Get Smart! Survey Says...

  • February 28, 2012

Smart USA, the super-diminutive car division of Daimler, AG and Harris Interactive have done a survey that is probably meant to evoke the brand name and its positioning: the survey in December of over 2,000 Americans aged 18 and older, found that, in spite of what Rick Santorum might think, Americans actually like the elite. Okay, the survey didn't say "elite" exactly, but the results suggest Americans prefer intelligent people. Make that "smart" people.

Eighty-eight percent respondents said they'd prefer to date someone who is intelligent versus merely hot. Though all respondents would, if given the choice, date someone who is both intelligent and hot. In my case the person just has to be breathing.

The smart USA survey also found that nearly 7 out of 10 (69%) Americans would prefer their spouse to speak another language than have washboard abs. Some wish our spouses wouldn't speak, period. Forget the washboard abs. 

The survey said almost 3 in 5 (59%) Americans would rather have their partner gain 20 I.Q. points than lose 20 pounds, which is wishful thinking, as it would be easier to understand the principle of general relativity than to lose even five pounds. Especially now that Ben and Jerry's has come out with Greek frozen yogurt.

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The survey found that three out of four Americans prefer to receive a present in a small package over a large one (hint: get a smart car for your significant other, but only give it to them if they promise to get washboard abs. Or at least do the wash) Those who thought bigger was better tended to be young, a preference that shrinks as people get older and wiser (and we should note that as people get older they also tend to shrink, whether or not they get wiser, though if they see a shrink as they get older they might get wiser) The survey said 34% of Americans age 18-34 preferred bigger presents compared to 22% of those age 45-54 and 17% of those age 55+.

There's more: 97% of Americans, per the survey, believe that at least some of the items in their household are junk (i.e., they could easily get rid of it); one out of 10 Americans believe they can part with a full half of their stuff; 9% of Americans believe that 51-100% of the items in their household are junk (for some, this may actually include their significant other, especially if they don't have washboard abs or know another language), indicating that the supposed American obsession with size and quantity is overstated.

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