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Comment by 2OEH8eoCRo0 | Hacker News Reader

Life expectancy? Happiness?

https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2016/02/25/happines...

Try to talk to people instead of relying on some abstract numbers.

"Yeah I'm so happy I have a job paying 500 USD per month, and I am so happy my 1.5-room flat rent is just 350" is a very common thing to hear where I live. The tax rate is 35% btw.

Also, try to find newer statistics at least. 2016 was around the local maxima, everything went to shit - very noticeably - during and after covid.

I do. Most people I talk to are doing fine. Nothing close to what you described.

In the Netherlands alone, a country with 18 million people, more than 1 million people need food stamps to survive.

I do not consider that “fine” at all.

Define "doing fine", please. These people think they are doing fine. If you think this is not usual, why is 15% of my state population in irrecoverable debt?

Doing fine as in they own the place they live in with their families in reasonable comfort and dignity?

If that is not fine, what is fine then?

So 15% of population in irrecoverable debt is fine? I don't think so. Every place has rich people and they are fine wherever they are - not really interesting or surprising.

> Try to talk to people instead of relying on some abstract numbers.

Because anecdotal evidence is better than empirically researched data? LOL

Empirically researched data would be better - if people went and read the study in detail and saw that the questions asked don't lead to the conclusion that they claim, such as this case. They read a headline or check a sheet of numbers and think they understand the world.

Since people are apparently unable to do that, talking to people is the next best thing.

If people are unable to get the results from a study, but get confused by a headline, what makes you think they’ll be able to draw correct statistical conclusions from talking to a couple of people with inherent bias and small sample size?

People are social creatures, and if they see first hand that the world doesn't match their expectations, it might get them to think about it in more detail.

Oh boi....

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