What is Digg?409 Comments
- whatthefu, on 10/10/2007, -25/+121This is just ***** partisanship. Even with poll results to back it up, what does it amount to? Moreover, what if the books conservatives read were Tolstoy or Dostoevsky whereas the books liberals read were airport novels, or vice versa? Books vary, you can't make such a sweeping judgment. And there are always different circumstances. If the title read "Conservatives Read More Books Than Liberals" then there would be more angry than smug diggers, and they'd come to their senses and realize digging a ***** poll is stupid.
- doctorfungi, on 10/10/2007, -14/+60One extra book per year... wow. What if conservatives typically read 500 page books and liberals read 400?
In summary, what a retarded poll. - chase001, on 10/10/2007, -44/+80Regressives don't have to read they have Rush and O'Rielly to tell them what to think.
- BrainInAJar, on 10/10/2007, -19/+55Have you spoken to a conservative lately?
I don't think they /read/ the Bible... they just accept what their pastor tells them the bible says - Akaji, on 10/10/2007, -8/+44As a conservative Christian, I can vouch for BrainInAJar. Every time I mention what the Bible says in conversations with other Christians, I just get weird looks... "I don't think we've gotten to that part in church yet." Brings a whole new meaning to 'Christian anti-intellectualism,' the greatest plague to hit religion since fundamentalism.
- msikma, on 10/10/2007, -22/+43Regressives don't have the time to read books because they're too busy burning them.
- whatthefu, on 10/10/2007, -5/+25You make good points, but as I said, it could go either way. The problem with calling someone "conservative" is that there are different subdivisions, mainly the classic conservatives and the religious right. The latter tends to be the stereotype. A large portion of conservatives are the religious right, which is unacceptable in my opinion. But originally the stereotype for conservatives was that they were stuck-up intellectuals while liberals were crazy hippies. It changes. And as such, I just don't think this poll accurately reflects anything.
- jamesallen74, on 10/10/2007, -18/+38Ann Coultier books shouldn't count
- wizbor, on 10/10/2007, -8/+27Buried as inaccurate. A liberal polling group says liberals read more books.... hmmm
- inactive, on 10/10/2007, -23/+42If they didn't include the Bible, I wonder, would ANY of them have read ANYTHING?
- blaze4metal, on 10/10/2007, -0/+19If you're going to post a thought like that, go ahead and assume people will want proof. Just throwing that out there.
- Jwoey, on 10/10/2007, -3/+22Pfft, that's just a skill developed on Digg.
- inactive, on 10/10/2007, -9/+28Jobless hippies obviously have more time to read :)
- Wonkanobi, on 10/10/2007, -2/+20"I don't trust books. They're all fact, no heart."
- seventhcrow, on 10/10/2007, -1/+19What kind of books? Does it count if someone has already colored in the pictures?
- DFENS, on 10/10/2007, -33/+48It amounts to the fact that Liberals read more books the conservatives. Nothing more. But I like how you think - that Liberals read airplane novels, and conservative voters read Tolstoy. That's awesome. The average conservative voter has the mental acumen to handle that. That idea is fascinating. My wife's parents are hyper-conservative, and aside from Left-Behind and their bible, they haven't read anything in the last year. If I told them to read tolstoy they'd call me a commie! But you consider your idea a possibility. that's awesome. How much gaul do you personally possess? A lot? Buckets of it? do you carry your balls in a wheelbarrow? Does the wheelbarrow have padding, to help carry your massive balls?
Because if not, you should perhaps realize that the average liberal tends to be smarter then the average conservative. Lets go back to my wife's parents - they believe we need to be in Iraq because God sent us there. Only an uneducated idiot could believe that was feasible. I criticize the war because I believe our government has no clue what the difference between Sunni and Shia is, and currently to understand this issue I'm read 'The Shia Revival'. Many conservatives want to learn too - I'm not saying all of them are idiots. I'm saying the average conservative is less intelligent then the average liberal. compare the hick town in texas where black people have been lynched as recently as a few years ago, versus the idiot liberal city of San Fran that is choking on it's homeless. Where do you think you can go for literal criticism? you may disagree with their politics, but the cities of san fran and NY have an incredibly deep cultural love of things intellectual - plays, music, reading, writing, poetry, etc. If I go into Waco, Texas and say I have some poetry I'll be called a fag and beaten to death. Just my thoughts. - diggface5000, on 10/10/2007, -6/+21In addition to the possibility that the quality/length of the books are not necessarily equal...
it's also possible that the liberals just have more TIME to read... especially the ones in congress - irvman21, on 10/10/2007, -1/+16Of the top 10 best selling books last week, two are vampire love stories, including the #1 book. Two are self-help books. There are two Harry Potter books. Another is a love story set at a circus in the 1930's. I mean, seriously, the books most people read don't exactly make a strong argument for their intellect.
