PAIGE! 🍁
Don’t think I’ve ever seen a difference
where #canada and #usa were polar opposites before.
Mar 6 at 3:59amWeb
Show threadtlarivMar 6
@paige
As a USian I don't think either is that far off
Show threadKern Jackson Mar 6
@paige the U.S. stats track
Show threadGreenDotGuyMar 6

@paige What even is the game theory for a rational actor in a democracy who thinks most of their countrymates are 'bad'?

Like, how do participants in behavioral tests play when they are told that more than half their adversaries are scoundrels and cheaters?

It certainly explains the awful driving here in the USA.

Show threadzbrownMar 6

@DarcMoughty @paige other polling suggests something like maybe half y'all believe some variation on a theme of ‘the rapture’ is imminent, which sure explains a few things as well.

Democracy and all the rest kinda falls apart when enough people don't even think there is a tomorrow.

Show threadMathiasTCKMar 7
@zbrown @DarcMoughty @paige the Iterated Prisoner's Dilemma teaches us that defect is dominant on the last round, or for any fixed length game. It's when you expect an indefinitely long or infinite series of games that cooperation emerges.
Show threadzbrownMar 7
@mathiastck @DarcMoughty @paige yes exactly, if there is no tomorrow why worry about it? there is really no incentive to do anything out of your *right now* self-interest
Show threadanubis2814Mar 6
@paige If i hadnt grown up with Americans and seen how many because rabid trumpers id be a lot more like Canada
Show threadThomas Ebinger (Moderator)Mar 6
@paige in Deutschland denkt man doch erstaunlich positiv über seine Mitmenschen
Show threadTim LavoieMar 6
@paige OK, but now rank how people see their neighbouring countries' citizens!
Show threadYoraMar 6

@paige The world thinks that in general Canadians are very good people and Americans are very bad people.

I guess it's something that the Americans are somewhat aware of the truth.

Show threadDetail020Mar 6
@paige As a Brazilian I really though we'd be second on this ranking.
Show thread🟥 Eveline Sulman 🇳🇱🇪🇺🇺🇦Mar 6
@paige the measure of polarization
Show threadTimo EwaldsMar 6
@paige what's the source of this graph/data?
Show threadPax Ahimsa GethenMar 6

@tewalds @paige

It says on the graphic: Spring 2025 Global Attitudes Survey. Pew Research Center. I found a link:

https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2026/03/05/in-25-country-survey-americans-especially-likely-to-view-fellow-citizens-as-morally-bad/

In 25-Country Survey, Americans Especially Likely To View Fellow Citizens as Morally Bad

Across 25 countries, Americans are the most likely to see the morality and ethics of people in their country as somewhat or very bad.

Pew Research Center
Show threadDavid Fleetwood - RG AdminMar 6

@paige I read it a bit differently. In the USA half the country recognizes that nearly half the population is fascist and thus evil, meanwhile in Canada and India they continue to pretend fascism hasn't overtaken them thus permitting them to see their fellows are generally good.

A good chunk of the countries on that list have a severe rot, Sweden, the UK, Japan, Australia, etc. Spain seems to recognize nearly the exact percentage that Vox and the far right represent, which is good.

Show threadOliMar 6

@reflex
Thats a dark reading of the data
Interesting thought though

I'm in the UK, which has quite a happy rating, maybe we are delusional

Show threadDavid Fleetwood - RG AdminMar 7

@OliverNoble Honestly the study isn't structured for the point I'm making, so it's not really a valid reading. But I did find it very interesting as the only real difference I see in many of these countries the cultural one of which ones have broadly realized how widespread and dangerous the far right are.

But yes, I was reading it darkly on purpose and that would require it's own study.

Show threadOliMar 7

@reflex
Its always great to get other perspectives

My immediate thought on seeing the UK ranking was: " yep, most people in the UK have a pretty positive or neutral view about those around them"

Your comment made me think a bit deeper about how perception and a casual assessment of someone's "goodness" may be wildly incorrect

Its so often the case after some horrific crime is uncovered in suburbia that neighbours all say what a nice, quiet, polite person...

So thank you

Show threadDavid Fleetwood - RG AdminMar 9

@OliverNoble I am a US citizen and Portugal resident and it's made me question a lot. People say the USA is overly focused on others' political views and thus divided, but I suspect it's more that we are increasingly recognizing the evil our nation was built on and fighting over whether to correct it or not.

In Portugal I just see outright denial of their history, and justifications for being racist and Islamophobic. They need to look harder at themselves imo.

Show threadDaniel BrotherstonMar 6

@paige I think Canadians are kidding themselves a bit. Between Alberta separatists, NIMBYs in Ontario, and the "anti-religious-symbols-no-totally-not-specifically-muslim-ones" crowd in Quebec.

I mean, I think the average MAGA is stupider...more easily fooled...but not ultimately less moral than the worst Canada has to offer either.

Show threadLukeMar 6
@paige this is actually fascinating
Show threadJustin PotMar 7
As a Canadian who lives stateside this is fascinating