On statistics, intimidation, and lunacy: Boy, talk about going off the deep end.

On statistics,
intimidation, and lunacy

was in college, he took a course in health. During one of the class meetings, the professor was lecturing on the incidence of hunger throughout the world. She concluded with a statement that she claimed to be well-documented — that at least six billion children go to sleep hungry every night. As Postman recounts the story, the students present may not have known much about statistics, but they did know that there were only about three billion people total living on the planet at the time. The point was made to her. She looked startled for a moment, and checked her notes. Then she looked up and said, somewhat relieved, “I know it doesn't sound right, but that's what I've got here.”

Now why do people who are normally rational and reasonable act like mindless coat hangers when faced with statistics?

I don't know. But I'll take a stab at it.

First, statistics imply preparation and interpretation by experts. Second, the jargon of statistics is difficult for the lay person to understand. Third, the material involved may be outside one's own field. And fourth, statistics are expressed in numbers, implying exactitude.

But are statistics all these things? Maybe. Maybe not.

Here are several published statistics I've run across in the last few years. You tell me.

There are 4% more crows in California this year than there were last year. And

Cocaine use in this country fell by 80% during Clinton's first three years in office.

Hmmmmm. Weeeeell, OK. Come to think of it, maybe there were six billion children who went to sleep hungry every night at a time when there were only three billion people total living on the planet. After all, isn't that the statistic the professor had in her notes?

Think about it.

Your comments are welcome

The End

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