Last Sunday I listened to a talk by Alf Orpen, Director of ONE Group, a global certified organic business. He told a story that made me stop and think. Here it is in my words.
Alf was walking on the beach as part of his daily morning ritual. He regards it as an opportunity for reflection, contemplation and inspiration. He spotted a group of seagulls and counted their number. 7. A few moments later he noticed another group and counted them also. 5 this time. Out of curiosity he decided to count random groups of seagulls. The results surprised him. 9, 3, 5 - all odd numbers! Alf has often looked for lessons and patterns from nature and taken the concepts back into his business and personal life. Here was a seemingly unusual pattern. Do seagulls always gather in odd numbered groups and what could that mean?
He was about to leave the beach and continue home (and no doubt continue pondering the meaning he had just encountered) when he decided to conduct just one more count. This time the number was.....4. Phew! It seems seagulls gather in groups, both odd and even. Life went back to normal.
The point is this. Sometimes we read research results that make statements and claims. It is easy to accept such research as being fully complete and valid. But what would have happened if Alf had decided that he had observed enough data to decide that 'seagulls gather in odd numbers' ? Just because the patterns he observed were true it didn't reveal the whole story.
Alf's story made me stop and think. Do I accept all that I read and hear because someone in authority has spoken? In some instances I certainly have - and not always to my benefit! Of course unless we have extensive contacts in research laboratories around the world or unlimited time to do our own research, we do need to have a certain level of trust in what we are told. However, governments, businesses and institutions are well known for peddling their own version of the 'truth'. But from now on I will at least be thinking, 'Is this person counting seagulls on the beach and have they counted enough ?'
I am also aware of the difference between fact and opinion. If I hold a red pen in my hand, I could describe it as 'the best pen in the world'. Others may simply describe it as 'red'. My 'opinion' and the 'facts' are clearly separate things! Opinion and fact are both valid when declared as such. But beware when opinions are expressed as fact - something I hear politicians doing on a daily basis! When I hear a pollie declare, 'The fact of the matter is...' my bs meter starts running! And so do I.
