5.21.20: Vaccine trials, opening retail
Plus US international engagement and the power of podcasts
May 21, 2020.
Good Thursday Morning. If you don’t mind indulging me, I’d like to answer a few more of the comments from the mailbag. It goes on a little long, so I put it at the bottom of the post, underneath the results from yesterday’s questions.
But we’ve also got some questions today, so click the “Let’s Talk” button.
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Results from May 20, 2020
Question 1: Would you be willing to participate in an early stage drug trial for a COVID-19 vaccine, even if the vaccine were unproven and it may have negative side effects?
On May 6 (results shared on May 7), we asked you whether you would get vaccinated if a COVID-19 vaccine were made available. Over 80% said you were likely or very likely to get vaccinated.
But under 20% of you would be willing to participate in a vaccine trial. So you’re interested in being protected against the virus, but perhaps you’re not desperate for that protection.
Question 2: Do you think non-food retailers (like clothing stores) should now be allowed to re-open in your state?
I think small businesses should have the option to open and employees the option to return to work. If an employer or employee opts not to return to work, they should have protections and support. The problem with re opening stores is that employees who rely on income and insurance from work are being forced into unsafe working conditions. Consumers can choose not to shop. Employees don’t have the luxury of staying home.
Question 3: With which statement do you agree more?
The question of US involvement in the rest of the world is nothing new, and the global coronavirus pandemic has brought that question back to the forefront. Should we embrace the ability to coordinate with and influence other countries, even if it means their problems sometimes affect us? Or should isolate from the rest of the world, even if we lose all the benefits of engagement?
Engage was an interesting word choice. Military engagement is obviously quite different from economic or humanitarian engagement.
It was intended to capture both, though some wanted to make distinctions.
When I say the US should engage more, I mean in a friendly, collaborative, non-explosive type engagement...
The question about thinking the US should have more or less interaction with foreign countries needed more nuance! I think you can disagree with trump’s nationalism and exclusionary views and also disagree with a long history of imperialism- those are on opposite ends of your question and there’s a lot of room in the middle for other views.
Others are for involvement, but only for specific cases.
I believe the U.S. should become strongly involved if our interests (freedom, oil, preservation of western civilization, etc.) and well-being (national defense) are clearly at risk. Otherwise, we should bugger out of there.
And a thoughtful statement from a military family.
We are a military family so I have often been subjected to people's assumptions about how I view the world. Surprise, they are almost always wrong. I think we are overly engaged in some ways, but we also are not nearly as positively engaged as we could be. We have posts around the world, but we act as isolationists in some ways (see Trump's covid 'response' or lack there of). We truly are a global community, and as much as people like to wave their flag and say we are the best, we are not alone on this planet. Being American does not make us uniquely qualified to solve all problems or provide all the answers. Of course, there are some governments who should be engaged with caution, but we have so many allies who could help us if we reached out and rebuilt those relationships. Trump's whole anti-UN bit is harmful to us as a nation and as a member of this global community. You would think Covid would have proven that by now…
Question 4: To which of Spotify's newest podcasters have you listened before?
Though these numbers don’t represent anything close to a majority, they’re actually indicative of a pretty wide reach for both Rogan and Simmons. It makes sense that Spotify, who’s trying to own audio experiences, would want to have both of them on board.
Another sign of Spotify going long on podcasts:
The Last Podcast on the Left Network also went exclusive to Spotify in the last few months, which got me to download the app. I didn't think it would work, but they definitely are getting some new customers because of it.
Question 5: To where have you at least considered moving?
Lots of city folks wanting to move to the suburbs for the space, but some suburban folks are pining for more rural areas.
Lots of folks also want to move to warmer locations (so Florida, Texas, South Carolina, Tennessee and California all got some love).
One respondent wants a ranch in Montana, while some others just want to be closer to family.
We’ve considered moving from New York to California - but really only hypothetically!
This makes me want to consider moving out of a big city. I probably won’t do it anytime soon but it makes me consider it more.
