Statistics compiled today may be obsolete tomorrow but these same outdated statistics may still be used to persuade, over count, undercount and inflate in an effort to conceivably avoid other more embarrassing data. We have no way to directly check the accuracy of statistics that are presented to us so skepticism of statistics may be the wisest choice especially when they are used to persuade.
For example, an advertisement may say, “Doctors recommend…” On the surface this sounds as if many doctors may be recommending a particular product or service yet the advertiser only needs two doctors to make this claim and these two doctors may be employees of the advertiser. Statistics are of questionable value without applying clear logical thinking, perception, fair judgment, intuition, experience and common sense to interpret them.
The news media’s reporters and journalists too often use statistics and research results without the necessary critical inquiry into their true meaning. The news media tends to accept that which comes from what they think may be a credible source and trust to luck that their sources’ statistics and research results are correct. Then the news media turns around and expects their viewers, listeners and readers to also accept without question what the news media spits out as news when it uses these same questionable statistics and research results to explain and legitimize the news stories they produce.
In addition, the seamy underbelly of using statistics to persuade is if you cannot prove what you want then simply refer to some statistics and just spin them to make it sound like the statistics proves your position or argument. The public does not scrutinize the tons of information they receive and believe on a daily basis.
Furthermore, to prove your point using statistics simply get rid of all the data and results not favorable to your position and publish only that which is favorable under the guise of objectivity. Remember, everyone has an agenda to persuade you in one direction or the other, unfortunately, including the news media, which was once trusted to produce fair and objective news.
Percentages can be used to confuse. In scientific research to determine cause and effect relationships the data and statistics gathered may be nothing more than dressed up, fancy, formal speculation using $100 words. Cause and effect research results may make invalid and unreliable mental leaps and consequently too often go way beyond the data demonstrated in the research to suggest a strong cause and effect relationship.
This mental leap makes the cause effect relationship highly suspect and questionable. Published and mass merchandised to the news media, questionable cause and effect research results may be nothing more than misinformation. This misinformation is really nothing more than magic or superstition.
Going beyond the data demonstrated to build a theory is statistical manipulation and deception. No matter if it is done on purpose to deceive or by accident due to researchers’ blundering innocence it can still be used to mislead especially by misguided journalists and news reporters.
Statistical research is a science and an art. Subjective statistical manipulations and distortions may be mistakenly accepted as objectivity. Statistics fascinate the public and journalists too. Anyone using questionable statistics can get wholesale returns when persuading the public while using very little factual information.
Statistics appeal to a fact-finding, fact-minded American society that too often may have more faith in science than spiritual common sense. Statistics can be nonsense used to sensationalize, exaggerate, confuse and oversimplify which is the opposite of common sense that is based on honesty and understanding. Nonsense allows the “cheats” and information swindlers to mislead the masses. Public pressure from politicians and journalists with “itchy” trigger fingers may too often and too easily launch unproven facts and theories based on questionable statistical research. When it comes to discerning information you may just have to forgive them for they know not what they do.