

I think “most” people just believe uncritically the things they were taught growing up, that is until something happens that shakes that belief and they either choose to double down or reexamine their previous assumptions. All the new western tankies from the past decade-ish aren’t coming from nowhere!
In 2024 Puerto Rico held a referendum on precisely this question, and the majority (58%) chose statehood while only 11% chose independence. It’s not a perfect measure (retaining the current status quo wasn’t an option, only 63% of voters turned out) but it shows a pretty clear preference IMO.
What’s nuts to me is that neither major American party has gone for it. The House passed a bill in 2022 which would have admitted PR as a state but it went nowhere - but damn that’s two whole Senate seats that could go to either party if they came out as strongly pro-PR. Same thing for DC.