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Re: America's Most Miserable City = Stockton CA
Author: Mike Swanson
Date: 03-08-2011 - 12:32
Heh... more like a one-ton block of salt.
The big problem with such surveys is that they depend too much on statistics (lies, damn lies, and statistics...) and not nearly enough on established fact, nor do they always ask local residents about how things actually are or if they do, they rarely ask a large enough number of people that represents a true cross-section of the city population. Nor do they always take into account that all cities/towns/urban areas are going to have the same or similar problems and issues, or that not all parts of a given city are affected by said issues. Sure, Podunk City might have the highest number of murders in the country, but what does that really mean in practical terms? What percentage of the total city population is really affected by those murders and what part of it, and where are they actually happening? Is it just the poor and homeless, the gangbangers and other criminals, or are the "ordinary folks" and more well-to-do types being affected as well? Is it happening downtown or in the "slum" areas, or is it more widespread? Very few of these surveys really bother to ask such detailed questions, nor do they bother much to share the answers with readers. Numbers alone don't tell the story; you need solid facts as well.
The big problem with such surveys is that they depend too much on statistics (lies, damn lies, and statistics...) and not nearly enough on established fact, nor do they always ask local residents about how things actually are or if they do, they rarely ask a large enough number of people that represents a true cross-section of the city population. Nor do they always take into account that all cities/towns/urban areas are going to have the same or similar problems and issues, or that not all parts of a given city are affected by said issues. Sure, Podunk City might have the highest number of murders in the country, but what does that really mean in practical terms? What percentage of the total city population is really affected by those murders and what part of it, and where are they actually happening? Is it just the poor and homeless, the gangbangers and other criminals, or are the "ordinary folks" and more well-to-do types being affected as well? Is it happening downtown or in the "slum" areas, or is it more widespread? Very few of these surveys really bother to ask such detailed questions, nor do they bother much to share the answers with readers. Numbers alone don't tell the story; you need solid facts as well.
