A not so easy test about the world

[harley]

Here at ER.org we often take these little quizzes that people find, most often relating to finances or something. Usually they're pretty easy and we can't figure out why other people don't know the answers. I found this one on Nature via Reason Magazine. It's titled Three minutes with Hans Rosling will change your mind about the world, and it's an interesting article. But it includes an 8 question quiz about conditions in the world. Now I freely admit to being not as informed as I might be, but I was still amazed to only get 1 out of 8. I also admit I guessed on every single question, since I didn't have a firm answer for any of them. I suspect a number of more informed people here will do better than me, but still, it will be a nice change from nearly everybody getting all the questions right. I'm curious to see how y'all do.

Edit: Btw, take the quiz before reading the article. Spoilers.

 

[Calico]

Here at ER.org we often take these little quizzes that people find, most often relating to finances or something. Usually they're pretty easy and we can't figure out why other people don't know the answers. I found this one on Nature via Reason Magazine. It's titled Three minutes with Hans Rosling will change your mind about the world, and it's an interesting article. But it includes an 8 question quiz about conditions in the world. Now I freely admit to being not as informed as I might be, but I was still amazed to only get 1 out of 8. I also admit I guessed on every single question, since I didn't have a firm answer for any of them. I suspect a number of more informed people here will do better than me, but still, it will be a nice change from nearly everybody getting all the questions right. I'm curious to see how y'all do.

Edit: Btw, take the quiz before reading the article. Spoilers.

Well, that was embarrassing. 0 for 8. I am officially a know-nothing.

Edited to add: Based on all my wrong answers, the state of the world is not nearly as dire as I would have thought, particularly in these areas: the education of female children; life expectancy; and levels of poverty.

So after the test I felt ignorant, but more optimistic in general! I shall henceforth refer to myself as the Ignorant Optimist.

 

[gauss]

0 for 8 here too.

Sent from my LGLS751 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[cooch96]

2 of 8. I must admit, some of the answers surprised me.

 

[Just_Steve]

0 for 8. Perfect.

 

[Nemo2]

4 out of 8.

 

[tfudtuckerpucker]

4 of 8. But I "cheated", by watching quite a number of his videos over the years.

 

[Alan]

0 out of 8.

 

[2017ish]

a disappointing 4 of 8. (I read Matt Ridley and Reason regularly, which explains doing relatively well; came close on particular percentages/years that I got wrong, but still failed)

E.T.A.: Thanks, Harley for bringing something different and interesting to our attention!

 

[MBAustin]

1 of 8. Very interesting and not the usual "internet quiz". Thanks for sharing, Harley!

 

[harley]

Well, I'm not feeling so bad now. I agree with Calico, at least I feel a little more optimistic now.

 

[Potstickers]

6 of 8 for me. I'm a bit of a demographics nerd. Missed the electricity question and the extreme poverty rate question.

 

[ERD50]

I got 3 out of 8, but was really surprised how far off I was on some.

Did I miss it - it seems to not tell you which ones you got right/wrong, just the totals. On some, I honestly forgot what I chose, and they don't show the choices. With all those figures flying, I kinda lost track. Wish I wrote down my answers (and not just ABCD - you need to know the answer - I wish they told you before (or did I miss that question too?).

Bottom line, I guess the ones I was close on or even right I had some understanding from previous readings. But on others, I just really misjudged, mostly thinking the world on average was worse off than it is. I lost perspective, thinking that the really poor countries have large areas and large populations. So that's a good thing, even if it makes me look stupid!

Oh, and pie charts for the votes is a rather poor way to show what people chose. Keeping the choices in ascending order, with bars to show how many each got would give a better sense of whether people guessed high, low, or a somewhat even distribution. The pie charts sort of randomized that, depending.

-ERD50

 

[NW-Bound]

2 out of 8.

Again, same as most posters, I was more pessimistic about the world's condition than it really is. Some of the answers were admittedly shocking.

OK. It's good. I will feel less guilty being cozy here with a drink in hand, surfin' the forum after looking at my Quicken screen to debate whether I should do a bit more Roth conversion or harvest some tax-free capital gains.

 

[mamadogmamacat]

4 out of 8 not great but then again I had never heard of this individual before and rarely read any Reason articles unless they happen to show up on RCP and the topic interests me

 

[Dreamer]

1 out of 8 for me. I guessed at all of the questions. I am pleased to see how wrong I was in my guessing. Interesting. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Calico]

6 of 8 for me. I'm a bit of a demographics nerd. Missed the electricity question and the extreme poverty rate question.

Impressive. You go to the head of the class!

 

[aja8888]

I got a perfect score! (0)

I may be a good engineer and metallurgist, but I don't know Jack about the world demographics.

 

[Sunset]

1 out of 8 , but that is only because I know Billy Bob's twin brother got a job so one of them has upgraded to a flush toilet.

 

[pjigar]

2 out of 8

 

[target2019]

Things are improving globally for those that needed it most. I am surprised by that.

 

[Sittinginthesun]

Zero!

 

[Gumby]

I was completely wrong, but I'm happy I was. The world is in better shape than I thought.

 

[Ronstar]

I got 1

 

[Fishingmn]

6 of 8 - missed electricity and vaccination ones which had more choices