This Survey About Americans Is DEVASTATING

People in pretty much every other country across the globe see their fellow citizens in a positive light, but in America, not so much. A new Pew Research survey found that the US is the only place where the majority of residents say their countrymen are bad. Before we get into the numbers, Jenk, you might have a different perspective based on your uh media appearances and globe trotting lately. What do you think? [laughter] Um, so I think there's a reason why we hate each other more than other countries hate each other. Uh, I think it's our media. I think it's our politics. So I'm going to explain my theory after Jordan gives you all the facts. >> So let's start with this. The percent of people who rate the morality of people in their country as good or bad. And you can see United States followed [laughter] by Turkey. >> Way I'm seeing a pattern here. >> Uhoh. [laughter] at home to >> places Jen has lived. Okay. >> Uh Jamaica's not on here as Mr. Jamaica. So >> Oh, okay. We dodged the bullet on that one. >> Well, so you can see the US ranks uh at the top. Now, the survey released this week found that 53% of American adults described the morality and ethics of their fellow citizens as either somewhat or very bad. Closest to the United States was Turkey, where 49% of adults rated their compatriots as bad. That means in 24 out of 25 countries included in the survey, the majority of people said the other residents there are good. America is the one exception. Now on the opposite end of the spectrum from the US is Canada where a whopping 92% of people say their fellow Canadians are good while just 7% say they're bad. Indonesia, India, Sweden, Australia, and Japan followed closely behind. This is the first time Pew asked this specific question on their survey. So we don't know if or how these numbers have changed over time. They also didn't ask follow-up questions that would have revealed why Americans see each other in such a poor light. But Scott Sheiman, a sociologist who studies the social psychology of Americans and Canadians, argues Americans tend to think broadly that most other people are worse than they themselves are. Political partisanship likely also plays a huge role. More than half of the countries surveyed showed a partisanship bias, meaning that people who preferred political parties out of power and particularly likely to view their fellow citizens as immoral. The report found in the US, Pew found 60% of Democrats and those who lean Democratic saw their fellow citizens as morally or ethically bad, while 46% of Republicans did. Previous polls have found similar evidence of partisansship hatred, but showed different results when it comes to how Democrats feel versus Republicans. A 2022 Pew poll showed a sharp rise among Americans in negative views about people from the other political party. 47% of Republican Americans and 35% of Democrats in 2016 said people in the opposing party were immoral. That jumped to 72% of Republicans and 63% of Democrats in 2022. Keith, what do you think? You've worked with Republicans in the past. Are they bad? >> I I think most I think most people in the country are good. Is that also a I don't know if that's a hot take or not, but I think most people in this country are good. And I think that this is working exactly as they intended to. When we are divided, we are much easier to conquer. But on all the issues, war, Israel, on uh the cost [snorts] of living, healthcare, we all agree. Now, we might have different ways of wanting to get to a certain place, but we all agree that it's not working. This country is not working for most people. So, it actually makes me very I don't want to say sad, but it's very disappointing to see that my fellow Americans see we see each other as enemies rather than team members to try to create a better country. One reason why I like James Salico because he's he's labeling this this stuff in a way that I think is really important and I think works because he's he's he's seeing exactly what's happening which is that the oligarchs, the billionaires, the algorithms have designed it this way so that we see each other as the enemies and we don't talk about the things that are actually going on in this country and the problems that they're creating and talking about the fact that if we all work together we can solve some really big problems and it's the very few in this country that don't want that to happen. >> Yeah. So I had a lot to say here. Uh first I want to try to notice patterns right? So uh among the countries that don't like one another right within the country uh I noticed two patterns. Uh one is uh a fundamentalist uh leader driving a wedge between the people. So in America we have Trump and we're number one. Oh, the other side is bad and immoral, right? And oh, they and and then he does so many immoral things that the Democrats then go, "No, you're immoral." Same