All deaths are a tragedy to someone. A statistic is an aggregate account of untold suffering and misery. To be truly compassionate, we must learn to see the humanity in statistics. We must recognise that our emotional reaction to the death of a loved one and our indifference to the death of a stranger is not a sign of compassion, but egoism. As enlightened citizens, it is our duty to use all our ingenuity and effort to reduce the sum total of suffering.
This death is a tragedy. There were 37,461 such tragedies in 2016. Every single one of them matters equally. It is only by studying and analysing them in aggregate that we can prevent future tragedies. Seat belts, air bags, crumple zones, anti-lock brakes, median dividers and rumble strips are tremendous acts of compassion. Statisticians, scientists and engineers have made an incalculable contribution to human welfare.
This death is a tragedy. There were 37,461 such tragedies in 2016. Every single one of them matters equally. It is only by studying and analysing them in aggregate that we can prevent future tragedies. Seat belts, air bags, crumple zones, anti-lock brakes, median dividers and rumble strips are tremendous acts of compassion. Statisticians, scientists and engineers have made an incalculable contribution to human welfare.