Monday, August 23, 2010

Telling a liar from his lies

“Unemployment went up by 100% last month” (exaggeration for political effect).

Interviewer: Do you know how much unemployment rose last month?
Interviewee: No (even though I do know I am letting you tell us).

Particiapnt A: Unemployment rose by 2½% last month, according to official statistics.
Participant B: You’re lying because the government is fiddling the figures.

Actually, the truth about unemployment (now, today this minute) is unknowable – whatever you mean by that term, it cannot be measured instantaneously in real time.