TBF Statement
People who eat more cheese are also more likely to be tangled in their bedsheets.
This example comes from a source with self-awareness about correlations.
Today's TBF features a common mistake when comparing data trends between independent data.
People who eat more cheese are also more likely to be tangled in their bedsheets.
This example comes from a source with self-awareness about correlations.
True?: Yes the two trends are correct. Cheese consumption and bedsheet tangling had similar increasing trends from 2000-2010.
Intention? ...to convince the reader that cheese is causing bedsheet deaths.
False?:
This is obviously a silly example, but the larger point is one to keep in mind. This can trip up scientists as well. When you are analyzing a situation with an exponential number of configurations, you will often be able to find two patterns (or two data models) that share seemingly remarkable characteristics. This does not mean one caused the other. This cheese example is particularly misguided because it doesn't show that the people increasing cheese consumption are the same people who died from bedsheets. In fact, perhaps the bedsheet deaths are a subset of the population that doesn't eat cheese at all!