And you will be finding these trusted friends where?
Had a book once, 'Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics'. Me? I go for the gut instinct. Didn't you know that 57% of all statistics are made up on the spot? That's why you can't trust them.
I'll confess to being a numbers person. I love statistics. But, I have a healthy suspicion of any advice claiming a statistical basis. However, with all due respect for Mr. Cromwell, anecdotal evidence is usually the worst. "He smoked and ate nothing but junk and lived to be 100" is hardly a recommendation for such a lifestyle. On the other hand, I'm somewhat influenced by the statistics that say you are likely to die younger if you smoke than if you do not. Then again, I'm not much of a risk taker, so the stats help me play it safe. I do enjoy living vicariously through you "devil may care" risk takers, though!
No, Marti, the CDC announced today that it appears only 49.5% of statistics are actually made up on the spot; most of the rest require government funding and committee work.
might the question be under what circumstances would statistics be more helpful and at which times do they just obscure the reality? another question i always wanted to know are why political polls so facinating to people?
yichel
posted by yichel
about 1 month ago
Prior to the "Death of God" age people continually parroted Biblical quotes to "prove" their point. There is still a fair amount of such, but we are moving headlong into the modern version of that; the age of Junk Science with Junk Statistics.
I am amazed at how many people fall for the "studies" and "surveys" when we see constantly before our eyes how bogus they generally are. Usually it comes from people who complain about the ones who prove things cause "Jesus said".
Whenever possible, I suggest you toss the statistics and religious quotes - look around - pay attention - don't be afraid to see what others refuse to.
As an actual participate of telephone surveys, I do put value on statistics. But I also will listen to ideas from relatives and friends. Mostly, I research the pending question, and after comparing various information, come to a decision.
Statistics can be whatever you want then to be it’s not necessarily lying, it’s just the mathematical conclusion someone formulated.
Like one plus two equals 5? Missed something in the collation of the numbers somewhere? Or did I?
Well being an English person I would never trust anything said by Oliver Cromwell......but, for myself I really dont care for statistics. I do my own thinking and really dont care about statistics. If I am the only one who thinks a certain way thats fine by me, I am free to change my mind but prefer my own experience than any number of others opinions. Especially those unknown people on "polls" .
posted by Espirit
about 1 month ago
Having been in studies, ones that I did or ones I participated in, Be Afraid, be very afraid.
Actually, there is nothing wrong with the statistics and numerical results, it is what is done with them and on what basis that is the scary part.
Unless you know the basis and design of a study or a reported study, you as was the researcher, using assumptions, sometimes the wrong or misappropriate assumptions, but then that's what scientific research is suppose to fetter out
Many times it's garbage in, garbage out, but with the computer age it can be very precise garbage, and this is known as the illusion of precision. That is, if you can use a decimal point plus some zeros, it is perceived as have greater accuracy and therefore greater creditability when in fact, there is none.
posted by exedir
about 1 month ago
Last week there was a report that the jobless rate has not changed. Yet Chrysler announced a cut back of 2400 employees at one of it's Missouri plants. Last year and early this year it was said by one politician that the economy is strong. Yet I see backpacks or homeless people I didn't see last year and more of them. Got a notice from the big bosses that we're doing great in sales in our area. Yet our stocks have lost another 13% putting it well under what it was 2 years ago.
Do figures lie? Judging from what my eyes tell me I believe so.
