# "Americans - the most brainwashed people of the World" **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 25, 2010, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685 "2010-05-25T09:37:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/41 "2010-05-25T15:48:45Z")
[Google is a really dumb way to research this.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selection_bias) ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/42 "2010-05-25T15:56:50Z")
> [@No\_Man](#): > > It means that you think that you are thinking, but actually aren’t. And someone else is. So if **we** only think we’re thinking, how do **you** know you’re actually thinking? Maybe you only think you’re thinking too. In other words, suppose you were brainwashed. How could you tell? Suppose you weren’t brainwashed. How could you tell? ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/43 "2010-05-25T16:19:29Z")
> [@No\_Man](#): > > I think that God might want you to start a Revolution? Religion is a means of brainwashing, but you just keep on going. Tell me how to become like you: powerless and yet peaceful. > > Tried to add smiley, but could not To add a smiley, click ‘go advanced’ and look around. And I think you just answered your own question: to get powerless and yet peaceful, get brainwashed. Religion being a method of doing so that might even fit the _actual_ definition of ‘brainwashed’, if you do it properly. > [@No\_Man](#): > > It means that you think that you are thinking, but actually aren’t. And someone else is. If you think you’re thinking, or even if you _think_ that you think you’re thinking, then wonder no more - you _are_ thinking! About thinking! But beware, now that that question has been settled and you aren’t thinking about it anymore, you may not be thinking after all. Out of curiousity, as long as we’re bringing Descartes into it, how do you plan to support your assertion that someone _else_ is thinking? You haven’t yet established that any of you sods even _exist_. Putting aside the fun for a moment, americans as a rule are pretty insulated from the rest of the world and tend to take little interest in things outside their own little sphere of existence. I’m not sure whether that makes us any different from the population of any other first-world country, but everyone else _says_ we are, so I guess I’ll tentatively take their word for it. This doesn’t mesh very well with the word ‘brainwashed’, though; it’s not just a handy pejorative; the word has an actual meaning of it’s own _too_. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/44 "2010-05-25T16:22:29Z")
the implication that there is anything clean about my brain. And obviously Google is not to be trusted— for God’s sake, their _corporate motto_ has the word “evil” in it! ---
**Author:** ![No\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@No\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_Man)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/45 "2010-05-25T17:07:25Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > And obviously Google is not to be trusted— for God’s sake, their _corporate motto_ has the word “evil” in it! Let’s put these two Big Gs aside and have a few ideas not controlled by Brainwashington: how can politicians do any good? ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/46 "2010-05-25T17:11:52Z")
> [@No\_Man](#): > > Let’s put these two Big Gs aside and have a few ideas not controlled by Brainwashington: how can politicians do any good? Google was YOUR idea. So if you’re implying that the involvement of Google is a result of brainwashing, as you seem to be, then logically YOU’RE the one who’s brainwashed, so we should all ignore you. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/47 "2010-05-25T17:45:05Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > If you think you’re thinking, or even if you _think_ that you think you’re thinking, then wonder no more - you _are_ thinking! About thinking! But beware, now that that question has been settled and you aren’t thinking about it anymore, you may not be thinking after all. I just lost the Game. ---
**Author:** ![No\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@No\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_Man)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/48 "2010-05-25T17:52:24Z")
> [@smeghead](#): > > google was your idea. So if you’re implying that the involvement of google is a result of brainwashing, as you seem to be, then logically you’re the one who’s brainwashed, so we should all ignore you. where did you get that idea? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/49 "2010-05-25T18:08:41Z")
> [@No\_Man](#): > > where did you get that idea? People are having a lot of trouble understand what you are saying. I’m guessing English isn’t your first language, so please try to explain yourself in more detail. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/50 "2010-05-25T18:32:34Z")
> [@No\_Man](#): > > Modern democracy is not democratic at all. The same lobbyists stay no matter who is elected. Money rules, the military is just making certain people richer by waging unjustified wars. Now, there is freedom of speech, but does anybody really hear? The United States is not a Democracy, it’s a Democratic Republic. Otherwise you’d be voted off the island for posting a debate based on the number of Google hits. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/51 "2010-05-25T18:33:46Z")
