Statistically Significant

My attempts to make this blog a more interactive place failed miserably this past week.  I posted a poll relating to my post on being technology dependent and either no one noticed or felt compelled to vote.  Understandable in some ways since it could easily have been a case of no one wanting to be the first one so consequently, I have no statistics about which piece of technology is most important to my readers.  That's okay though since 72.3% of statistics are made up on the spot, you know.

My love for statistics started in high school during an AP class and developed in college since my cohorts and I used statistical information inside out and backwards in our discipline of psychology.  The fact that the numbers meant something in regards to human behavior made it really fun and hence my random enjoyment of polls. 

Statistics are really more than just numbers though.  In some research we did in my university, we realized people are significantly more likely to help others who are dressed more like them than like someone of a lower socioeconomic status. 

I was the unlucky loser of the coin toss and the one who had to dress like a homeless person to find this out.  That experience of looking at the numbers changed me and made me realize first hand that people really have a hard time breaking the boundaries of their comfort zones and making a difference in people different than themselves. 

I keep going back to the scripture in which Jesus says basically that Christians should be known by our love in John 13 and feeling convicted that I, in my desire to be Christ-like, need to help others more to show the love of Christ and in doing it, show my kids that serving others needs to be a part of their faith.  Love needs to transcend our typical boundaries.  And while love is hard to measure statistically, it is something that will make a significant difference in those around us.

So I decided that after last week's statistical flop, I am going to try an experiment and see how it goes.  I am going to start a new poll on Monday mornings set to run through Fridays for the near future.  Hopefully, people will think this is fun and enjoy reveling in the random (and not at all random sample!) statistics!