You see them in the news every day. Barrack Obama leads in the Gallop poll by five percent. The crime rate in California has gone up thirty-five percent in the past twenty years. What do these polls and statistics really mean? In the past five years every time you see a television news program or a newspaper you always see a poll being quoted or certain statistics to make a point or push a certain agenda. Lawmakers use these polls and statistics to make their decision on certain laws and bills. Polls and statistics are as useless as a poppy flavored lollypop.
According to the latest survey 3 out of 4 people make up 75% of the world population. If you listened to this survey you can tell it doesn't make any sense. Anyone can make up a survey and basically make it say anything the pollster wants it to.
Penn & Teller: Bullshit!
Dr. Frank Luntz at the 2009 Texas Book Festival, A...
Frank Luntz at a Hofstra University receptionThey manipulate the numbers or the ask the questions in a deceptive manner to get the answer they wanted. Did you know that ninety percent of polls are done by people who've already decided the results? Seventy-five percent of people who read polls believe them unquestioningly. Polls have an average of plus or minus fifteen percent error. Furthermore eighty-five percent of politicians use tracking polls to make decisions that effect your every day life. A hundred percent of these statistics have been made up. People use polls and statistics to sound like they know what they are talking about or to prove their point. With polls you have to take in consideration the sample, the size of sample, and how the question was asked.
People lie with statistics and numbers every day. You can see them when you turn on the television, look at the posters, or on the internet.