This is why politicians who bring out charts and graphs tend to fail, and those who use anecdotes tend to win. Stories make sense on an emotional level, so anything that conjures fear, empathy, or pride will trump confusing statistics. It causes you to buy a security system for your house but neglect to purchase smoke alarms. It makes you carry a rape alarm while you clog your arteries with hamburgers. It installs metal detectors in schools but leaves french fries on the menu. It creates vegetarian smokers.
