Stats that are surprising

[Ontobetterthings]

I came across a stat online earlier that said 80% of the world's population hasn't been on a plane. Aibu to find this so surprising?

What other stats have you come across which suprised you?

I remember a survey where it said over 70% of people in Ireland (they’d asked 2000 people), said they actively dreaded going into work on Monday, their dread starting from Sunday morning. I found that absolutely awful

Also none of these non civil war examples (the clue is in the word 'war') are in Scotland or Wales, which are part of the UK. Chat gpt might actually be correct if you ask them that. So there hasn't even been UK wide riots never mind war.

People who don't live here or need to get facts from chat gpt shouldn't really be so adamant that they're correct.

You're off your trolley. Go outside and touch some grass. Some tracksuit clad cretinious thugs terrorising immigrants does not constitute civil war. It's obviously heinous and must be cracked down on harshly, but it's not civil war. Most people would gladly see these people dealt with harshly, they're the dregs of society.

I genuinely don't know anyone who looks forward to going to work on a Monday! Few people really love their jobs or would rather be doing that than spending time with their families. Starting on a Sunday morning is sad though, as that will affect the rest of their last day of the week off.

I think they say Sunday lunchtime is when the sense of doom kicks in for many. It is an indictment on our working culture, but also the quality of jobs in the UK. They don't offer many people meaning, fulfillment or pride.

Yes indeed, it's known as the Sunday scaries by some people. I think it can be the case even if you like your job that you start worrying about all you need to get done etc.

The fact about statistics i found most alarming is how misused they are ir rather abused. What I mean is stats like a company advertising 73% of customers were satisfied with our product...that means that 27% were dissatisfied.

Or the modal point of a set if stats being used rather than the average. Or the phrase often over used in corporate bs 'upper quartile' if you don't know the actual numbers and the range of the results this is useless

For me it was always after Sunday dinner (which is a bit earlier in the day for me so late afternoon sounds about right!). I'm now in a relatively new job that I enjoy, but I'm very fortunate in the sector (third) I'm in because I do get a sense of fulfillment. But I agree with you overall, people are unhappy, overworked and underpaid in a lot of areas.

The Pool/guns thing. Bit silly. Yes it’s US only and per gun/pool. As there are more guns than people in the US it’s not surprising.
Bet stats would look different in South Sudan.

Anyway. Always fascinated that only 18% of the population of the UAE are UAE nationals.

The quality of jobs in the UK is much the same as quality of jobs anywhere else. Unless you want everyone to go back to farming, but most people didn't own their own land.

Are you suggesting more children die in swimming pools in South Sudan..?

Poor Ed Sheeran..he's only trying to make a living.

Apparently it's not to do with the job itself, it's to do with the transition from private/home to public/work.

Yes! 87% of women noticed an improvement in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles with a tiny asterisk... In a trial of 100 women 😆 big whoop

I much prefer "the UK's favourite" or "number one cheese brand" because it. is based on actual sales data

I wonder if you live near me, because most of someone's hazelnuts are getting buried in my garden - I keep pulling out tiny hazel trees with nut attached!

And there in lies the problem with stats. 50 percent of income tax is paid by 6.5 percent of the population. Tax is far broader than income tax. 75 percent of all tax is not income tax and is much more evenly distributed.

The other reason why people don’t travel out of the USA is their dreadful holiday entitlement. If you only get 10 days a year, it’s difficult to go on big trips.

Douglas Adams called it the Long Dark Teatime of the Soul.

Using these definitions, was it civil war in the US when that lot attacked the White House?

The way people bang on about the cost of living crisis, it’s no wonder people think we are

I'd forgotten those...and the maths never works out 90% of women noticed...out of 121 users...

Civil war 🤣🤣🤣 Don’t embarrass yourself like this. A group of drunk men shouting a lot and setting wheely bins on fire for a couple of days doesn’t make a civil war 🤦‍♀️

I think @OhFFS26 should have checked how ChatGPT defined civil war first.

I used to love that R4 programme More or Less, which looks more closely into stats. It scrutinised lots of press articles based on dodgy interpretations of statistics.

When I read a stat, I always remember that when I've had to do a survey, it's not really a survey, is it? Someone has thought up utterly crap questions or statements you'd never choose yourself and then you're asked whether you strongly agree, agree, don't care, mildly disagree, strongly disagree etc.

I always want to say: can't answer because the original premise is ridiculous and irrelevant. But they don't want to hear that.

If you remind yourself that THAT is the basis for many surveys you realise they have very little value.

Yes it’s a good programme. I listened more a few years ago but it was well done.

Just on the subject of being wary of stats...

My husband had a colleague (academic) who had fled the Eastern Bloc when the Soviets invaded in 1956. He was a brilliant man, but very shy and unworldly and didn't ever really become fluent in English.

One day a caller came to his home doing a survey on people's attitudes to health etc. One question was ' how many units of alcohol do you consider safe for a pregnant women to drink per week?'

This man told us 'I didn't know what a unit of alcohol was. I said....75?'

OMG! So that's over 10 units a day. That would really have buggered the results!!!!!