Despite ample literature on the potential failings and abuse of surveys and statistics, we remain awash in reports of public opinion that do little to accurately reflect public opinion. There is some utility in determining how people will respond to common framings or explain their attitudes in the absence of intervention; however, over-reliance on standard approaches can prove dangerous. Being asked if you are pro- or anti- something often perpetuates a sort of "conceptual capture" that obscures important nuance. Even in seemingly straightforward scenarios, failure to distinguish between informed and uninformed opinions can distort understanding of people's true preferences. How can decision-makers be innovate and wise in pursuit of the public interest their understanding of that interest is muddled and incomplete?