I speculate that most Americans just don't think about these things that in depth and, when asked, throw out a number without giving due consideration.

Don't attribute to stupidity what can be adequately explained by laziness

[–] HollowNaught@lemmy.world 1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Im very sorry, but I cannot in any sane logical line of reasoning think as to why people would say 1/3 Americans live in New York, even if they just blurted out a random number

[–] LilB0kChoy@midwest.social 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Stupidity?

If you're already stupid and you get asked the question, and then don't even bother to give it due consideration, it's entirely plausible you just blurt out a number.

It does also say these are averages so it'd be interesting to see a scatter plot of all respondents.

[–] HollowNaught@lemmy.world 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Stupidity?

That is what I was getting, yes

[–] LilB0kChoy@midwest.social 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I cannot in any sane logical line of reasoning

Ah, I guess I was thrown by this since it didn't require insanity or illogical reasoning to come up with "stupidity".

[–] HollowNaught@lemmy.world 1 points 4 days ago

Yes, however as you were implying that a more reasonable explanation lied in the responder's laziness, I was also implying that any reason other than stupidity was requiring of some mental gymnastics