- DiggsOnlyNeoCon, on 10/10/2007, -4/+18Oh gosh... I saw this study come out on MSNBC last night, and I KNEW that this would be the Digg headline. The same study said that whites read more than minorities, and rich people read more than people living in poverty.
But of course -- this is the Digg angle. You know, for whining about spin on Fox News, this site sure has a lot of it, too. - scabbers, on 10/10/2007, -0/+14I'd like to point out that you can be a "liberal" without supporting the Democrats, same as you can be a "conservative" and not support the GOP.
- 15charmaxwtf, on 10/10/2007, -4/+17What the ***** is a conservative anyway it is such a vague and meaningless word unless it is defined.
Vague words like that are usually used just in cheap, divisive "us and them" political statements (or propaganda?). As you can see it set the stage for those two quotes from a "liberal" and a "conservative." It is this kind of thing that gives people the illusion that there are two completely different political parties in the US, whereas they are actually pretty similar. It is like some people care more about their "team" rather than reality. - reed311, on 10/10/2007, -3/+15Nowhere did it say they weren't as smart, it simply stated the fact the Liberals read more books. If you came to the conclusion that they are smarter because of it, that is your problem.
- tizz66, on 10/10/2007, -0/+11This division of America straight down the middle is tearing the country literally in two (I say this as an outsider). Why are the two camps being pitted against each other? In the UK we naturally have party politics, but I've never seen stereotyping, accusations and sheer nastiness over something as simple as which party you vote for. It's destroying your country from the inside out.
- Y2JCrisis, on 10/10/2007, -3/+14Actually conservatives used to be all about having small government, being isolationist, lower taxes, etc....
Now they're all about big government, pre-emptive attacks, higher taxes to pay oil contractors, etc... - inactive, on 10/10/2007, -13/+24"The average conservative voter has the mental acumen to handle that."
As you are professing an overarching knowledge of "the average conservative voter", prove that statement.
"If I go into Waco, Texas and say I have some poetry I'll be called a fag and beaten to death."
You condemn an entire town you probably have never been to. How mighty bigoted of you, who I would not doubt is a so-called "open-minded, progressive, liberal". You are worse than the conservatives you decry. - repins, on 10/10/2007, -1/+11hmm Pat Schroeder, I remember her.
I am sure she is completely non-bias in her opinions.... /sarcasm - ideapower, on 10/10/2007, -2/+12Good point. There's really not much data to support how this is relevant. For example, it could be that there are a greater number of liberals in lifestyle situations that allow them time to read more. It could be that conservatives read more magazines and newspapers than liberals. Why the focus on "books"? There are plenty of books that are complete wastes of time and brain energy. It seems to me this poll is an attempt to say "liberals are smarter than conservatives" with some very sparse supporting data.
- Dumbledorito, on 10/10/2007, -4/+14Psst. The GOP has shown itself to harbor pedophiles, patrons of the "DC Madam," and people who have all the foreign policy finesse of a broken garbage disposal. You might want to keep your voice down...
- inactive, on 10/10/2007, -10/+20Neither should Michael Moore's, Al Franken, or other liberal propagandists.
- ascotan, on 10/10/2007, -1/+10This poll is based on 100 people....
If this poll included a larger percentage of the political spectrum it might hold some water.
Essentially this is a "feel good" poll, so that libs can continue to think the are smarter than their political foes. - Dumbledorito, on 10/10/2007, -11/+20FTA: Responding to the poll, White House spokesman Tony Fratto attacked liberals for being too “locquacious”: Obfuscation usually requires a lot more words than if you simply focus on fundamental principles, so I’m not at all surprised by the loquaciousness of liberals.
I disagree. Bush doesn't seem to know very many words and he obfuscates all the time. - AzBats, on 10/10/2007, -2/+11Knowingly? I don't think so Dave but their is evidence that the GOP did knowingly keep the lid on what Dumbledorito writes of, RE: Denis Hastert.
- Piedramente, on 10/10/2007, -6/+15Buried as innacurate.
