In a fascinating survey out this week, the Pew Research Center reports that anti-Americanism is on the rise across the planet.
The big issue is the war in Iraq:

The survey shows that the Iraq war continues to exact a toll on America’s overall image and on support for the struggle against terrorism. Majorities in 10 of 14 foreign countries surveyed say that the war in Iraq has made the world a more dangerous place. In Great Britain, America’s most important ally in Iraq, 60% say the war has made the world more dangerous, while just half that number (30%) feel it has made the world safer.

No surprise in this finding — neither supporters or opponents of the war should be shocked.

What did surprise me was the low level of concern, even ignorance, about the issue of Global Warming in the two countries that are responsible for the greatest output of CO2:

There also is a substantial gap in concern over global warming – roughly two-thirds of Japanese (66%) and Indians (65%) say they personally worry a great deal about global warming. Roughly half of the populations of Spain (51%) and France (46%) also express great concern over global warming, based on those who have heard about the issue. But there is no evidence of alarm over global warming in either the United States or China – the two largest producers of greenhouse gases. Just 19% of Americans and 20% of the Chinese who have heard of the issue say they worry a lot about global warming – the lowest percentages in the 15 countries surveyed.

The Chinese have an excuse, they live in a society where the free flow of information choked off. America claims to be the land of the free. Perhaps it’s just another word for nothin’ that don’t mean nothin’.

This “What, me worry?” attitude is indicated by many Americans reacting with disdain or hostility to Al Gore’s movie. President Bush famously says he ‘doubts’ he’ll see it — exhibiting a classic case of argument from a position of ignorance (“I can’t believe this is possible, so it can’t be true”). The American public continues in it’s tradition of being less aware of major issues the rest of the world:

For the most part, Americans are significantly less aware of events and issues than are the publics in Germany and other major industrialized countries.

There’s a lesson in this for communications professionals and speakers who find themselves addressing American audiences. Dumb it down. Then make it even dumber. Don’t assume your audience knows Jack about the major topics of the day. That includes the ‘educated’ professionals in business attire.

The good news is that a presentation which makes the audience aware of previously unknown facts and does so in an entertaining and engaging manner, will reduce by a small fraction the sum total of this great wall of ignorance. And that’s a good feelin’ — good enough for me and my Bobby McGee.