Statistics

July 9th, 2012

We hear it from every news broadcast. Every pulpit and politician warns of it. Every internet news headline agrees. People from all walks of life and all socioeconomic levels swear it’s true. The world is going to hell in a hand basket BUT… what if it’s a lie?

Mark Twain said “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” We listen to statistics and by them we see our world. What a crazy, mixed up way to judge our world. Do you want to judge it honestly? Okay try this.

Bring to mind all of the people you know, the ones you work with, live with, talk with, all the people you interact with every week. Are they good people? Are they the kind of people who would help you if you asked? Would you feed them if they were starving, give them water if they thirsted, call 911 for them if they needed it? Of course you would and they would do the same for you.

The vast, vast, vast majority of people are good people who don’t cause trouble and help where they can. Sure, there are always a couple of jokers in every deck but there are usually more aces than jokers. When bad things happen and the media is filming the blood and the tears, there are always armies of caring volunteers unreported in the background.

We will never hold our selves in high esteem if we believe that we are a part of a decaying, dark, non caring world. The truth is that we are good people living in a good world that keeps getting better. If you doubt it, don’t check the headlines, check the people around you. They care. They love. Volunteer ranks are getting bigger every year. People want to help. They and you and I want to make it a better world and it will continue to be.

Look at the world honestly. You would get a whole different (and wrong!) idea of card playing if you just focused on a couple of jokers.

(C) 2012 All Rights Reserved, Patrick McBride
www.PatrickInspires.com