Quote:
Originally Posted by naisho
The problem is, media/people tends to misuse statistics sometimes, illegally I call it in a way. Then the effect is that people don't understand it properly.
In the two examples I gave above, you'd end up seeing stuff like:
- 50% of californians polled disapproved of GWB's behavior (false, misuse of statistics due to minorities do not represent the complete CA)
- The USA lost 40% of its potato production recently due to a natural disaster in Idaho (false, IDAHO lost 40% of potatoes)
The way I see it, the correct numbers never lie, it's the words that make it do should the person report them erroneously.
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It's interesting, because this is exactly why I don't like statistics. The numbers might not lie, but numbers by themselves have no meaning. If you just put: 50. It doesn't mean anything. Even: 50%. Of what? Take the first statement, 50% of californians polled disapproved..... It's technically true. It doesn't say "50% of californians disapproved..." It says that 50% of the ones polled. It just doesn't tell you who those are.
The numbers might not be able to lie, but they are also completely unable to present their "truths" without words, and the words are too easy to manipulate.