Are We Really Honest About Our Beliefs? Reflecting on a Surprising Poll

I recently came across a LinkedIn poll that posed a pretty bold question: "Is sex outside of marriage a good or bad thing?" The results caught me off guard.

• 69% of people said it’s bad.
• Just 16% thought it was good.
• The remaining 15% weren’t sure.

I was among those who voted “bad,” and at first, I didn’t think much of it. But after seeing the results, I started to wonder: Do these numbers actually reflect what people really believe? Or is something else going on?

The Disconnect Between Beliefs and Actions

One thing that came to mind is the idea of cognitive dissonance. This happens when there’s a clash between what we believe and what we do. In this case, a lot of people might publicly say that sex outside of marriage is wrong, even though their private lives—or the world around them—suggest something different.

Think about it: We live in a time where casual relationships are more common, media content is often more explicit, and unfortunately, issues like sexual harassment are on the rise. All of this suggests that society might be more open to sex outside of marriage than these poll results indicate. So, are some people voting “bad” because that’s what they truly believe, or because it’s what they think they should say?

Are We Just Saying What Sounds Right?

There’s also something called social desirability bias, which could be at play here. On a public platform like LinkedIn, people might feel pressure to give the “right” answer, the one that aligns with cultural or societal norms, even if it’s not what they really think.

In many cultures, admitting that you’re okay with sex outside of marriage could be risky—it might lead to judgment or even impact your professional reputation. So, maybe the poll reflects what people think they should believe, rather than what they actually feel deep down.

Is There a Gap Between Our Opinions and Society’s Trends?

This all leads me to wonder: Is there a growing gap between what we say in public and what’s actually happening in society? The trends I mentioned—casual dating, explicit media, and even troubling things like harassment—suggest that more people might be accepting of sex outside of marriage in practice, even if they’re not ready to say it out loud.

If only 16% of people openly support it, does that mean the other 84% really oppose it? Or are some of them just not ready to admit that their views might be shifting?

Let’s Be Real About What We Believe

This poll got me thinking about how complicated our beliefs can be. There’s often a big difference between what we say and what we do, and understanding this gap can help us navigate the changes happening in our world.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Do you think the poll results are a true reflection of what people believe, or is there more going on beneath the surface?

#Society #Values #PollResults #Honesty #CulturalNorms