Here's why psy-ops in TV and movies works so well. -HWM
"The [poll] results provide a fascinating insight into the influence that popular TV, film and fiction has had on the nation's perception of history over the last 50 years. "
"Over three quarters of the nation (77%) admitted to no longer reading history books, or watching historical programmes on television (61%). "
http://uktv.co.uk/gold/stepbystep/aid/598605
Shame-faced Brits are increasingly confusing fact and fiction when it comes to historical knowledge – that's the verdict of a compelling new study which found that most people believe that fictional figures such as King Arthur, Sherlock Holmes and Eleanor Rigby really existed.
The study, specially commissioned by UKTV Gold, tested the nation on its historical knowledge by asking 3,000 people a series of questions relating to famous factual and fictional characters. The results provide a fascinating insight into the influence that popular TV, film and fiction has had on the nation's perception of history over the last 50 years.
King Arthur, Sherlock Holmes and Robin Hood top the list of fictional characters that Brits are most likely to confuse with fact – full top ten below...
Top ten fictional characters that the British public thinks are real
* 1) King Arthur – 65%
* 2) Sherlock Holmes – 58%
* 3) Robin Hood – 51%
* 4) Eleanor Rigby – 47%
* 5) Mona Lisa -35%
* 6) Dick Turpin – 34%
* 7) Biggles – 33%
* 8) The Three Musketeers – 17%
* 9) Lady Godiva – 12%
* 10) Robinson Crusoe – 5%
Top ten historical figures that the British public thinks are myths
1) Richard the Lionheart – 47%
2) Winston Churchill – 23%
3) Florence Nightingale – 23%
4) Bernard Montgomery – 6%
5) Boudica - 5%
6) Sir Walter Raleigh – 4%
7) Duke of Wellington - 4%
8) Cleopatra - 4%
9) Gandhi – 3%
10) Charles Dickins - 3%
King Arthur is the fictional figure most commonly mistaken for fact – incredibly almost two thirds of Brits (65%) believe that he existed and led a round table of gallant knights in the idyllic ancient Kingdom of Camelot.
Sherlock Holmes, the famous fictional detective, was so convincingly brought to life in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's novels of the late 1880s that over half of us (58%) believe that the sleuth really lived and worked with his sidekick Watson at 22B Baker Street, North London. Half of those surveyed (51%) also believed that Robin Hood lived in Sherwood Forest during the 14th Century, robbing the rich to give to the poor.
Eleanor Rigby, made famous by the Beatles' song of the same name, is also commonly mistaken for being a real life person, with 47% believing that she was more than just a figment of John Lennon and Paul McCartney's imaginations. Confusion also surrounds the story of Dick Turpin, with over a third (34%) of respondents stating that they couldn't be sure if the notorious stage coach thief existed or not.
When it comes to real historical figures, the nation is just as confused. Nearly half of us (47%) have no idea who Richard the Lionheart was; even though the historical figure has featured in numerous films throughout the 21st Century.
The research showed that the nation's under 20s are lacking the most when it comes to basic historical knowledge. Over one fifth (21%) thought Winston Churchill, arguably Britain's most famous Prime Minister, was a work of fiction, and over a quarter (27%) thought pioneering nurse Florence Nightingale was a mythical figure.
The study notes a marked change in how people acquire their historical knowledge. Over three quarters of the nation (77%) admitted to no longer reading history books, or watching historical programmes on television (61%). One in eight (15%) admitted they rely solely on the history that they learnt at school.