~

[pianochick93]

The French don't seem very happy do they?

*thoughts surface about a certain PS member. Ella quickly shoves those thoughts back down to stop being mean*

[wotgoplunk]

This thread would be a religious debate by now if pianistimo was here.


It is necessary to believe in God to be moral and have good values.
US-58%  UK-25%   FR-13%  IT-27%  GR-41%

I'm off to France. The US statistic is a bit worrying actually.


On the whole, I am very satisfied with the life I lead.
US-58%  UK-33% FR-18% IT-16% SP-30%  GR-21% IR-39%

Biased question. They don't ask HOW unhappy the people who are unhappy are. I'd be willing to bet a miserable person in the US is more unhappy than an "unhappy" person in Italy. But it's all subjective anyway.