I gotta say I am not a math wiz. One thing I hate more than anything is when I am sitting down to watch a game and all I see is stats about the best pitcher, the most homer runs, the most touchdowns and all of that jazz. Stats don’t get me excited. If anything most of the time when an announcer tells you that something hasn’t happened in X amount of time- it happens that game! Basically it ruins everything! Your team hasn’t lost at home in 20 games? Welp they are losing tonight. This pitcher has the best batting average against lefties, tonight is the night lefties dominate. It is just the way it works.
This had me thinking. What other life events would be ruined if we started inundating those events with stats. Here are a few I came up with:
1) Pregnancy: How about in that special moment when you are about to give life you are given the stats of survival for moms while giving birth. How about the stats of baby’s being born stillborn. Stats of giving birth to a kid with birth defects? I am sure those stats would really brighten up that special moment!
2) Weddings: Right as you are about to say “I do” the ceremony stops and you are given the divorce rate stats. How about the financial stats of newlyweds? That is exactly what you wanna hear as you promise to love someone till the end of time.
3) Buying a House: How about before you sign the papers you are given all the stats of new homeowners with a large repair needed within the first five years. Stats for roof issues? Stats for home insurance claims? The list goes on and on.
Stats are a part of life. They are out there and if we want to find them it would be easy enough to do. The fact is there are many stats we just don’t want to be reminded of in the moment. And I am someone who would prefer to not be reminded of sports stats when I am trying to enjoy a game!
cestlavie22 
Stats do fascinate me even though I don’t always understand the math involved or agree with the findings. But I do like to hear analysis based on statistics and like exploring things concerning me such as blog stats.
Though I will blame my statistics classes as what discouraged me from continuing my pursuit of a degree in psychology when I was in college. That stuff just totally lost me and I gave up. Too bad maybe. I wonder how many other students were affected like I was. They should run some stats on the topic and analyze the findings.
Arlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Tossing It Out
Lol okay this comment made me chuckle! Run some stats on how many people stats discouraged from something! Talk about a snoozer!
This post made me chuckle…….I agree, stats are a real snoozer. Who cares? And honestly, they seem to be something that can be easily manipulated to say whatever you want them to say.
My son is taking stats right now and thinks it’s easy, but that’s just because he left engineering and the nightmare that is calculus 2 and 3. I’d take algebra or geometry proofs any day over stats though!
See maybe my issue is I am not a math person. I just read all the classes you mentioned and my college anxiety came rushing back over me!
haha stats are only good if you actually want them and even then they can be a bunch of BS. They can be manipulated by the people getting the stats so easily, and usually they are so it can support whatever outcome they want. Baseball stats are legit though, however boring lol
It is true that they can be manipulated! Numbers are only valid in the context you present them in!
It’s funny Shae you mentioned this topic, because in my line of work stats are such a big deal because they’re always comparing last year’s figures to this year; goaling you out on what they think you should be increasing each year from the last. And honestly, it drives me crazy.
Also, when I first started blogging I was obsessed with my blog stats. And then again when I was running sponsored ads on my blog because I needed to know my stats to figure out what I was going to charge for each ad space. Eventually, I got tired of it and just stopped running sponsored ads.
I can’t even tell you the last time I checked my blog stats and I’m much happier.
Have a super weekend, my friend!
X
I gotta admit I check my blog stats here and there. Mostly to see what content people are reading and what content is more of a dud. I dont wanna bore my readers! But it definitely drives me nuts. Some of the posts that I think are awesome fall as duds according to the stats!
When my ex-wife was pregnant with our first child, an episode of ER aired called “Love’s Labor Lost.” It was a tragic, heartbreaking story about a mother going into labor and dying while giving birth. NOT the type of thing to watch midway through your third trimester! So, yes: no stats. They do not help. Ever.
Even a sports guy agreeing with this post?!? Now that’s impressive!
I definitely agree!! Stats are pretty boring and can really ruin the excitement of things… like those you mentioned. Yikes! lol
Lol I am glad it is not just me!