The Problem With Representativeness On IIN. What do you think?

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  • Are you saying that you don't think those who comment on IIN aren't representative of the broader culture that they come from?

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    • I'm saying that it is possible that all 5 comments come from a minority.

      If 60 per cent of all people hold position A and 40 per cent hold position B, all 5 comments could have come from the 40 percent faction. The majority (in this case, 60%) of all people could hold the opposite view from the 5 commenters on IIN.

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      • There's a very good chance that this is the case, as IIN is a site for a relatively specific demographic. I've been on other sites that are kind of like this one and each of those sites have slightly different acceptable and unacceptable responses based on the readers that are attracted to those sites. IIN isn't much different.
        Though you may be surprised to know that IIN isn't as liberal as some other sites. It also isn't as crazy.
        Go figure, huh?

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      • I iz thunkin that you needs be more simplifyin this all. Us poor lil IINers jus ain't not gots the smarts for all your fancy mathmatiks.
        Is that be normal?

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        • Have you been drinking, sailor? :P

          But yeah. I'm simply saying this:

          Even if most comments express one opinion, it doesn't mean that most IINers have this opinion.

          And even if most IINers have this opinion, it doesn't mean that most people in the world share this opinion.

          And yet I instinctively thought this way. This was my logical fallacy.

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