What’s omitted is that previous research has shown ridiculous differences, including counting strictly heterosexual partnerships. The scientists in question generally know the number is wrong, and have some rather entertaining comments about it, but reporters frequently -don’t-, and treat it like it’s accurate.
This is interesting and suggests that I and the people I talk to about such things are unusual. Do you mean people don’t extrapolate from the inaccuracy of such reports, or to they find them to be not too inaccurate?
The people I have in mind say something along the lines of “But the newspaper reports are the only information we have, therefore we have no choice but to believe them”.
Mmm, yeah, but even when word-of-mouth is the only information we have, we “have no choice but to believe them” in that sense (assuming they mean something sensible by that phrase in that context).
What’s omitted is that previous research has shown ridiculous differences, including counting strictly heterosexual partnerships. The scientists in question generally know the number is wrong, and have some rather entertaining comments about it, but reporters frequently -don’t-, and treat it like it’s accurate.
That kind of stuff happens with everything. I no longer consider reporters any more reliable than word-of-mouth.
This is pretty much the default state of everybody who has read one or two media reports of events they’ve been directly involved in.
One would think so, but this hasn’t been my experience with people.
This is interesting and suggests that I and the people I talk to about such things are unusual. Do you mean people don’t extrapolate from the inaccuracy of such reports, or to they find them to be not too inaccurate?
The people I have in mind say something along the lines of “But the newspaper reports are the only information we have, therefore we have no choice but to believe them”.
Mmm, yeah, but even when word-of-mouth is the only information we have, we “have no choice but to believe them” in that sense (assuming they mean something sensible by that phrase in that context).