In these days, you have probably seen charts like the one below. They are everywhere. This chart has no purpose other than a hedonic one. For instance, we do know that deaths are undercounted (link to evidence) but we do not know by how much. This alone would be enough to trash the chart in the bin.
Dear Luca, I hold a contradiction here. On one hand I completely agree with your post -truthfully I do. On the other hand, I find that the work done by many in keeping track of numbers, producing charts, etc, are extremely useful. For instance I rely on Max Roser and OurWorldInData. We need more data, not less. But we need to communicate uncertainty and even more so, risk -absolutely! Perhaps this is the point where we most agree: I also look at this event through the lens of Taleb, tail risks, decision making in conditions of uncertainty, Gigerenzer, etc. And in fact insofar as the stats are presented while accepting the great uncertainty, data is useful -and quite a lot. On that note I will send you an email as I find your investigations very fruitful. A presto
Dear Luca, I hold a contradiction here. On one hand I completely agree with your post -truthfully I do. On the other hand, I find that the work done by many in keeping track of numbers, producing charts, etc, are extremely useful. For instance I rely on Max Roser and OurWorldInData. We need more data, not less. But we need to communicate uncertainty and even more so, risk -absolutely! Perhaps this is the point where we most agree: I also look at this event through the lens of Taleb, tail risks, decision making in conditions of uncertainty, Gigerenzer, etc. And in fact insofar as the stats are presented while accepting the great uncertainty, data is useful -and quite a lot. On that note I will send you an email as I find your investigations very fruitful. A presto