Of the people that I know IRL? 0%
Of the people who post here? 99%
Again, back to my point. I have a Brother, Trump supporter, who used to post his opinions on facebook, and frankly, what he posted on facebook was tame compared to what he says IRL, because there are certain words you use there that will probably get you banned.
A few other people I know on facebook are the same way IRL, some of whom I've known for 40 years. One kid I remember absolutely freaked out when Harold Washington became mayor of Chicago in 83, and he had exactly the same reaction when Obama became president. He just doesn't use the word we can't use here on USMB or Facebook in his postings.
I think the only difference is that an argument can continue over days on USMB or Facebook, while IRL, one side just walks away after a few minutes.
I heard an interview by a guy who used to work for Google and wrote a book about his time at the company. He devoted a section on individual behavior based on their Google searches. The interviewer asked him what behaviors people exhibited online anonymously that they tended not to exhibit in public. He said there were two things. First, people were much more likely to discuss medical issues, particularly terminal or debilitating diseases. Second, people were much more racist than they were IRL.
That sounds like a flawed methodology....or sounds like something is missing.
You said the study was based on their SEARCHES, and then went on to describe their DISCUSSIONS. Seems odd, like someone says something while hanging out in my kitchen and suddenly the rest of the folks are interested in some back-knowledge, and random person X whips out their phone and plugs in a search for something he may be totally detached from caring about.
Anyhoo, American culture as it stands today is pretty great.
Crime is in a good spot, relatively speaking (to our past).
The arts are flourishing, the internet is teeming with content creators ranging from beginner to seriously gifted.
Individuals seem to invent and implement business ideas a lot more efficiently.
Folks are charitable these days, and its easier because they can find specific things theyd like to help with such as a start-up project, or to help out when someone's house burns down.
Parents are back to being a large part of their child's education. Its actually obsessive, at times. Its an over-reaction to how these parents, themselves, were raised in 80s & 90s culture where the parents were nowhere near the same presence.
Now its like every parent is on every school board possible and totally up-ass at every practice or activity possible.
All over communities, moms are starting businesses for parent/child activities ....trampoline parks, mommy daughter tea time, etc etc.
Lots of old, worn down inner cities are being bought up by Craftsmen that are converting entirely abandoned ghetto blocks to little boutique bars and eateries.
If you visit a Lowes or Home Depot and strike up a random convo - young couples are really obsessed with the new DIY projects that the internet enabled them to learn about.
Young kids these days are nicer than ever before, besides some outlier cases.
Theyre so nice they seem too soft, even, but theyre really pragmatic these days and their ability to think practically about issues without the emotional baggage of the angry elder-class is very promising.
The future sciences are growing at an INCREDIBLE rate....and theres tons of start-up podcasts you can listen to that have physicists, inventors and such speak at LENGTH without the time constraints of traditional television.
Once these old kooks whining about who has the worst ideas fade away ~ humanity in general is embarking on one of its greatest periods of achievement literally ever.
The stars will be traveled.
