09/12/2007
Power of 10: Ignorance Lives On
I happened to catch part of the new game show Power of 10 last night. If you're not familiar, contestants win money by accurately predicting the way a percentage of Americans would answer a given question.
Even after 26 years of effort by experts to dispel myths about HIV, 47% of Americans (or at least the 1,000 Americans polled by the show for this question) still say they would not swim in a pool with someone with the virus.
Contestants in the next round fared better on a Larry Craig question, after the jump...
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Posted 6:15 PM EST by Andy in AIDS/HIV, Larry Craig, News, Television | Permalink
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Considering we have game shows titled "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" when the contestants are clearly not says enough.
Posted by: Tread | Sep 12, 2007 6:19:09 PM
Well from the looks of the contestants, this show should be called "Did You Just Eat a 5th Grader?"
Posted by: Paul | Sep 12, 2007 6:27:02 PM
those questions are completely inappropriate. i have some better questions... what percentage of americans believes that CBS is run by a bunch of dipshits? what percentage of americans believes that CBS stands for Center for Bull Shit? what percentage of gay america thinks that all CBS programming should be boycotted?
Posted by: sean | Sep 12, 2007 6:27:26 PM
Well - ok? I mean, if people have to make a gut-level choice about it, what would they do? It's not surprising; HIV, literally, kills. It's perhaps the same as half of Americans saying they wouldn't swim in a pool with a loaded gun. They can't get hurt in the pool with the gun due to physics, but that doesn't mean the gun - or HIV - fails to prove a threat.
26 years of thought control won't do a thing when the gay community argue that:
1) Always have safe sex; always use a condom.
2) HIV doesn't come out of gay sex by magic (radical conservatives say that HIV is God's plight or whatever)
These two points ARE mutually exclusive in logic. There's a word for this: cognitive dissonance. You can have one, but not the other.
Posted by: bleh | Sep 12, 2007 6:28:07 PM
I had to stop on that and think for a second what my answer would be. Ummm, is that safe?
Yeah, I'm not proud of that... but it's true. It took me a moment.
Now of course a would swim in a pool with an HIV positive person - and I have - but I don't fault those who just aren't comfortable enough to say yes.
I wouldn't sit in a tub of garden snakes. Would they hurt me? No. Is it a rational response? No. But still I wouldn't. Fear is a powerful motivator... and it's one that keeps the species alive.
Posted by: Timothy | Sep 12, 2007 6:43:46 PM
fear ain't keepin' our community alive. fight will.
Posted by: sean | Sep 12, 2007 6:53:02 PM
Couple of points: Paul's comment above is funny as hell.
Bleh's, not so much. Let's start at the bottom of his comment to get a glimpse at who we are deaing with. "Cognitive dissonance;" that's two words.
Then, Bleh's going to need to explain how the two points he outlines are mutually exclusive. I don't think they are. I'll put it in one nice sentence for you:
HIV disease doesn't come out of gay sex by magic; it comes from the HIV virus that is passed from one person to another through semen or blood, often through unprotected sex, and therefore, one should always have safe sex by using a condom.
Anyone else see any congnitive dissonance in that?
Posted by: Kyle Childress | Sep 12, 2007 6:54:38 PM
I don't think this is a real cause for alarm.
The answers are knee jerk, and to be perfectly honest, I would have to pause a second before I answered the question as well.
Posted by: Big Deal | Sep 12, 2007 6:55:00 PM
Its not so shocking really. How long ago was it that white people wouldnt swim in a pool with a black person? Still, 47% isnt that bad..Less than half at least.
Posted by: Kitkats99 | Sep 12, 2007 7:02:11 PM
I'm not surprised. The US is not a reality-based nation.
Posted by: Robguy | Sep 12, 2007 7:10:17 PM
well think of it this way, probably more than 47% wouldn't swim with Senator Larry Craig.
Posted by: rich | Sep 12, 2007 7:21:42 PM
As an HIV positive person, I wouldn't want to swim in a pool with HIV negative people who are stupid enough to think that swimming in that pool with me would somehow put them in danger. And yes, TIMOTHY, that includes you.
xo,
peterparker
Posted by: peterparker | Sep 12, 2007 7:21:54 PM
I swam in high school, and a good buddy of mine died of meningitis the day after a meet.
Schools that we swam at over a month before emptied their water out. It was disgraceful.
Clearly HIV education is an issue, but I think the real issue here is that many Americans are just ignorant pussies.
Posted by: Caleb | Sep 12, 2007 7:26:06 PM
The game show is shocking, but not half as shocking as some of the comments here! People who read Towleroad would actually think twice about getting in a pool with an HIV+ person? Huh? Are you fucking kidding me?
Hey idiots - do some damn research. Ya can't get it from a pool. Or a hot tub. Or a toilet seat. Or general kissing.
I'm HIV- and I've had sex with several HIV+ people. Full on, fucked up the ass, sex! Condoms really do work.
I was originally going to post a comment that I can't believe it's already been 26 years, but these other comments are astonishing in their ignorance. Wow.
