Scared or more aware?
The German Marshall Fund of the United States (or rather the Transatlantic Trends project it, presumably, funds) just released their annual findings from public opinion in the US and Europe about a variety of post-9/11 issues including trans-Atlantic (that's how I spell it, like the Economist does) relations, views on China, Islamic fundamentalism, NATO, Turkey and the, quote, tradeoff between civil liberties and homeland security. Here's a graph on 'threat perception' from page 9 of the English version (cock your head to the left):
The GMF interprets this to mean that Europeans and Americans feel similar global threats (quote). But look at that graph again, for every 'extremely important' rating, Americans are more concerned than those on the other side of the pond. My question is this: are the Amis more freaked out or do they just understand the world better? Put another way, are the Europeans just naive or are they wearing a smaller target sign?
Comments
correction: I meant how the NYT writes it
Benjamin; September 18, 2006 7:20 PM
your questions are pretty funny:-)I believe America will also PAY more for the fear, not dear Mr. President, but you, you and you!
Süß-Sauer; September 18, 2006 9:21 PM
I personally think, and this is my firmest belief, that we europeans are just naive, and totally insane. In other words, we are pretty much doomed. I mean, seriously, there is no "us" in this world. It's either us or them, right?
Bulette; September 19, 2006 6:20 AM
To Bulette: I dont think Europeans are naive, the world is a big family, it is not nessary to be enemies, as long as you are LOCKER to each other, forgive each other and really try to get along, PEACE will be the only topic. We should not suffer just because some people/countries want some profit from the war, that´s stupid. "There is no real fear, only the illusion we make up by ourselves!"(Buddha)
Süß-Sauer; September 19, 2006 12:15 PM
another correction: well, except for global warming. Americans are, notably, less worried about that one. What does that tell you?
Ben; September 19, 2006 4:50 PM
Yeah, Ben, right, thanks for your tip, maybe you Amis are more scared of the human being than the nature, or the policy makers in America think it will be more interesting to see the people get scared, as soon as they see a guy with beard, than to explain how they could produce so much CO2, SO2 and SO3 etc. every year!
Süß-Sauer; September 19, 2006 8:03 PM
I think we europeans are crazy, horny insane in our naive kinky european way. I mean anthrax is the white powder that the mailman puts in your mailbox in the morning, right?
Bulette; September 20, 2006 12:06 AM
I'd like to know how "Iraq" should be perceived as a threat. Any ideas?
Meckla; September 20, 2006 10:59 AM
how many people were effected (actually: killed) by terrorism since 9/11 2001 and will be effected in the next, let's say: 25 years?
on the other hand? how many people will be effected by man made natural catstrophes and a raise of ocean level of 1 meter in the next 25 years? someone dare to estimate?
americans understand the world better?
good joke !!!
norbert; September 25, 2006 4:35 PM