Cynical upswing

Today is one of those days where I begin to hate people. Optimist that I am, it's not always easy to maintain a sunny disposition.

My biggest beef (pork, lamb, calamari) with society today is actually a problem that I myself tended to suffer from before I went to college.

Anecdotal evidence should not outweigh statistical in real life as a matter of course. Too many people I work with, or know, attribute more weight in an argument to a personal story or experience than to statistical fact. This is not an ideological difference, this is a problem.

Fine, it's an ideological difference in that I feel that it's a problem. This is not to say that I am of the opinion that it's a problem, this is to say that I'm tired of it an a much deeper level than an opinion. It has GOT to stop.

Someone I know, who probably won't read this but who I tend to think of as a friend, told me that his reasons for opposing abortion aren't just theological (which I can respect). His evidence is that all of the divorcees he's met while working in a job that involves lots of people in high-income brackets who have had abortions are terrible people. (According to him.) In his mind, having an abortion ruins your soul, because you've taken a life. It's also indicative, according to him, of their lifestyle. Things to these people are to be used and thrown away, hence the lack of compassion with having a baby aborted. When I mentioned that not all women act like that, he further argued that all the GOOD women he knows that have had abortions regretted it. Hence, no one should have the right to abort.

This is not an argument over abortion; that's not going to be what this is about. Not once did my friend mention a statistical fact, other than personal experience. It's unfortunate that in your particular experience you have not met with well-adjusted individuals who conform to your behavioral norms.

This is not a representative slice of America; it's a lodge for rich people to spend money. Take that into account.

Other subjects which are slowly killing off pieces of my soul as they're argued about:
A) Unions
B) Abstinence only education
C) Torture
D) Diet
E) Human Rights
F) Healthcare
and probably twenty others that I don't even want to think about.

Let me restate this as clearly as possible: Know the facts. Too many times (myself included in here) people will argue about something based solely upon opinion. Telling me that almost half of America disapproves of a politician means nothing to me, considering that it means that MORE than half DOES. (This was a percentage of the group that responded, not of all of America, either.) Give me a number. Back it up. Prove to me that what you're saying is true.

This isn't the burden of proof, either. I loook up things I'm told constantly. This is why I'm a cynic - belief only takes me so far.

80% of statistics are made up on the spot. Numbers mean little, context means more. Everyone knows that flying is safer than driving. This does not mean you should get in a plane and try to fly it, because you're statistically more likely to crash your car. More men are hit by lightning than women. This might have more to do with behavior than biology - like that horrible Mountain Dew commercial.

If you know someone who has a sad story; they've suffered in socialized healthcare, they had an abortion, they have an addiction - I'm not bad mouthing you or your friend. I'm telling you to think harder if the one person you know influences your opinion on a bigger issue that could impact a lot of people. Don't vote against unions because a guy in a bar told you that a union fucked up his construction job. Get the facts.

Optimistically, my friend looked up statistics on abortion after we talked. He quoted some to me. I was impressed. If given the right nudge, sometimes people can surprise you. Most of my friends take the time and effort to examine their motives and facts.

Call me on this. If I quote something that I say is a fact, ask me how I know. I'll do my best to stay up to date.

And dammit, read the hyperlinks at the top.

/endrant