Re: recession?

[Jim Devine <jdevine03@xxxxxxxxx>]

I don't think that stats like GDP represent "lies," however. The CPI
does, because it is biased toward low inflation rates. I'd say that
the vast percentage of comments about inflation suggest that people
think that the CPI doesn't capture people's experience with inflation.
People see through the lies on that one. The GDP, on the other hand,
isn't really related to experience at all.

It's not worth my time to go stat-by-stat. But my impression is that
at least for _changes_ in the unemployment rate, that rate fits
popular experience. It's not so hot for the _level_.

On 9/27/06, Sabri Oncu <sabri_oncu@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Jim:
>
> > (Official stats are really only important if
> > they jibe with personal experience.)
>
> I respectfully disagree. Official stats are a (if
> not a very important) part of people's experience
> and influence the way people feel. I think this
> is the main reason why we are told lies by our
> rulers all the time. Official stats become
> unimportant if the rulers are overthrown, in
> which case nobody takes them and their stats
> seriously. Then new rulers and, with them, new
> official stats come.
>
> Best,
>
> Sabri.
>
>
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--
Jim Devine / "Segui il tuo corso, e lascia dir le genti." (Go your own
way and let people talk.) -- Karl, paraphrasing Dante.