Quote of the Week

This week's quote: “57% of all statistics are made up on the spot.”

In other words, don’t believe everything you see in print and/or hear. One needs to retain a healthy measure of skepticism without become a cynic. Sometimes a person wants to add some credibility to her opinion so she makes up a “fact.” Sometimes the “fact” is rooted in truth but the one making the statement can’t remember the source so they approximate. But just as they may be approximately correct, they can be approximately wrong.

Facts don’t lie. Facts may be misinterpreted, but they don’t lie. Take the time to get the facts. Interpret them carefully and be open to the idea that you may inadvertently make an error in interpreting the facts. Be open to correction.

When in doubt, don’t make up a statistic. If you don’t make up a statistic, there will be a 63% chance that you’ll be right.