Most Americans think their fellow citizens are bad people, survey says

"Americans tend to think broadly that most other people are worse than they [themselves] are. Whether people are asked to assess how happy the public is about their jobs, or the cost of living, or the government, there is a "negativity bias" in Canada, but "it's no where near as sharp as in the U.S.""

"A striking survey released Thursday finds that 53 percent of American adults describe the morality and ethics of their fellow citizens as "bad" (somewhat bad or very bad). In the 24 other countries polled by Pew Research Center, most people said other residents there are somewhat good or good."

"More than half of the countries surveyed showed a partisanship bias, meaning that people whose preferred political party is out of power "are particularly likely to view their fellow citizens as immoral." In the U.S., Pew found, 60 percent of Democrats and those who lean Democratic saw their fellow citizens as morally or ethically bad, while 46 percent of Republicans did."

A Pew Research Center survey reveals that Americans uniquely perceive their fellow citizens negatively compared to residents of 24 other countries. Fifty-three percent of American adults describe the morality and ethics of their countrymen as bad, while in most other nations surveyed, majorities view their fellow residents positively. Canada shows the starkest contrast, with 92 percent viewing their countrymen as good. Sociologists attribute this to a pronounced negativity bias in American thinking, where people tend to view others as worse than themselves. The survey identifies partisanship as a significant factor, with those whose political party is out of power particularly likely to view fellow citizens negatively. Democrats show higher disapproval at 60 percent compared to Republicans at 46 percent.

Read at The Washington Post