Innumeracy Hurts
Innumeracy — the numerical version of illiteracy — hurts. It hurts more because unscrupulous parties use it to paint a convincing picture that is at odds with reality. Discourse, opposition, and needed change can all be suppressed by preying on innumeracy. To see this in action, consider the case of Walmart back in the spring of 2015. At the time, the inadequacy of the minimum wage was a raging national debate. Fast food workers were organizing a walk out. One after another, corporations were announcing increases in the minimum wages they paid to avoid a social media backlash.