Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Kuros]

Survey: USA

42% of the country views Hillary Clinton disfavorably.

40% of the country views Barack Obama disfavorably.

39% of the country views McCain disfavorably.

Their favorability ratings are close together as well: 35%, 38%, and 34% respectively.

Compare this with Bush: 22% favorable, and 61% unfavorable.

[Gopher]

Not really surprising that whoever wins the presidency will begin his or her term with approximately forty percent of the country view him or her unfavorably. Post-Watergate Americans especially have tended to view politicians unfavorably and even cynically. A scandal-mongering yellow media, on the left and the right, on a mission to expose real and alleged misconduct, has only too enthusiastically cultivated and then sealed our fate.

On balance, we hear and therefore think more about politicians and candidates' faults and shortcomings than we do about their talents and positive attributes.

This ubiquitous negative attitude exceeds mere politics. Even in graduate seminars, Kuros, the general attitude people take towards discussing an author and his or her work revolves around this question: what is wrong with this book? Yet there is more to "critical thinking" than this...

[Kuros]

That Nicholson avatar is freakin' me out for some reason.

I think what you say is true. Here we have a bevvy of qualified candidates, and in our 24/7 soundbyte culture, each of them has alienated 2/5ths of the population, and only has the favorability of another 2/5ths.

I remember hearing a lot about how 'alienating' Clinton was, but apparently she's statistically as alienating as the other candidates. Once Americans hear enough about a political individual, 2/5ths like them and 2/5ths hate them. And I consider this crop a good one, particularly when it comes to character and integrity!

[agentX]

I want a recount of the Bush percentages.
Who are these 22% who have a favorable rating of Bush II?! Are they fanatics or clueless?
There's gotta be some mistake, like a voting error.

[Kuros]

[Ya-ta Boy]

I came across the following in my reading today and was reminded of this thread.

�There aren�t very many heroes these days. Who is out there to inspire us with a personal example of virtue and self-sacrifice in the name of a higher good? Who can we look up to? Business Leaders? Sports Figures? Politicians? Celebrities? Heck, we�re lucky if they don�t end up in prison! As usual, the hero business is up to me!�
- Calvin and Hobbes