exact phenomenon is in Turkey and they come in number two. Erdogan, more of a fundamentalist leader. Oh, we're the moral ones. They're the immoral ones. And then the secular Turks are super mad at the fundamentalist Turks. So, exact same pattern. Third country is Brazil where Balssonaro did something very, very similar, right? So I'm surprised Hungary isn't on the list or B is also doing something similar to that. So that's an interesting pattern, right? And and I think that that's going to go to the larger point about media and politics in a second. The second pattern I noticed, I don't know if it's real or not, but [snorts] uh Turkey, Greece, Italy, all Mediterranean countries. France you could argue is a Mediterranean country. So maybe in the Mediterranean countries we fight more. [laughter] I don't know. But that's a random one. Okay. Now, in the countries that uh generally like one another, uh this the patterns are harder to tell. So, I I like Indonesia being number two there. Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world. So, oh no, Muslims can't get along. Oh, they can when there's no one riing them up to hate each other or etc, etc. But to me, the really interesting one was Canada. We're number one in hating each other the most. Canada's number one in liking each other the most and otherwise we're incredibly similar, right? So what's different about us between [snorts] Canada and the US? Well, our media is different and our politics is different. So when they first started seeing Canada, Fox News in Canada, I remember we covered on the show the reactions were like, whoa, what is this? How evil are these guys? And are these they're allowed to say that on TV in America, right? And so because in Canada, as far as I know, there were not this Fox News, MSNBC, and that entire media industrial complex driving a wedge between us. And it's literally called wedge issues here in America. And our politicians, I'll give you another example. It's amazing. So, uh, you know how the right-wing in this country, Republicans, etc., are like, "Oh my god, they're all pro-life and abortion for a long, long time was the number one issue and even if you were terrible on everything else, they'd vote on that one issue alone because they cared so much about it. It's so core to their beliefs." So what's so hence what's weird is in the 1973 is when Roie Wade happened. Did you know that none of the Republicans or even evangelical Christian leaders had come out against Roie Wade until 1978, 5 years later? In fact, a lot of the churches were split on which way to go. But in 78, a Republican strategist tried to win on the issue of abortion in five different areas. And what they did was they started printing out flyers with dead babies. And that worked so well because it created this visceral emotion. Oh my god, the Democrats are killing babies. And then from then on they're like, "Oh yes, of course the issue we care most about is abortion and babies and life." And then all of a sudden all the politicians on the right wing, all the evangelical pastors, now remember, hate the other side. They kill babies. They kill babies, right? And nowadays, uh, the Democrats are so sick of what the Republicans have done over and over again. I gotta be honest, guys, a lot of the Democrats hate the right-wing, right? So, the right-wing might have hated us based on ethnicity, race, sex, gender, all those different things. Uh, but now I feel that there's significant hatred in the left for the right. Right. So, and when that when you see that happen, that means they won. Hatred is one. and wedge issues have won. And so because when we have an equal amount of hate, it's not like the left wins. No, the right wings. When you have an equal amount of hate, because hate helps corruption, that helps uh, you know, authoritarian governments take over. That's why Erdogan did it. That's why uh, Trump did it. That's why Balssonso did it. Right? So if you're on the right wing, that doesn't mean like, oh, you you did it. I'm not trying to spread that hatred, right? But there are people in leadership that know these things, that know these psychological phenomenons and they push them forward. That didn't happen in Canada. And look at the gigantic difference. What do you think, George? >> I think it's a few different things. It's like some of the elements that Keith talked about. It's just a perfect cocktail of hate. And it's in part it is our elections being way too long relative to other developed countries, other countries on this list. Our cycles shock people in other countries. You have a quick snap election in places like Canada and Great Britain. They're over in a few weeks. The campaign finance system pummeling you with ads reaching new and new lows. I mean, I don't want to get in. I think it's a distraction, but I also think like you could just take a look at that Terico and Crockett race. That's a perfect