Posted by: Gregg | Sep 12, 2007 7:49:12 PM
Kids, kids! Talk about hollering before you're hurt! Too many of you are confusing the issue of the 47% who answered No with the question and the show itself.
CBS, the show's producers, even one-time Bush supporter Drew Carey aren't expressing any of THEIR opinions one way or the other.
43% of Americans said in a duel with Dick Cheney, they would probably get shot by the Vice President, instead of the other way around. Doesn't make CBS Cheneyophobic.
It's a fascinating show both from the standpoint of testing one's ability to guess the percentages of the answers and learn the answers. AND to see where various advocacy groups still have a lot of work to do. Here are some other questions demonstrating the randomness of the topics.
What percentage of Americans color-coordinate their underwear with the rest of their clothes?
Answer: 15%
What percentage of Americans are afraid of circus clowns?
Answer: 9%
What percentage of Americans have had an area of body hair waxed?
Answer: 25%
What percentage of women said if they could implant a GPS tracking chip in their significant other without their knowledge, they would?
Answer: 13%
What percentage of American women have changed a flat tire on a car?
Answer: 50%
What percentage of American women consider themselves feminists?
Answer: 29%
What percentage of Americans think elementary school kids should be required to learn Spanish?
Answer: 21%
What percentage of Americans said Vin Diesel invented the diesel engine, instead of Rudolf Diesel?
Amswer: 25%
What percentage of Americans said they have a better relationship with their parents as an adult than they did as a child?
Answer: 89%
What percentage of Americans have spent more than $100 on a pair of jeans?
Answer: 10%
What percentage of men said their partner had a nickname for their private parts?
Answer: 30%
What percentage of Americans have lived in a trailer park?
Answer: 25%
What percentage of Americans check themselves out in the mirror more than five times a day?
Answer: 21%
What percentage of Americans would take a lower paying job in order to have a less stressful lifestyle?
Answer: 57%
What percentage of Americans have been fingerprinted?
Answer: 60%
Posted by: Leland Frances | Sep 12, 2007 8:32:27 PM
I understand that one of the questions last week was something like....***what percentage of Americans are homosapians(or something to that effect)? Now I would love to have seen the answer to that one. Kind of like the southern politicion that called his opponent a **New York ***thespian*** back in the 40's or 50's.
Posted by: Joshua | Sep 12, 2007 9:03:52 PM
I almost never go into a swimming pool. Never in a public pool. Some percentage of the responses probably had nothing to do with HIV.
Posted by: Colin | Sep 12, 2007 9:49:08 PM
Its like something you know is wrong but do it anyways. I know someone who would not eat from fat people. are you going to catch the fat know. Im talking someone in the medical field. I feel illogically uncomfortable in certain situations. I am aware of it and still do it. I think the % is higher.
THE main issue is HIV is a deadly disease of all orientations race and classes the one thing our political correctness chip goes so far you dont just wake up and have it. If someone your in a relationship gave it to you well its like abusive relationships you knew person was cheating on you/beating you why didnt you leave sorry. Drugs should not of been doing them, IM sorry random sex grow up. THeir is a medicine that stops pregnant mother from transferring to fetus. LAst option blood transfusion. I Doubt people would look down on you their
NOt trying to condone it just listing the other perspective
Dont say well blah blah statistics about black people and women and say would you feel being judged on that. Irrelevant
Posted by: sasha | Sep 12, 2007 10:32:43 PM
Actually, meningitis can be quite contagious, though it's easy to confuse bacterial and viral meningitis. Draining the pool was probably a bit of overkill as chlorine is very effective. There are several diseases that can be spread at a public pool, which is why they need to test almost constantly. Kiddie pools are the worst. Despite this, incidents of infection are rare. The ocean is actually safer though. Have fun!
Posted by: anon (gmail.com) | Sep 12, 2007 10:35:26 PM
I'd certainly rather swim with people who admit they have a passing second thought, however irrational, about swimming with HIV+ folks than with some one like Paul from comment #2, who's evidently just a jerk.
Posted by: Scott | Sep 12, 2007 10:44:04 PM
I've never seen this show before until the night that this was on. At least one of the guys made the distinction between what he believed was true and how he thought Americans would vote on this. Obviously much more education is needed, but at least he gave the impression that *he* knew it'd be safe to swim in the pool --- but many many people still remain ill-informed.
Posted by: k | Sep 12, 2007 11:04:38 PM
"HIV disease doesn't come out of gay sex by magic; it comes from the HIV virus that is passed from one person to another through semen or blood, often through unprotected sex, and therefore, one should always have safe sex by using a condom."
No - this is cognitive dissonance; and it introduces another (sort of bigoted) level, that you're assuming everyone has HIV - given the demographics of this blog, you're assuming all gay men have HIV.
You can't say, "HIV isn't a byproduct of gay sex" and "But you should always wear a condom" The first statement betrays the other.
