By Aaron Earls
“Alexa, fix the health care system.”
Instead of looking for a new recipe or playing a favorite song, Americans may be hoping Amazon’s digital assistant or other technology can help the nation solve more serious issues.
Pew Research asked American adults which institutions will have a positive impact in solving the biggest problems facing the country. More chose science and technology than any other option.
Almost 9 in 10 (87%) say science will have at least somewhat of a positive impact, including 43% who say it will have a very positive impact.
Americans believe education is the next most likely institution to positively impact national problems.
Around 3 in 4 say both K-12 public schools (77%) as well as colleges and universities (74%) will impact our largest problems at least somewhat positively, with around a quarter saying each will have a very positive impact.
Solid majorities also see the military (72%) and state and local governments (64%) as part of future solutions.
Close to 6 in 10 (59 percent) have faith that religious groups will provide a positive impact on problems facing the country, with 15% saying religious groups will have a very positive impact.
The only institutions Americans have less overall confidence in than religious groups to positively address national problems—major corporations, the federal government and the news media.
Half of Americans (51%) say big companies will have a positive impact on the issues facing the country.
Slightly more than 4 in 10 have confidence in government in Washington (44 percent) and the news media (42%).
Aaron Earls
Aaron is the senior writer at Lifeway Research.
