Fed Up with Polls

I’m a little fed up with surveys. Just this morning I was driving to work, and the news came on–something about a survey on how many people agreed or disagreed with the Michael Jackson doctor trial verdict.

People? It doesn’t matter. That isn’t news. I don’t care how many people agreed or disagreed with the verdict. It doesn’t change it at all. When did what everybody else thought (after high school) suddenly become such a big deal?

What does it matter how many people would let Kim Kardashian babysit their children? It reminds me of an Animaniacs skit:

Do you eat beans? Would you like to see a new movie starring George Wendt? Do you eat beans with George Wendt? Would you like to see George Wendt eating beans in a movie? Do you eat beans at George Wendt movies? Would you like to see George Wendt in a bean-eating movie? How many beans do you eat in a George Wendt bean-eating movie? How many bean-eating movies have you seen with George Wendt?

I understand how polls can be important to politicians. They kind of care how many people like them, and they’re all obsessed with getting more people to like them, so that they can continue sucking money off the system. I get that. But why do we care how many people think Congress is a bunch of spineless leeches? Does that have any impact on anything? What does it matter how many people think Herman Cain sexually harassing someone has no relevance on his ability to lead the nation and serve as an example to the entire country? Yes, it’s depressing, but what does it matter?


The more I think about it, the more I begin to think that a big problem we have right now is the 24 hour news cycle. There always needs to be something to report, and so newscasters start making junk up. We can all obsess over did he/did she/are they/aren’t they/will he/won’t she–until we’re blue in the face. CNN even has this stupid iReport “feature” on its website now where normal people can report “news” about whatever the heck they feel like reporting.

I’m going to get off my soapbox now, just because I don’t really have anything constructive to offer beyond the observation that it’s all just silly. Reporters need to stop making junk up and start just reporting the news. Real news. Not fluff filler.

That is all.