Posted by: bleh | Sep 12, 2007 11:06:03 PM
the reality is that people, whether they know it or not, consistently put themselves in "harms way" in this regard. the same idiots (and i include "BLEH" among them) that would give a second thought to getting into a swimming pool in this situation, nevertheless, sit on public toilets, eat at restaurants where their food is prepared and served by complete, but imperfect, strangers, go to gyms and exchange sweat and who knows what else with other people, and the list goes on and on.
(leland, correct me if i'm wrong, but you had a brain fart on this one. the only person who has a quarrel with CBS prior to your comment is SEAN, who, apropos of nothing, went ballistic on the network.)
i used to do AIDS awareness and outreach, and it saddens me to think that after 25+ years, this is still an issue. but, really, look at those two bloated losers answering the question. they probably have trouble getting dressed on their own in the morning. nevertheless, it's still somewhat disheartening that, despite over half of those polled believe getting into a pool with an HIV+ person is ok, 47% still think it risky.
this is really why the rest of the world hates us. americans are complacent. that complacency breeds the indolence and, hence, the stultification that precludes us from learning beyond ourselves and our own experiences -- as witness those fuckheads on the show and some of those on this thread.
however, i find a glimmer of hope in the responses of the two women and those polled. there are a good number of people able to tell chicken-shit from chicken-salad.
and to BLEH: just, bleh.
Posted by: nic | Sep 12, 2007 11:13:07 PM
sasha,
is english your fourth language? i'm not being mean. if i could hear you speak what you have written, i would swear you were russian. are you? if so, fan-fuckin'-tastic. me likes me russian menz.
Posted by: nic | Sep 12, 2007 11:25:23 PM
One of my best friends from high school married a medical doctor. About nine years ago (ten years after he'd graduated from medical school, mind you), they were meeting in a restaurant to have lunch. Her cell phone began to ring. It was her husband, the doctor. He'd already been into the restaurant but left immediately. He was urging her to leave the restaurant immediately as well. The reason? There was a group of Haitian immigrants eating in the restaurant. According to this doctor, they probably all had HIV and 'AIDS would be all over the restaurant.' A MEDICAL DOCTOR refused to eat in a restaurant with people he believed might have HIV. Now that, my friends, is ignorance (not to mention more than a little touch of racism).
Posted by: peterparker | Sep 12, 2007 11:59:05 PM
Clearly the US needs better education on HIV issues. Do you know that an HIV foreigner is not allow to visit the United States as a tourist? This is a policy that teaches intolerance and discriminate people. It is 2007 and we are still discriminating against people with HIV.
Posted by: Josh | Sep 13, 2007 12:06:59 AM
Whenever I hear a commercials for this terrible show (I watch the local CBS news affiliate,) it always seems to feature a question faintly reeking of "comical" homophobia (see: "are you a homo-sapien?")
...as though people who answer misleading "faggy" questions incorrectly are any less enlightened than the bigots who create said questions.
Posted by: Jaimie | Sep 13, 2007 12:18:29 AM
There are only a handful of comments above that actually get it. All the misunderstanding his is partly because of the way Andy has worded this post. The contestants are predicting what the rest of the country would do, NOT WHAT THEY ACTUALLY BELIEVE. CBS should be commended for the way they are encouraging debate and bringing this issue into the homes of millions of Americans. Both Drew Carey and the contestants were quite up front that THEY KNOW swimming in pool with HIV positive individuals is totally benign. This gameshow is HIGHLIGHTING THE HYPOCRISY in the rest of the country. They should be commended for this!
Posted by: Raffy | Sep 13, 2007 1:54:57 AM
Asking the question is just as homophobic.
Posted by: zeke | Sep 13, 2007 7:56:04 AM
Sweet suffering Jesus. IT'S A FUCKING GAME SHOW. Does anyone believe these statistics are any less cooked by the producers than the "unscripted" conversations on reality shows? And as for CBS being commended for bringing this issue to light; I just don't even know where to begin. Maybe they'll have Katie Couric swim with some HIV positive troops next time she visits the green zone in Iraq.
Posted by: christopher | Sep 13, 2007 8:49:48 AM
I definitely disagree with Zeke that ASKING the question is homophobic. In fact nothing about the question is homophobic. It doesn't mention homosexuals at all. HIV does not discriminate based on sexual orientation.
Lastly, what show were you all watching??? I watched the primetime Power of 10 last night and neither of these questions were asked. At least not in Atlanta. They did ask, "How many people believe that a child raised by gay parents is more likely to become gay?" - 35%
But they also asked "how many Americans would be proud to be called a redneck?" - 23%
Posted by: Dan B | Sep 13, 2007 9:42:15 AM
All the comments after mine must've been made by CBS employees. Or people (probably sheltered NYC homos) who are deeply delusional. (Although working for the former might lead to the latter.)
Posted by: Jaimie | Sep 13, 2007 12:38:57 PM
sorry leland, not buyin' it. why don't they just ask questions like... what % of americans would drink from a water fountain right after a black person drank from it? the HIV question was in extremely poor taste. but i would expect as much from commercial television. no wonder a fifth of americans can't locate the united states on a world map, etc.
Posted by: sean | Sep 13, 2007 5:17:03 PM