4 ms·

Unless you have some evidence that the sample is biased, how about not blindly dismissing the data? I bet you say, "correlation isn't causation" every time som

Unless you have some evidence that the sample is biased, how about not blindly dismissing the data? I bet you say, "correlation isn't causation" every time someone posts a scientific paper, too. As if no smart person has ever thought of these issues.

dec0dedab0de 7y ago
It's an outrageous click bait title loosely based on the results a single survey. It deserves to be dismissed.
- joegahona 7y ago
  "Self-reported" deserves more emphasis for sure, but the results seem legit: > Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted Dec. 2-15, 2019, with a random sample of 1,025 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. For results based on the total sample of national adults, the margin of sampling error is ±4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All reported margins of sampling error include computed design effects for weighting. > > Each sample of national adults includes a minimum quota of 70% cellphone respondents and 30% landline respondents, with additional minimum quotas by time zone within region. Landline and cellular telephone numbers are selected using random-digit-dial methods.
- aguyfromnb 7y ago
  The fact that the title is click bait has nothing to do with your claim that the survey sample is biased. If it's true, prove it. >results a single survey Says the guy who uses "Ask HN" for help... How many surveys should they do?
  - wutbrodo 7y ago
    > Says the guy who uses "Ask HN" for help... Are you under the impression that anyone is using "Ask HN" to make representative claims about a larger population than "people who answered this thread" (or at best, "people on HN")?
  - dang 7y ago
    Would you please stop posting in the flamewar style, and in particular please drop the personal swipes from your comments here? You've been doing that repeatedly, it's against the rules, and we eventually ban accounts that keep doing it. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
    - spookthesunset 7y ago
      It isn't flamebait and the dude shouldn't be downvoted--I'd be pissed if I was that guy too. People here love to say worthless crap like "oh, of the people who take surveys, blah blah blah". Not considering the fact that people who give the surveys aren't stupid and factor that into their results. Such garbage is pure pedantry and if anything, you should be going after all the know-it-alls on this forum who love to pick useless fights. Of course the people giving the survey know that there is an inherent bias towards their sample. If they are any good, they correct for it. Stop wasting your time going after this guy, go after the know-it-all parent.
      - dang 7y ago
        I think that's a fair point and have posted https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22161665 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22161665. The issue with the account I was replying to is not that specific comment but a pattern of posting in the flamewar style and, especially, of taking personal swipes. That needs to change. For example, "Says the guy who uses "Ask HN" for help" is not an ok way to argue on HN. Personal attacks are a more existential issue for HN than shallow dismissals are, but the latter are also a big problem, which is why there's a site guideline against those too.

dec0dedab0de 7y ago

It's an outrageous click bait title loosely based on the results a single survey. It deserves to be dismissed.

joegahona 7y ago
"Self-reported" deserves more emphasis for sure, but the results seem legit: > Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted Dec. 2-15, 2019, with a random sample of 1,025 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. For results based on the total sample of national adults, the margin of sampling error is ±4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All reported margins of sampling error include computed design effects for weighting. > > Each sample of national adults includes a minimum quota of 70% cellphone respondents and 30% landline respondents, with additional minimum quotas by time zone within region. Landline and cellular telephone numbers are selected using random-digit-dial methods.
aguyfromnb 7y ago
The fact that the title is click bait has nothing to do with your claim that the survey sample is biased. If it's true, prove it. >results a single survey Says the guy who uses "Ask HN" for help... How many surveys should they do?
- wutbrodo 7y ago
  > Says the guy who uses "Ask HN" for help... Are you under the impression that anyone is using "Ask HN" to make representative claims about a larger population than "people who answered this thread" (or at best, "people on HN")?
- dang 7y ago
  Would you please stop posting in the flamewar style, and in particular please drop the personal swipes from your comments here? You've been doing that repeatedly, it's against the rules, and we eventually ban accounts that keep doing it. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
  - spookthesunset 7y ago
    It isn't flamebait and the dude shouldn't be downvoted--I'd be pissed if I was that guy too. People here love to say worthless crap like "oh, of the people who take surveys, blah blah blah". Not considering the fact that people who give the surveys aren't stupid and factor that into their results. Such garbage is pure pedantry and if anything, you should be going after all the know-it-alls on this forum who love to pick useless fights. Of course the people giving the survey know that there is an inherent bias towards their sample. If they are any good, they correct for it. Stop wasting your time going after this guy, go after the know-it-all parent.
    - dang 7y ago
      I think that's a fair point and have posted https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22161665 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22161665. The issue with the account I was replying to is not that specific comment but a pattern of posting in the flamewar style and, especially, of taking personal swipes. That needs to change. For example, "Says the guy who uses "Ask HN" for help" is not an ok way to argue on HN. Personal attacks are a more existential issue for HN than shallow dismissals are, but the latter are also a big problem, which is why there's a site guideline against those too.