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Culture War Roundup for the week of October 30, 2023

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I take it you are earning more than you were three years ago?

I think perhaps you are missing the point.

  • -11

Why didn't you say "Yes, but I think perhaps you are missing the point."? Is it because you are not earning more than you were three years ago?

No, it is because the point is that one person's income is not valid evidence, be it him, me, you, or someone else. Like I said, you are missing the point. As it happens, I quit the full time job I had three years ago because it was boring, and I am now working freelance, with fewer hours but at a higher hourly rate. Do you see how it is difficult to draw inferences about the norm from my personal experience?

Perhaps I am not trying to draw inferences about the norm. Perhaps the only thing that interests me about this topic is how perception of the economy is affected by personal circumstances.

Great! But the comment I was referring to was specifically about the accuracy of the official statistics

Great! But now I am missing your point, because as long as I follow the rules and stay on topic - which I am, just a different angle - I am not required to only post within the confines of the op's argument, am I?

No, but you were specifically referring to my comment, right? Which was about the merits (ie, lack of merit) the use of personal anecdotes to attack the validity of statistics about the norm, right? Because OP wasn't talking about how personal experience colors subjective perceptions of the economy; he was claiming that his personal experience demonstrate an objective truth: that the economy as a whole is doing poorly, and that the data showing otherwise is fake.

So, if you are "not trying to draw inferences about the norm," why are you responding to my comment, which was literally and only about trying to draw inferences about the norm? Which is what OP was doing, There is an entire main thread on perceptions of the economy.

From your comment, and other comments you made, I determined that you did not believe the economy was doing poorly, so I asked about your personal circumstances. I couldn't post in the thread about perceptions of the economy when I asked you about your personal circumstances, because it didn't exist.

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