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Some “Industrial Strength Risk Perception Measure” readings from CCP/Annenberg Public Policy Center study administered [in January]. . . .
And completely boring at this point to learn for the 10^7 time that there is no political division over GM food risk in the general public, despite the constant din in the media and even some academic commentary to this effect.
Consider this histogram:
The flatness of the distribution is the signature of the sheer noise associated with responses to GM food survey questions, the administration of which, as discussed seven billion times in this blog (once for every two regular blog subscribers!) is an instance of classic “non-opinion” polling.
Ordinary Americans–the ones who don’t spend all day reading and debating politics (99% of them)– just don’t give GM food any thought. They don’t know what GM technology is, that it has been a staple of US agricultural production for decades, and that it is in 80% of the foodstuffs they buy at the market.
. . . .
Why the professional conflict entrepreneurs have failed in their effort to generate in the U.S. the sort of public division over GM foods that has existed for a long time in Europe is really an interesting puzzle. It’s much more interesting to try to figure out hypotheses for that & test them than to engage in a make-believe debate about why the public is “so worried” about them!
Read full, original post: Weekend update: OMG– we are now as politically polarized over cell phone radiation as over GM food risks!!!
