The Wisdom of the smart crowd

The Wisdom of the smart crowd

Want to know what former President Bill Clinton, Gen. David Petraeus, three Nobel Prize-winners, best-selling authors such as Thomas Friedman and Fareed Zakaria, and thought leaders from China and Canada to India and Indonesia think about the world's most pressing problems? So did we, which is why Foreign Policy surveyed 2009's Top 100 Global Thinkers, asking them to rate everything from U.S. President Barack Obama's first year in office to which country is the world's most dangerous. Nearly two-thirds participated, offering us unique insight into the collective wisdom of this very special crowd.

www.foreignpolicy.com...,0

Foreignpolicy.com is the website of the bimonthly American magazine Foreign policy. It is published by the Washinton Post company.

I found it quite interesting and telling how these famous people estimate the political situation of the world and what they think will happen next year.

However, I am even more interested in ATS-users collective wisdom. Unfortunately I took the survey without copying the questions. I think these are all questions, but correct me if I am wrong. So, please take the survey and post your answers.

Here are the questions:

1 What will be 2010's “unknown, unknown”? In other words, what will be the game changer such as the 2001 terrorist attacks or Iran acquiring atomic weapons.

2 On a scale from 1 to 10, how would you rate President Obama as a leader after one year in office?

3 What is the most significant underreported story of 2009?

4 Who are the three most influential global leaders outside the USA?

5 Did anything happen in 2009 that caused you to fundamentally change the way you think about the world? If yes, what was it?

6 The world would be a better place if we listened to what one person's ideas?

7 How would you describe Obama's contribution to the global marketplace of ideas?

8 What is the most dangerous country in the world?

9 How long will it take for the global recession to end?

[edit on 29-11-2009 by Drunkenshrew]

And here are my answers

1What will be 2010's “unknown, unknown”? In other words, what will be the game changer such as the 2001 terrorist attacks or Iran acquiring atomic weapons.
Afghan/Pakistan war. The destabilisation in these countries is actively pushed by the occupying forces in Afghanistan, false-flag attacks and predator drone strikes worsen the situation in Pakistan

2 On a scale from 1 to 10, how would you rate President Obama as a leader after one year in office?
I gave him a 2, but maybe I am a pessimist

3 What is the most significant underreported story of 2009?
The world sells out to financial institutions. Could be grouped under economy

4 Who are the three most influential global leaders outside the USA?
Putin, Hu Jintao, Sarkozy – but I think the real power players may work behind the scenes.

5 Did anything happen in 2009 that caused you to fundamentally change the way you think about the world? If yes, what was it?
No, but after I started studying conspiracies, false-flag attacks and the role of the MSM my word view changed dramatically.

6 The world would be a better place if we listened to what one person's ideas?
Martin Luther King Jr.

7 How would you describe Obama's contribution to the global marketplace of ideas?
No real contribution

8 What is the most dangerous country in the world?
United States

9 How long will it take for the global recession to end?
More than 2-5 years