EVENLY AT ODDS

ET CETERA

AMERICANS ARE SPLIT DOWN THE MIDDLE ON ALL-MALE CLUBS, THE USE OF FOREIGNERS FOR CUSTOMER SUPPORT, AND WHETHER THEIR OWN MARRIAGES COULD SURVIVE A HOLLYWOOD LIFESTYLE.

THE 60 MINUTES/VANITY FAIR POLL

Is the United States really a nation divided? Oh, we can get more specific than that: the United States is a nation divided equally. And on an insanely wide range of topics. How many of us don't know how far we live from the nearest nuclear plant? Exactly 50 percent. Would launching another space shuttle be worth the cost to us in taxes? Maybe yes, maybe no—divided right down the middle, among the general populace. (Men are somewhat more inclined to say it's worth it, and women to say it isn't.) Half of Americans (well, 51 percent) don't think they'd survive a Hollywood marriage (especially divorced or separated Americans—two-thirds of them are rather gloomy about the prospect). And the polling was //^ | \ \ \\ \ practically equal on the question of whether Americans in need of customer support prefer to speak with a real person in a foreign country or with "a very competent American robot." Republicans tilted more toward the native-assembled robot. (But while we're at it: how about a competent real person in any country?)

There are a few notable exceptions in this month's poll to the rampant evenhandedness, balance, and After-you-Alphonse-ing. We'd rather live out our senior years in the countryside. No hemming there. (And—to keep things perfectly equal—no hawing either.) And the single piece of mail Americans dread most is a jury summons. Hard to blame them: how would we ever reach a verdict?

This poll was conducted at the CBS News intemewing facility among a random sample of 1,021 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone March 31-April 3, 2011. Some low-percentage answer choices have been omitted.

@vf.com SEE THE COMPLETE POLL RESULTS.

If you could turn back the clock, which one of these companies would you invest in?

Google.28%

Apple.27

Coca-Cola.17

Facebook.15

IBM. 7

Which one piece of mail do you dread getting the most?

QE

Jury duty 32%... 27%... 34%....36%

Mortgage/rent bill.27.34.22.18

Credit-card statement.22.22.22.24

Wedding invitation. 6. 6. 6. 7

Birthday card. 3. 3. 2. 0

The age at which people can legally drink in this country is 21, while the minimum age for joining the armed forces is 18. One result is that there are people fighting for this country who aren't old enough to legally drink. Should the drinking age be lowered, should the age for serving in the military be raised, or should both be left as they are?

ALL

Both should be 18.20% .27%. 1 8%. 19%. 17%

Both should be 21 .34 27....37 36....33

Both should stay as they are.42 43 42

Do you happen to know how many miles the nearest nuclear plant or facility is from your home?

ALL

Yes 42%

No 50 65 57 39 4

Should private, all-male clubs such as the Augusta National Golf Club, where the Masters Tournament is held annually, allow women to become members?

ALL

Should allow women

O.K. to allow only men 42 41 42 51 31 46

The average cost to launch a space shuttle is about $450 million per mission. Do you think this is a worthwhile use of your tax money?

o*

Worthwhile.47%

Not worthwhile.49... 41 56

Which potential global crisis do you fear most?

World war.38%

Nuclear accident.28

Earthquake.11

Overpopulation.11

Oil shortage. 6

Alien invasion. 4

If you were a married Hollywood actor and away from home for months at a time, do you think marriage would survive?

*

Probably.42%...51%....22%....39%

Probably not.51.43.67.56

Would you rather grow old in a city, a suburb, or the countryside?

Countryside.63%

Suburb.21

City.15

As far as you know, what is Reuters?

o°vCr'

A global news agency 42%

A London investment bank 9 10 7 9

A private New Jersey college. college 6. 6. 7 5

A fast-food chain. 5. 5. 8

A German airline. 2. 2. 3

Don't know.36.49.35 16

If you had to call a company's customer-support line, whom would you rather speak to—a real person in a foreign country, or a very competent American robot with artificial intelligence?

⅛

A real person in a foreign country.47% 41%

Avery competent American robot 43 49 44 38