F. Scott Fitzgerald once observed that the mark of a first-class intelligence is the ability to hold in one’s mind two contradictory ideas at the same time. By this measure, the average American is Spinoza. On the one hand, we have little interest in living in any era but our own. Yet despite our apparently strong desire to just stay put, when offered a choice of phrases we’d most like to utter in our lifetime, the most popular choice is “Beam me up.” Bon voyage, after all.

We seem a bit unreliable, too, in our views regarding national icons. With Tiger Woods abdicating his unofficial position as top athletic role model, to replace him we nominate ... no one. Only Peyton Manning offers even tepid temptation. We’re content for that role to disappear. And yet: hands off fellow pedestal jockey Uncle Sam, to whose likeness we reward the equivalent of a new multi-year contract. A whopping 71 percent show no interest in replacing Uncle Sam (even though Sam’s off-field behavior, it must be said, has not always been exemplary).

But we’ll leave you with something reliable. Given a choice of changes to the Constitution, nearly half of us say, Leave it alone. And after abolishing the Electoral College (the most popular change), the two major parties—reliably—split: Democrats next choose “Limit the right to bear arms,” and Republicans opt for “Lessen separation of church and state.” Interesting. If Republicans were to have their way with the latter, would Democrats change their minds about the former?

NOTE : This poll was conducted at the CBS News interviewing facility among a random sample of 1,216 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone January 6-10, 2010. Some low-percentage answer choices have been omitted.

If you could make one of the following changes to the Constitution, which one would it be?

Until recently, Tiger Woods was seen by many as the top athletic role model. Which of the following athletes is most likely to assume that status now?

American companies and military installations, including the Pentagon, have been the targets of cyber-attacks—or electronic attacks on their computer systems. Do you think a cyber-attack by another country should be considered an act of war?

If you were inventing the character of Uncle Sam today, whom would you have him look like?

Which of the following qualities do you think would be most important if you were hiring a new employee?

Which of the following American writers has made the most important contribution to literature?

Which one of the following award shows do you regard as something you must see?

If you could choose any of the following places and times in history to return to, which would you choose?

In 50 years, which of the following will people most likely be saying about the time we're living in now?

Which of the following phrases do you wish you could have the opportunity to say in your lifetime?