I trust technology numbers. In fact I understand that strict adherence to numbers and the rules surrounding them is what makes technology possible. Failure to properly use those numbers leads to failure and _ at worst _ explosions where they are not wanted.
But at the same time I heavily mistrust social numbers. Each human is unique, almost every human situation and event is also. Trying to tell me about the average person or the average tribe or the average society is a lesson in futility.
Yet people continue to think that can be done. After all, computers and cars work. Let’s use the same technique and build Utopia! So far, technocracy fails badly.
Social numbers rely too much on average and statistics. That is always suspicious. If five people are dead and five are alive that does not mean that on average each is half alive. If one person has $1,000, 1 has 0, and 10 others have $1 each, they do not each have an average of $100 each. Telling me that “people who relax are more effective” is useless. The details can be presented in so many ways.
In fact, most social technology is prejudice seeking supporting evidence.
Manipulating numbers is always fun _ medieval theologians did it with angels on pins and biblical generations. But it can be a dangerous game if applied to the other people with whom we exist.
HuntingtonHarborThoughts 