How much more interested are we in the first signs of spring than the first signs of winter? Here are the stats when you search on Google for the following phrases:
"Signs of spring" 1,120,000
"Sign of spring" 6,540,000
"Signs of summer" 893,000
"Sign of summer" 183,000
"Signs of fall" 344,000
"Sign of fall" 386,000
"Signs of autumn" 221,000
"Sign of autumn" 219,000
"Signs of winter" 136,000
"Sign of winter" 328,000
Add the "sign" and "signs" for each season (and combine the totals for "autumn" and "fall") and you get:
Spring 7,660,000
Summer 1,076,000
Fall/Autumn 1,170,000
Winter 464,000
The result? There is seven times more interest in spring than in summer. There is six and a half times more interest in spring than in autumn and there is a whopping 16.5 times more interest in the arrival of spring than the arrival of winter.
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Using Google's keyword tool shows us that around 1300 people around the world searched for 'Signs of Spring' last month. Around 140 searched for 'Signs of Winter'.
ReplyDeleteIt is the week leading up to Christmas that the numbers of people searching for 'Signs of Winter' is at its highest and surprisingly it looks to be pretty much just in the United States that people show this interest.
Personally I get excited by the changing seasons and look out for early signs that change is coming.
I can't help but expect that this interesting fact has ramifications for Climate Change? That is to say, if people perceive the future predictions of Climate Change scientists as having about them the gloom of 'winter', a passing away of the good times, they'll be less inclined to willingly give their attention to the issue. Perhaps the challenge, then, is to couch the approaching problems in terms of opportunities, a kind of global 'spring'? To do that without diluting the seriousness and probable actuality of the impending situation is going to take not inconsiderable talent.
ReplyDeleteMario Petrucci