Tag: polls

The #1 Thing Americans Are Experts on Is Pretty Pathetic

Forget coding, investing, or, you know, actual job skills. America’s passions these days lie elsewhere.

According to a new poll, the average American’s top area of expertise is now… reality TV.

Out of 2,000 people surveyed, respondents rated themselves on various topics using a 1 to 10 scale. And “reality TV show drama” came out on top with an average self-rating of 6.4 out of 10.

Coming in just behind reality TV were social media trends and DIY projects, both clocking in at 6.0. Trending music scored a 5.9.

But the real surprise? Interest rates – yes, the thing that determines what your mortgage costs – scored a 5.7. Either people are more financially literate than we thought, or everyone’s just been doomscrolling too much news about the Fed. (The study was commissioned by Lending Club, so that might have had something to do with it too.)

How our collective “expertise” shakes out:

  • Obscure movie and TV trivia (5.6)
  • Reality TV show drama (6.4)
  • Social media trends (6.0)
  • Home improvement/DIY projects (6.0)
  • Trending music (5.9)
  • Interest rates (5.7)
  • Obscure facts about movies and TV shows (5.6)
  • General trivia (5.4)
  • History (5.3) (Sounds impressive until you realize “I watched Hamilton” might’ve factored in there.)
  • Health and fitness (4.8)
  • Saving money (3.9)

There’s definitely something to unpack here about how our media consumption shapes our knowledge base. But at least w’ere experts on something, right? Sure, you don’t know how compound interest works. But you can list every feud in Real Housewives of New Jersey in order.

At the very least, it proves one thing: The average American may not be qualified to manage their 401(k), or even know how a basic light bulb works… but you want them on your team for that pop culture trivia night.

Only 6% of Us Think Our I.Q. Is Below Average

The only thing we’ve really learned about the “average American” here is… they’re maybe a bit too confident.

A new poll asked people how they think their own intelligence compares to other people’s, and the results are pure statistical comedy.

Just 6% of people think they have a below-average I.Q.

Which is… not how averages work. Statistically speaking, half of any group are below average, and half are above. (Or, maybe more like 49.9% on either side to account for those Average Joes who really do land smack dab in the middle.)

We’re much more likely to think we’re “about average”

39% think they’re right around average, which might be true depending on how you define it. The average I.Q. is (by design) exactly 100, and just over two-thirds of us fall somewhere between 85 and 115. So if you want to include anything in that window as “average,” hey… whatever helps you sleep at night.

We’re even more likely to think we have a high I.Q.

A whopping 46% think they’re smarter than most folks – including 8% who said way above average… presumably while nodding smugly after they got that one “Jeopardy” question right. (Sure, yeah, you’re a genius… the category was “Pop Culture.”)

Another 10% of respondents didn’t even take a guess. They went with “not sure,” which might be the most self-aware response of the bunch.

Why such hubris?

So what’s going on here? Are Americans wildly overconfident? Or is it that we just have a seriously bleak view of the “average American”? If you think you’re the smartest person in the room, is it because you think everyone else is a few fries short of a Happy Meal?

Regardless, one thing’s clear: I.Q. tests may measure intelligence… but they don’t measure humility.

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