example. >> You have two candidates who on paper are extremely similar running two different styles of campaign and you would have thought that people who support based on what you saw online and how people talked about supporters of Terico, you would have thought he was inciting a new clan. It's unhealthy. And then you have I I think a big part of it is just the death rattle of a latestage empire where you have greed at all-time highs. You have inequality at all-time highs and they are trying to paper over the rot by keeping you distracted and mad at your neighbor. There's a sense of distrust. There's a sense of animus. And they deliberately stoke those coals so you don't turn your eyes to the real enemy. And then I I just I I also want to recommend people try to get in a better try to get a better sense of how your political opponent might think. And there's a book that came out a couple years ago. It's called Outraged by Kurt Gray. He runs the Deepest Beliefs Lab at UNC. And I actually I actually recommended it to Anna who read it and also interviewed him after I did and because we both found it so fascinating because what he does is he studies how people form their opinions and why. And reading that book really opened my eyes to why conservatives think the way they do and why people that might have a different opinion on policy than me, why they reach those conclusions. And really it boils down to who do they see as the aggressor and who do they see as the victim? And you'll see how people are depicted in people's minds, the evil, the more evil they become, the less people in in people's minds, the less people think they are capable of feeling pain. And you could just all of these studies that he's conducted for years in this book and I reading it really helped me understand why people might have a difference of opinion. I would encourage you all to check it out. >> Yeah. I'm going to say last couple things too. So number one, you know, I said the rightwing wins if there's more hatred. It's that's a little uh inexact, right? It's actually authoritarianism that wins. Uh because and and if you're and all the guys I listed, they happen to be on the right, Bossaro, Erdogan, and and Trump, but really their defining trait is authoritarianism. And so, and if you think about it, unfortunately, we get it's easy to trap us in this trap because once they start the hatred against you, it's so if you don't counter it effectively, they're going to win. If you do counter it and you hate them back, they're going to win, right? Because the point is the hatred. Yoda was right. Right. So, so it's very difficult to to counter. And how did for example uh Martin Luther King counter it and win in the civil rights movement? >> He didn't go let's hate them more and win. He said no let's stop playing that game alto together and actually love them. That is revolutionary and it worked and I think it can work again. Keith is absolutely right. I would say that we as a country as citizens agree on at least 70% of the issues. Yes, there are real issues we disagree on. Abortion, and we could name many others, right? But on lower drug prices, lower housing prices, higher wages, better health care. We could go on and on and on. And and not only would we agree, but Republicans and Democrats would go, "Of course." The one I always cite is paid family leave. It polls at 84% because we both think that moms should get 12 weeks off after they have a baby instead of going back to the assembly line on the next day. of course, but they drive a wedge between us and then we get divided and we hate each other and and the authoritarians win. And look, the original algorithm that started all this was called mainstream media. And so they have been dividing us for as long as I have been alive. So stop playing that game with them. So um and I know it's hard because you know when you don't hate the other side, there are consequences. You get accused of being a sellout, etc. So let's have a little bit of courage. That's my suggestion, right? Uh and lastly, [snorts] I'll end on a fun note, right? So folks who hate each other internally, how's Russia not on this list? And number one, they have an authoritarian leader in Putin. Number two, you guys know the old joke about the Russians, uh they God comes down and says uh to a Russian, I'll give you anything you want. Just one catch. First of all, the guy's super excited. He's like, anything I want? It's amazing, right? And he's like, "But whatever you get, your neighbor will get twice as much." And he's like, "Oh, god." He's like, he thinks about it for a long time. He goes, "All right, take out one of my eyes." [laughter] That's the joke about the Russians. And even they didn't make the list and we did. So, come on, America. We got to do better than this. Every time you ring the bell below, an angel gets his swings. Totally not true, but it does keep you updated on our live shows.

