Census Quote by Sol Luckman
““census: (n.) being counted so we can be discounted.””
About This Quote
Source Article: Social Commentary, 2010s
Census counts people, then they become a statistic to be ignored.
In simple terms: Being counted can lead to being discounted.
Key Takeaway
Beware dehumanization through data.
Themes
privacy
government
dehumanization
statistics
Mood
critical
concerned
Type
analytical
activist
When to use this quote
- policy analysis
- activism
- data ethics
Key Concepts
surveillance
social control
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we humanize data?
- What safeguards protect counted individuals?
A Different Perspective
Statistical data can also empower marginalized groups.
![“One thing that's really interesting is not only the magnitude of the recent immigration into this country, but also its distribution and its investment in the country. About 9.3 percent of the population is now foreign-born [announced by the Census Bureau at over 10 percent a few days later]…” quote by Kenneth Prewitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1ec/kenneth-prewitt-70686_big-cities_one-thing-that-s-really-interesting-is-n_122203.jpg)
![“Money nowadays is money; money brings office; money gains friends; everywhere the poor man is down. [Lat., In pretio pretium nunc est; dat census honores, Census amicitias; pauper ubique jacet.]” quote by Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fdc/ovid-276_census_money-nowadays-is-money-money-brings-off_383990.jpg)
