Studies...and Stuff
So I read a lot of stuff in my Google Reader, articles and whatnot, and there's a lot of studies. This study says watching TV will kill you. That study says that Moms are more likely to get deppressed (well not really but just for example) But they don't show any of the hard data. Like, how the study was done or who the respondents were. How do I know they're not just matching statistics to the point they wanted to make?
For instance, the TV will kill you one was actually from an article on Jezebel. Here if you're interested. But the study was set in Australia... and it doesn't say how many people they interviewed...and how do they know that watching TV shaves off so many years of your life? Are they just using statistics? I can't believe they actually tested this because in order to do so they would have to actually have groups of people: TV watchers, non tv watchers, moderate TV watchers-- controlling how much TV they watch and following them from a young age until they died. I mean...there are a lot of other factors that go into TV watching.
I think my main problem is the sensationalizim of the title-- Read this because this is important, it involves life and death. Of course that's the way things have always been, I think. Huge titles grab attention. I think it's funny that people think that it's a recent thing. That 'these days' this is what they do but I think it's what they've always done. Humankind has a flair for drama.
Onto other news, I'm 28 now. Two years from 30 but that's okay, I guess. It's been fine living up here so far. A little lonely sometimes. I try to get out a lot but I've been staying in my apartment more-- mostly because I can't afford the bus and I can't take it for free until classes start. Well I can afford the bus but I am saving that for when I have to. I have gotten a library card from the local library though and have checked out a lot of books.
My roomie will be here on Friday and then after that, I have orientation on Monday. Thank GOD. I want to actually do something to remind myself why I am here. It's strange, though. I kind of miss Virginia. I mean-- not really being stuck all day there but the looks of the place. Everything was green and the mountains and the places I know. I guess it's sort of like missing a favorite t-shirt. It wasn't the best t-shirt but it was familiar.
For instance, the TV will kill you one was actually from an article on Jezebel. Here if you're interested. But the study was set in Australia... and it doesn't say how many people they interviewed...and how do they know that watching TV shaves off so many years of your life? Are they just using statistics? I can't believe they actually tested this because in order to do so they would have to actually have groups of people: TV watchers, non tv watchers, moderate TV watchers-- controlling how much TV they watch and following them from a young age until they died. I mean...there are a lot of other factors that go into TV watching.
I think my main problem is the sensationalizim of the title-- Read this because this is important, it involves life and death. Of course that's the way things have always been, I think. Huge titles grab attention. I think it's funny that people think that it's a recent thing. That 'these days' this is what they do but I think it's what they've always done. Humankind has a flair for drama.
Onto other news, I'm 28 now. Two years from 30 but that's okay, I guess. It's been fine living up here so far. A little lonely sometimes. I try to get out a lot but I've been staying in my apartment more-- mostly because I can't afford the bus and I can't take it for free until classes start. Well I can afford the bus but I am saving that for when I have to. I have gotten a library card from the local library though and have checked out a lot of books.
My roomie will be here on Friday and then after that, I have orientation on Monday. Thank GOD. I want to actually do something to remind myself why I am here. It's strange, though. I kind of miss Virginia. I mean-- not really being stuck all day there but the looks of the place. Everything was green and the mountains and the places I know. I guess it's sort of like missing a favorite t-shirt. It wasn't the best t-shirt but it was familiar.