You can't.
You
might as well try to catch moonbeams in a jar.
The
reason people use anecdotes is solely because they want to justify
their stupid opinion. The anecdote doesn't even have to have a
semblance of truth.
Someone
once told me a clever joke which I didn't get at the time
"Is
the plural of anecdote, data?"
The
reason I didn't get it is because this definition of anecdote implies
that it is just like a case history which I don't believe. Anecdotes,
by their very nature, are super-selective about what they're telling
you. Take the example:
"My
Uncle Bulgaria smoked 5 packs of cigarettes a day and drank 3 bottles
of whiskey and he lived to be 93"
That
may be true, but what they don't tell you is that his lungs and liver
were so shot that the man couldn't walk 5 paces without losing his
breath.
Take
my favourite:
"Oh
my friend knows some guy who tried the Atkins Diet and he got a bad
reaction"
Really?
How long did he try it? Did he try doing it or did he just mess
around with it? What kind of bad reaction? What was the guy's name?
What's your friend's name?"
Many
people have used anecdote to justify their position to me and when I
ask simple questions like those above, they run away and hide because
they know that it's bullshine-parading-as-evidence.
My
suggestion is: leave them be. If they wish to believe nonsense, that
is their democratic right
Other Peoples Opinions
Credit:
The header image is available as wallpaper from Wall.Alphacoders.com
No comments:
Post a Comment