The Wisdom Of Crowds?

[Kromovaracun]

Was interested to see the following article in The Independent:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/british-public-wrong-about-nearly-everything-survey-shows-8697821.html

It seems that the British public actually tends to believe grossly inaccurate things about their society compared to the evidence available. These findings are supported by an earlier survey commissioned by the TUC and carried out by Ipsos-Mori:

http://www.politics.co.uk/news/2013/01/04/benefits-those-who-know-least-oppose-them-the-most

//On average people think that 41% of the entire welfare budget goes on benefits to unemployed people, while the true figure is three per cent.

On average people think that 27% of the welfare budget is claimed fraudulently, while the government's own figure is 0.7%.

On average people think that almost half the people (48%) who claim Jobseeker's Allowance go on to claim it for more than a year, while the true figure is 27.8%.

On average people think that an unemployed couple with two school-age children would get £147 in Jobseeker's Allowance - more than 30% higher than the £111.45 they would actually receive - a £35 over-calculation.

Only 21% of people think that this family with two school-age children would be better off if one of the unemployed parents got a 30 hour a week minimum wage job, even though they would actually end up £138 a week better off. Even those who thought they would be better off only thought on average they would gain by £59.//


Do ABers believe this evidence, or should we continue to place more trust in the 'man on the street' than on evidence deriving from research?

[emmie]

it wasn't tower hamlets, if that is what you are asking, but i do know that area well,

[Octavius]

It wasn't a loaded question, I just grew up in those areas and still have a lot of my family living in Newham and TH, and wondered how someone could speak on behalf of me and my ilk and assume our views or fears.

[emmie]

was i assuming you are fearful, did i actually say that, if i did then i would apologise, i would however say that the borough of TH has a lot of problems, not least because it's one of the poorer boroughs in the capital. And has according to the news i was reading a little while ago, a high level of unemployment. I believe there are a number of people who frequent this site who grew up in TH

[emmie]

those remarks may be Naomi's, you would need to have a read through the post to see.

[emmie]

is he still in the job, or don't you live there anymore...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/local-government-network/2013/may/15/interview-lutfur-rahman-mayor-tower-hamlets

[Quizmonster]

Thanks, Infundibulum, for - what I take to be - your kind comment on my tenacity.
Of course, I accept that everyone has a right to an opinion; however, I also believe that if one of us makes an utterly absurd point about other AB users, any of the rest of us is entitled to ask what evidence he/she has for that stated belief.
Unfortunately, a failure to offer any such evidence is all too common, especially in some of us...no names, no pack-drill!
Cheers.