O.K., we have some good news and some bad news; here's the good news first:We scored a 75.76% on the Intercollegiate Studies Institute's 2008 Civic Literacy Exam. Sure, we could've done better but, considering we didn't study or even plan on taking a Civic Literacy Exam, not too shabby.
Now comes the bad news:
The average score for all 2,508 Americans who took the damned thing was a demoralizing 49%, college educators scored a lousy 55% (We've told you we were smarter than them!) and the average score for our brilliant elected officials was (are you ready?) an embarrassingly dismal 44%. That's right:
The average citizen knows more about the United States than the folks running the joint - surprised?
We aren't, and we think (coupled with our extensive knowledge of NewAge, dangerous cults, and what it takes to make a hit record) if ever our fellow citizens decide they want to get our bad boy of a country back on track, we should let it be known - right here and now - we're more-than-ready to serve.
I scored at 72.73% (24 out of 33). I am embarassed and proud. Embarassed because I could have done better, but proud because I am above the pitiful average.
ReplyDeleteYou answered 30 out of 33 correctly — 90.91 %
ReplyDeleteEye'm purty smurt!
31 out of 33 (93.94%).
ReplyDeleteNot bragging about my brains here, but I've always had a talent for lucky guessing on the close questions.
Also, I saw a similar test once, so I knew that the one about the recession is a trick question: it's not "what should the government do", it's "what is the government likely to do?" And the answer ("Cut taxes and raise spending") is one I don't think works. "Cut both" works better.
At least they didn't include "raise taxes and raise spending" as an option. Nobody would be stupid enough to try that in a recession, right?
Also, where'd you get the 44% figure for elected officials? I can't find that one at the link. If I'm gonna brag that I'm smarter than them, it would be nice to have the data to back me up.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link! It's a great test.