A new survey reveals that Americans don't really like each other. Cenk Uygur, Jordan Uhl and Keith Edwards discuss on The Young Turks. Do you agree with TYT's take? Tell us what you think in the comments below. SUBSCRIBE today: ☞ https://go.tyt.com/ytsubscribe Get paid to use your phone less! Switch to Noble Mobile today: https://go.tyt.com/mobile 🔥 Tired of corporate media? Get honest news and bold commentary with TYT. 📲 Click Subscribe → https://go.tyt.com/subscribe 🔔 Hit the bell icon so you never miss an episode! 🫶 Love this video? Leave a Super Thanks (💖) and help power our work! 🧢 Grab official merch → https://go.tyt.com/shoptyt ✊ Become a TYT Member for perks & exclusive content → https://go.tyt.com/jointyt Read more here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2026/03/06/americans-immoral-unethical-survey/ "From Indonesia to Nigeria to Greece, people around the world see some slice of their fellow citizens as immoral or unethical. But there is only one country where the majority of residents say their countrymen are “bad”: the United States." *** Your Support is Crucial to the Show: https://go.tyt.com/jointoday The largest online progressive news show in the world. Hosted by Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian. LIVE weekdays 6-8 pm ET. http://youtube.com/theyoungturks/live Help support our mission and get perks. Membership protects TYT's independence from corporate ownership and allows us to provide free live shows that speak truth to power for people around the world. See Perks: ▶ https://www.youtube.com/TheYoungTurks/join TYT is the largest online news network in the country. It presents news, context and analysis. We have dozens of on-air hosts on half a dozen major channels on almost all the platforms. We also have a live 24-hour news channel that features all our shows. The Young Turks is the flagship show of the TYT Network. The Young Turks is the longest running daily show in internet history. We’re about to celebrate our 20th anniversary as a digital native show. We are also the first ever YouTube partner channel. So, we are the original YouTubers. On the network, we do things a little differently than other places. We present the news first, with all of the facts and context you need, which is a rarity in commentary-heavy online shows. We then also give analysis and perspective, which is rare in traditional news. Our commentary and perspective are almost always on the left, but we have an enormous range of opinions on the network. Hosts are allowed to think and say whatever they like. Perspectives usually range from the far left to the center of the political spectrum. Now, our presence and range is large enough that we are adopting the tagline The Online News Network. Our longevity, our 27 million subscribers and 30 billion lifetime views allows us to make this claim confidently. TYT emphasizes open-minds and open-hearts. We believe in fighting for the average American. We believe in challenging the powerful. We are vigilant about pursuing the truth to the best of our abilities and for always being honest with our audience. We’ve been proud to serve the internet for longer than any other news show or network. As one of the founding fathers and mothers of online media, we have always believed that digital media would become the dominant news source for all Americans. We’re thrilled that day is here and that TYT is where everyone can come to see The Online News Network. TYT includes owned and operated and partner shows such as The Young Turks, The Damage Report, Indisputable, and more. TYT’s 24/7 programming is available on YouTube TV, Samsung TV, Plus, Roku, Xumo, TCLtv+, Fubo, and more. TYT is also available as a podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, Amazon Music, and more. SUBSCRIBE on YOUTUBE: ☞ http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=theyoungturks FACEBOOK: ☞ http://www.facebook.com/TheYoungTurks TWITTER: ☞ http://www.twitter.com/TheYoungTurks INSTAGRAM: ☞ http://www.instagram.com/TheYoungTurks TWITCH: ☞ http://www.twitch.com/tyt 👕 Merch: http://shoptyt.com ❤ Donate: http://www.tyt.com/go 🔗 Website: https://www.tyt.com If you want to watch more videos from TYT, consider subscribing to other channels in our network: The Watchlist https://www.youtube.com/watchlisttyt Indisputable with Dr. Rashad Richey https://www.youtube.com/indisputabletyt The Damage Report ▶ https://www.youtube.com/thedamagereport TYT Sports ▶ https://www.youtube.com/tytsports The Conversation ▶ https://www.youtube.com/tytconversation Rebel HQ ▶ https://www.youtube.com/rebelhq TYT Investigates ▶ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwNJt9PYyN1uyw2XhNIQMMA #TYT #TheYoungTurks #BreakingNews 260306__BE02_Survery_Most