The government are very keen on amassing statistics. They…
“The government are very keen on amassing statistics. They collect them, add them, raise them to the nth power, take the cube root and prepare wonderful diagrams. But you must never forget that every one of these figures comes in the first instance from the village watchman, who just puts down what he damn pleases.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Statistics are built on raw data from ordinary people, yet often become abstract and detached from their origins.
In simple terms: Data comes from everyday sources.
Key Takeaway
Remember data’s human roots.
Themes
statistics
data
society
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
analytical
cautionary
When to use this quote
- policy making
- research
- media reporting
Key Concepts
measurement
information theory
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we keep data grounded?
- What risks arise from abstracting statistics?
A Different Perspective
Overreliance on numbers can ignore context.