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Article:
A 30% Chance That Statistics Never Lie by: David Leonhardt Have you ever noticed how much our world runs on statistics? That's because statistics never lie. Here are a few very alarming statistics. Almost half of the world's population earns a below-average income. This totally shocked me. I was under the impression that almost half of the world's population earns an above-average income. But then I discovered it is the reverse. I phoned my Uncle Gyula. 'Almost half the world's population earns a below-average income.' Uncle Gyula was dumbfounded, 'So?' 'Well, I want to make sure that nobody has a below-average income.' At a loss for words, my Uncle advised, 'It won't happen until everybody has an above-average IQ.' That made sense. 'Right now,' Uncle Gyula continued, 'Almost half the world has a below-average IQ, and statistics never lie.' I was floored. I did not realize we had such an IQ scarcity on our hands. But I was sure it is in some way related to another shocking statistic: If current trends continue, by 2017 every child born will be illiterate. I, myself, had recently sired two illiterate children. As discouraging as this was, I was determined that they should live a normal life and overcome this menacing handicap. Discovering the link between below-average IQ and below-average incomes, I am now more determined than ever to overcome our children's infant illiteracy. I asked Uncle Gyula about another shocking statistic I had read: At least 97.3 percent of people are at risk of getting cancer. I was particularly worried about this statistic because I did not know if I was one of the 97.3. 'I think you are,' Uncle Gyula suggested. 'Most people are, you know.' My uncle's comment worried me even more. It was scary enough that 97.3 percent of people are at risk of getting cancer, but it was even scarier to discover that most people fall into that 97.3 percent. Uncle Gyula tried to calm my fears, 'I have another statistic that should make you feel much better. The majority of people at risk will survive, and statistics never lie.' That WAS reassuring. But it did not ease my mind about another ominous statistic I had read: By '2050
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