- inactive, on 10/10/2007, -5/+14THIS POLL IS BS and the Digg community is obviously gullible to spin. If you actually clicked on the link to the poll results that are in the article, http://www.ipsos-na.com/news/client/act_dsp_pdf.cfm?name=mr070821-4topline.pdf&id=3613 , you would see that NO WHERE in those results did they link the number of books read to political affiliation. QUIT BEING SHEEP!
- MrSteamTank, on 10/10/2007, -1/+9What drives me nuts is that religion is associated with being conservative. I may be conservative when it comes to economics but when I tell people I'm conservative they believe I'm a bible thumper.
Why can't the religious leave the damn conservative party and form their own "religious" party. When I try to vote based on economics it gets a little hard when the only party associated with small government happens to be incredibly religious.
Unfortunately, I'm forced to vote more liberally and basically for pro-big government than my tastes would want due to the religious elements of the conservative party.
Am I the only one a little frustrated at this? - gtluke, on 10/10/2007, -13/+21conservatives are busy working and spending time with family
- PJ1967, on 10/10/2007, -1/+9"What the ***** is a conservative anyway it is such a vague and meaningless word unless it is defined."
An excellent question, indeed. And one that could be asked about "liberal". Most folks throw those words around without the slightest idea of what they mean...see the many strawman arguments. Anyway, I suspect (I didn't RTFA) the pollsters had the respondents define themselves as conservative, liberal, or moderate. - oddmanout, on 10/10/2007, -1/+8speaking of which, what ever happened to Mark Foley?
- migbike, on 10/10/2007, -0/+7It looks like you need to meet new people.
- Mockylock, on 10/10/2007, -5/+12It's because the majority of liberals are still in school, and are forced to read books in classes. It's more than likely that the conservative half is actually working and taking care of their family to have time to read books, but who knows. I don't know anyone who actually has a social life and isn't a student, has time to read a couple books a year.
If you read a lot of books:
1. You have enough time on your hands to do so.
2. You're a student.
3. You're a teacher.
4. It's pertains to your job.
It's a fact that the younger generation (college students) are mostly liberal. I'm not conservative or liberal, and I'm only 31. The only books I read are manuals, and I spend the rest of my time with my family or doing house work. Any other time I'm eating, sleeping or working.
So, if you think about it, it's obvious why the poll falls the way it does. - GabrielS, on 10/10/2007, -1/+8This Digg is brought to you by the professional spinsters at Think Progress. *****, they are paid to be shills. They're not your volunteer shill. They get paid to shill.
- Dumbledorito, on 10/10/2007, -0/+7"Colbert Report, mutherf*cker! Speak it?"
And because you'll probably think I'm actually trash talking you, I'll follow up with "Samuel L. Jackson, motherf*cker! Speak it?"
And if you don't get THAT reference... you must not get out much. - cespee, on 10/10/2007, -2/+9Oh my God. Anyone who considers themselves part of either the Red Team or the Blue Team AND thinks that they're intelligent at the same time is seriously brainwashed. Why would the "elite" or the "powers that be" give people a solution that would be against their interests? The big secret is that they control both teams. Maybe the answer's up, not left or right.
- AzBats, on 10/10/2007, -6/+12I think you're forgetting Rush L's and Bill O's audience in your tally there.
- Alpione, on 10/10/2007, -2/+8You make a good point that liberal skew younger than conservatives. There are many reasons, but people generally trend towards being more conservative as they grow older. It's rare for conservatives to go liberal as they age... I know - I used to be much more liberal than I am now. I've learned...
- Alpione, on 10/10/2007, -2/+8Ah, the stereotypes... Conservatives don't have to be "religious right" any more than liberals have to be gay.
- Alpione, on 10/10/2007, -7/+13Liberals like to say that, whether it's true or not. How can the side claiming to be advocates for and include the homeless, illegal aliens, the "working poor," "underrepresented minorities" etc be more educated? Half of their constituency doesn't have a high school diploma...
- kjizzle, on 10/10/2007, -13/+19Maybe conservatives don't read as many books as liberals because they have jobs. When your job is to "attend drum circle outside starbucks," then there's a good chance that you have more time to read. ***** hippies.
- Neiby, on 10/10/2007, -2/+8I know a few uncloseted conservatives, some read voraciously and a couple of others read nothing but fiction and the Bible. I think it's unfair to generalize. The non-religious conservatives I know read quite a lot. I don't really know any liberals, so I can't compare them.
Of the people I know, the Libertarians read the most and that's not even a close contest. - Alpione, on 10/10/2007, -1/+7Maybe they realize that the far left hates economic freedom while the far right hates social freedom. The middle sounds pretty nice in that context, doesn't it jackass?
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