> [@No\_Man](#): > > how can politicians do any good? By voting for it or signing it into law? I’m the biggest critic of politicians on earth, but even a broken clock is right twice a day (unless the hands fall off I suppose). Are you suggesting that nothing good has ever come out of politics/government ever? The Bill of Rights? The Emancipation Proclamation? Nothing? ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/52 "2010-05-25T18:45:37Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > Out of curiousity, as long as we’re bringing Descartes into it, how do you plan to support your assertion that someone _else_ is thinking? Let’s not put Descartes before the horse. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/53 "2010-05-25T19:04:43Z")
> [@No\_Man](#): > > where did you get that idea? You said: > [@No\_Man](#): > > Let’s put these two Big Gs aside and have a few ideas not controlled by Brainwashington: how can politicians do any good? I interpreted that to mean that you were contrasting the “two Big Gs”, including Google, and “not controlled by Brainwashington”. In other words, saying that the “two Big Gs” ARE controlled by “Brainwashington”. The rest follows logically. This is turning into a hijack, I fear, so I for one will drop it now. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/54 "2010-05-25T19:34:21Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > The rest follows logically. I think I see your problem. . . . ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/55 "2010-05-25T20:43:15Z")
> [@JXJohns](#): > > Nobody. If that is not worth $692 billion, what is it worth? The Mexican border? ---
**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/56 "2010-05-25T21:05:21Z")
The “research” in the OP reminds me of Ali G’s [attempt](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48TR0vUPQCs) to get venture capital for his ice cream glove: [QUOTE=Ali G] "…Zen Diagrams: People who like ice cream. People who has hands. What’s this section here? It’s our target market, isn’t it. Me did a internet search for ice cream. Me come back with 62,6121 results. Me did a internet search for the gloves. How much results did me get? 325,0,113. So you times those together, what does you get? This is just people on the internet, looking in. 203 zillion, whatever, 496 thousand 400 and then a 1. Check this out: If all those people bought one glove, at $19.99 - just one glove - business would be worth - wait for it - that much. That is such a big number, I couldn’t fit it that way. That, in English, is 34.6 million billion dollars. " [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Mince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Mince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mince)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/57 "2010-05-25T21:07:16Z")
Is it true that if you Google “Google” the universe will explode? I remember reading that on the internet and I am too afraid to find out. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/58 "2010-05-25T21:15:21Z")
> [@No\_Man](#): > > I googled “the most brainwashed people” and “the most brainwashed nation” and came up with this title. Well, duh, you wrote it in English and came back with the largest English-speaking nation. Try translating your query into German or Cantonese. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/59 "2010-05-25T21:36:44Z")
This is just to wrap up some loose ends. Per Wikipedia, which is just as good as googling, there are roughly 309,331,000 people in the US and the DOD budget for 2010 is $533.8 billion. That’s $1,725.66 (rounding the pennies up) per person. [Here’s a breakdown (wiki).](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_budget_of_the_United_States) At 23% of the federal budget, it’s the largest slice of the budget pie. $154.2 billion of that goes to military personnel, which keeps folks employed and off the street. If you ever get around to talking about closing bases, this and the trickle-down effect to towns where bases are located is going to be what people are thinking of when they say “hell no”. Oh, and family housing is $3.1 billion. Since I’m on break and have nothing better to do, let’s look at that $1,726.66. That’s $143.80 per person per month, which is more than my cable bill but less than my PG&E bill. It’s also less than my car payment. If I had to pay for my own health insurance, it would be a helluva lot less than that. Just for perspective. Or you could look at it as $33.19 per week. That’s looking more like a bargain. No, wait! Let’s see what it is per day. (Drumroll) Only $4.74 a day. I spent more than that for lunch. For less than $5 a day, you can fund the biggest, highest tech army on the planet. You know you want to. Just think of all the nifty toys. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685/60 "2010-05-25T21:56:58Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > Based on what I’ve seen on the SDMB, Americans are probably tied with Brits as the most self-loathing people of the world. Seems like that brainwashing isn’t very effective. No **elmwood** , you lot are self-loathing. We Brits are merely a bit more worldly-wise and reflective. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-the-most-brainwashed-people-of-the-world/540685.md?page=4)