Out of NYC and to the suburbs - I’ve had an alarming realization regarding just how expensive the city is. Hunkering down with my parents on the suburbs has been tough to say the least, but it’s allowed me to save more than I could ever dream of living in NYC. Cost/benefit isn’t worth it anymore.
To my home state, or at least out of an apartment.
From a city to the suburbs. More space and a yard would be wonderful right now!
Closer to family or to warm weather!!
While I think the suburbs, of many cities, are having their moment in the wake of the virus, I had previously wanted to make a move between cities. The virus is just making that desire stronger—better weather, more accessible outdoor activities, closer to family. Hoping to move by this fall!
I live about 15 minutes about the city part of Nashville. While the mayor set some rules and had a shut down the governor didn't take it as seriously. We're slowly opening but if I can go down the highway to the next county and everything is open is doesn't matter what good we did. Restaurants opened at 50% last week. Drove passed Chili's yesterday and the lot was full. People are dying and going to die and these people are so dumb not to believe it or care.
We live in Atlanta but have a second home in Hilton Head, SC. We’ve been in Hilton Head since the start of the outbreak and would consider making it our full time home if things don’t improve.
To the suburbs, would definitely be nice to have the extra space and not have people on top of you at all times
Get down here without answering today’s questions? Click on Let’s Talk button to get started.
Some messages from the mailbag:
I’m honestly a little surprised at how much I like this. I get a rush when it hits my inbox.
I love this. What a ringing endorsement! Maybe it’s time for a Tina merch store. We could put this on hats or t-shirts or something. Or face masks!
tina, what is my birthday? Testing for what I assume is the eventual outcome. A tina personal assistance/life coach that uses data-driven analysis to help you better understand the world around you and connect you with a more holistic view of your environment. Is that accurate?
Not really, but I love your creativity. While “data-driven analysis to help you better understand the world around you” is getting warmer, it’s not for a personal assistant or life coach. It’s just to explain the world and understand where people’s heads are on a variety of important but often under-discussed issues.
Public opinion and polling data drives the way we talk about politics and society. It’s also a huge industry, but it’s fundamentally flawed and much of it relies on really old, clunky technologies like landline telephones.
At the same time, I think the ways we can participate in the political and public conversation suck, and they fail most people.
I’m growing tired of this survey because I don’t see how the questions you’re asking actually show data. Also you should consider including demographics to this.... I realize that you are trying to keep this anonymous, but the data you are gathering means nothing if you don’t know the source. I could be an old rich person, young poor person, stay at home spouse/parent, and so on. Not trying to shit on this, but what is your plan?
No need for the qualifier at the end, because your question is a fair one.
First, I’m really sorry that you’re growing tired of this, but I do appreciate you sticking with us this long. I wish you got the rush that our earlier commenter gets! As I’ve said before, though, it’s not lost on me that opening an email, clicking a link to a Typeform and answering questions is not an easy user experience. It’s why I’m so grateful for all of you who take time out of your day to participate.
Second, I reject your assertion that the data here means nothing. It means quite a bit to all the people who take time out of their days, each and every day, to answer these questions. It’s a reflection of their views in what may their best opportunity to be heard. That’s something, and it’s central to the mission of this project.
What it’s not, I acknowledge, is necessarily representative of the broader electorate, and you’re right — that limits the impact we can have. It’s why I shamelessly ask, each and every day, you all to Share Tina with your family and friends. The more people we can get here, the more stories we can tell and the more impact we can have.
We’ve asked the demographic questions before (the results were in the April 24 post), which gave us a sense of the demographics at the time. We’ve obviously grown since then. We can (and should) ask them again, but I don’t want to belabor our users by asking the same demographic questions over and over each day. That’s the only way to get the demographics each day using the tech we have, but it’s a bad user experience.
I’m continuing to explore ways we can gather the demographic information that folks are willing to share (while maintaining personal anonymity, of course) once, store that data and then use it to provide more interesting breakdowns of the results each day. That process is underway, and I hope to have some news on that front shortly.
But until the merch store, personal assistant or high-tech is up and running, if you got all the way down here without answering today’s questions, click on the Let’s Talk button to get started.