The pastor of a mega-church that Nancy and I once attended was a phenomenal speaker (although, with 20 years gone by and seminary under my belt, I would push back on many things he said). The one thing I appreciated about him was that at the end of every sermon, he would look out at the crowd and say, “Please do not take my word on this. Go home and study it out for yourselves.” Sadly, I think only a handful ever took him up on it.<\/p>\n
Compare that to my dear, sweet (most of the time) departed mother who was a staunch Catholic who, when I would want to look at that enormous dusty bible we had on the coffee table, would tell me not to read scripture, that it was the priest’s job to tell us what it says.<\/p>\n
I share these two stories with you because we were all taught how to ingest things presented to us. Sometimes, we need to dig deeper; sometimes, we take it for what it is worth.<\/p>\n
Oh, but the noise\u2026<\/p>\n
“According to a report by the University of California, San Diego, the average American consumes about 34 gigabytes<\/a> of data and information every day. According to calculation in the report, 34 gigabytes translates to approximately 100,000 words, both heard on radio and television as well as those read on the web and in print”.[1]<\/a><\/p>\n The inundation of information thrown at us daily, from when we get up until we turn the lights off, is intense, and sadly, we are oblivious to it. However, how do we decipher the good and the bad?<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>In his book\u00a0How to Make the World Add Up<\/em>, Harford gives us ten rules to help the reader navigate the statistical information. These ten rules remind me of an acronym that people in recovery use called H.A.L.T. If a person is fighting the temptation to drink again, are they hungry, angry, lonely, or tired? That would be critical thinking to remain sober. These ten rules are the same: When skeptical or needing critical thinking for statistics, follow the steps for a better outcome. Necessary thinking skills have never been a strong point for me, so I need to take a step back and think through these steps.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>In Harford’s book, The Data Detective: Ten Easy Rules to Make Sense of Statistics,<\/em> he has 10 different rules, but the thought is still the same. He says, “Ten rules of thumb are still a lot for anyone to remember, so perhaps I should try to make things simpler. I realize that these suggestions have a common thread\u2014a golden rule if you like. Be curious.”[2]<\/a>\u00a0I think learning to be curious is the key for me. I do not know if that is a learned trait or a natural ability.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>All this being said, what I realized through the reading is that, as leaders, we have responsibilities. We will each be the authority in our field of study and our projects. We will be tasked to speak about our projects, demonstrate, and be knowledgeable. I believe that having the title of Doctor comes with a responsibility to those we are working with not to lead anyone astray. If statistics are in front of us, we must be curious, to base our decisions on evidence, and be informed in every way we can about our project.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>Learning will be a continuous part of our lives. This three-year journey is just the beginning of education for us, but books like Harford’s help us dig for the truth in our learning. To be curious, be okay with being skeptical, and choose the path we feel is the right one for us and our audience, which is where ethics comes in. We must know deep down that what we are saying is what we genuinely believe, and that cannot happen unless we learn to go deep and not just accept what we are being told. This book is making me realize the burden of responsibility that is being placed on our shoulders.<\/p>\n I remember the first time I heard the words “fake news.” I laughed. Then I heard it in different contexts and, sadly, realized we can no longer take what is given as news or information and unquestioningly feel that it is the truth. I am sad at the reasons and agendas driving untruthful facts and manipulations being given to us daily, and I do not see an end to it. Come quickly, Lord Jesus.<\/p>\n [1]<\/a> Consuming Information Research.” n.d. Wonder. Accessed February 6, 2024. https:\/\/askwonder.com\/research\/consuming-information-research-gngr6owc2?h=c2ea0077b81b60170524893115bbc6b9942f9ca675882d97751358022ed812cf<\/a><\/p>\n