Roundabout Hypothesis

A simple yet effective litmus test for someone's ability to act rationally and discern truth in an increasingly deceptive political landscape is to ask their opinion on roundabouts. Their response to such a question can reveal details about how they think and operate - roundabouts, of course, being the circular intersection popping up in your local developments.

There is a general consensus by traffic engineers and city planners that roundabouts are a safer alternative to traffic signals and stop signs (along with improving traffic flow). Studies have shown that the introduction of roundabouts in otherwise dangerous intersections have reduced injury crashes by 72-80% and reduced overall crashes by 35%-47% (source). Everything you can read on the subject of roundabouts suggests that they are effective in saving lives and saving time - yet some people are scared of them.

If you ask someone how they feel about roundabouts and they elicit a negative emotional response, it might be safe to assume how they feel about a number of topics. While it's not entirely fair to generalize, those who fear things like roundabouts are often more likely to hold reactionary beliefs and respond strongly to propaganda that plays on fear. The Republican party played in to the reactionary tendencies of its' voter base by capitalzing on their irrational fears. From vaccines to 'Jewish Space Lasers' (yeah that's a thing for some of them), they've operated on fear and a disregard for the reality they live in - and it all comes down to roundabouts.