Data Quote by Jean Baudrillard
“Like dreams, statistics are a form of wish fulfillment.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Illusions of the Mind, 1995
Statistics, like dreams, reflect desires more than objective reality
In simple terms: Statistics mirror wishes, not facts
Key Takeaway
Question the assumptions behind data
Themes
statistics
perception
reality
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- Market research
- policy making
- personal forecasting
Key Concepts
Sociology
philosophy
epistemology
Questions to Reflect On
- How do personal biases shape statistical interpretation?
- Can statistics ever be truly objective?
A Different Perspective
Data can be manipulated to fit narratives
![“To eat one's fill, eat until the exhaustion of the appetite, was the principal pleasure that the peasants dangled before their imagination, and one that they rarely realized in their lives. They [the peasants] also imagined other dreams coming true, including the standard run of castles and…” quote by Robert Darnton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c21/robert-darnton-20759_dreams-coming-true_to-eat-one-s-fill-eat-until-the-exhausti_2618375.jpg)
![“[Brazil] went to the UN and said, "We need new standards for this." We need to take a look at what they're calling "data sovereignty."” quote by Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/af7/edward-snowden-555_brazil_brazil-went-to-the-un-and-said-we-need-n_14906.jpg)
