US Top Fears of 2015

[Eddie Teach]

I think a reasonable list would be something like:

1. Random psycho mass shooting.
2. Identity theft
3. Terror attack

4. Spiders
5. Public speaking

[garbon]

I've very afraid of expressing my opinion.

[garbon]

I'm guessing it is fear of being victimized by a corrupt government official, directly or indirectly.  Take all the hand-wringing in certain circles about the "prison-industrial complex" and the fear that corrupt police departments are locking up people on trumped-up charges for the benefit of private prisons.

Note that there is nothing saying these fears need to be rational...

You think 58% of Americans have this kind of fear?

I think a reasonable list would be something like:

1. Random psycho mass shooting.
2. Identity theft
3. Terror attack

Do most American fear identify theft? I don't think most American would regularly think about it even though it would be awful. I know I don't.

[Admiral Yi]

Do most American fear identify theft? I don't think most American would regularly think about it even though it would be awful. I know I don't.

Most people buy shit online.  My guess is at least somewhere in the back of their minds they're giving the possibility of identity theft some thought.

What do you think should be/is higher on the list?

[garbon]

Do most American fear identify theft? I don't think most American would regularly think about it even though it would be awful. I know I don't.

Most people buy shit online.  My guess is at least somewhere in the back of their minds they're giving the possibility of identity theft some thought.

What do you think should be/is higher on the list?

Credit card fraud is a separate item in that list.

I'd say unemployment and illness should be a bit higher. Maybe something on death of family/kids.

[Admiral Yi]

I'd say unemployment and illness should be a bit higher. Maybe something on death of family/kids.

These are good.

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

You think 58% of Americans have this kind of fear?

I think a reasonable list would be something like:

1. Random psycho mass shooting.
2. Identity theft
3. Terror attack

So, I dug into their raw data and methodology.  I take it back.  The question, specifically, was "Thinking about the Federal Government in
Washington D.C., how afraid are you of [Corrupt Government Officials]?".  Out of 1541 participants, 481 said "Very Afraid" and 416 said "Afraid".  I'm not sure how to interpret that, either.

Edit:

Also worth pointing out that over 80% of respondents don't usually trust the US Federal government (484 "Hardly Ever", 737 "Some of the Time").  Probably has something to do with it.

[Malthus]

My top fears:

1. Something bad happening to my kid or my wife
2. Illness screwing me up
3. Losing financial security
4. The environment going to shit

[Admiral Yi]

Moldy, did you happen to see if it was a legit random survey or a bullshit internet poll?

Although I suppose it could be considered a rational response if you interpret the question as "do you think corruption exists at all" rather than "does [corruption] cause you overwhelming dread and sleepless nights."

[dps]

A horrible survey/poll.  I don't know what sort of methodology they used (info on that might be in the link, but I didn't bother), but whatever it was, they didn't use it well.  For example, dying is on the list twice, at 21% and again at 16%.  Though I guess one of those could be fear of death, they other fear of dye. 

And as pointed out already, some of these are just bizarre.  Sure, when you get down to under 5%, you expect some strange fears, but 13% of Americans are afraid of the whooping cough?  Yeah, right.

[garbon]

My top fears:

1. Something bad happening to my kid or my wife
2. Illness screwing me up
3. Losing financial security
4. The environment going to shit

Yeah, I basically pegged Malthus's top 3.

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

Moldy, did you happen to see if it was a legit random survey or a bullshit internet poll?

Although I suppose it could be considered a rational response if you interpret the question as "do you think corruption exists at all" rather than "does [corruption] cause you overwhelming dread and sleepless nights."

Sorry, meant to post the link to the full data (since it isn't liked from the blog post for some reason): http://www.chapman.edu/wilkinson/research-centers/babbie-center/survey-american-fears.aspx

It was a legit, randomized GfK poll.

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

A horrible survey/poll.  I don't know what sort of methodology they used (info on that might be in the link, but I didn't bother), but whatever it was, they didn't use it well.  For example, dying is on the list twice, at 21% and again at 16%.  Though I guess one of those could be fear of death, they other fear of dye. 

One is dying period, the other is dying alone.

And as pointed out already, some of these are just bizarre.  Sure, when you get down to under 5%, you expect some strange fears, but 13% of Americans are afraid of the whooping cough?  Yeah, right.

You underestimate how pervasive the anti-vaxxer movement is.

[lustindarkness]

I have very recently developed a fear of crappy surveys of what people in the US fear.

[dps]

A horrible survey/poll.  I don't know what sort of methodology they used (info on that might be in the link, but I didn't bother), but whatever it was, they didn't use it well.  For example, dying is on the list twice, at 21% and again at 16%.  Though I guess one of those could be fear of death, they other fear of dye. 

One is dying period, the other is dying alone.

And as pointed out already, some of these are just bizarre.  Sure, when you get down to under 5%, you expect some strange fears, but 13% of Americans are afraid of the whooping cough?  Yeah, right.

You underestimate how pervasive the anti-vaxxer movement is.

There's a connection between the anti-vaccination lunacy and the whooping cough?