Arguing with Data

Statistics carry an aura of authority that words alone do not. When someone says "studies show" or quotes a percentage, your brain assigns credibility automatically.

Mark Twain (possibly quoting Benjamin Disraeli) famously said there are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics. This is not because statistics are inherently dishonest, but because they are easily weaponized by people who know how to frame numbers for maximum persuasive impact.