Do Drugs. Be Happy. Or Both.

From the marvelous Information is Beautiful, where readers are urged to "see what you think":

Comments

[Shelby]

This makes me happy. Now, where are my drugs?

[24AheadDotCom]

Libertarian dude!

Say, is there any possibility that the happy and hippy populations are mostly disjoint, at least when it comes to their actual lifestyles or that of those effected by their choices? No, let's not even think about that. Pass the libertarianism on the left hand side.

[Kyle Jordan]

Now what if you add in hookers? Where does that take the chart?

I haven't done coke in ten years but if it's on one of those really hot Vegas hookers asses, I may have to make myself very happy.

[sedition]

it looks like the happy map has Burma coloured in instead of thailand.....

[Episiarch]

"Reality is for people who can't handle drugs."

[MikeP]

As the graphic notes, correlation is not cause.

But in this case the two correlate because of a joint cause: wealthier people are happier, and wealthier people can afford both drugs and the time to consume drugs.

[Xeones]

Shut the fuck up, LoneWacko.

[WWJGD]

Oh god, I clicked on his link...

Do I has the crazies now?

[Renegade Jones]

Even drugs won't make the French happy...

[Tomcat1066]

"Oh god, I clicked on his link...

Do I has the crazies now?"

Why yes...yes you do.

Just do drugs though and you'll feel better 😉

[Warty]

Shut the fuck up, Lonewacko.

[Juice]

Saudi Arabia? Happy? You'd better be.

[That Son-of-a-Bitch Van Owen]

Why is half of Canada not coloured?

I would say that the Northern Arctic islands would be where a lot of illegal drug use happens just due to a lack of other entertaiment options...

[Nick]

Saudi Arabia is on the Happiest List.

[oldtimer]

Correlation? I don't do drugs and I'm always pissed. Coincidence?

[Nick]

The maps don't match the countries listed beneath the maps. Venezuela is listed as Blissed Out, but is not green on the map.

[Russ R.]

"Why is half of Canada not coloured?"

Because it's the frozen, barren, miserable part with a total population of less than 10,000 people.

Why is Alaska not happy?

And how is the Netherlands on the happy list but not on the druggy list?

[Gunboat Diplomacy]

Someone need only overlay a map of per-capita income to blow this piece of shit theory out of the water.

[Gunboat Diplomacy]

""Why is half of Canada not coloured?""

They never had slaves.

[Brandybuck]

STFULW!

[BakedPenguin]

sedition is right. They colored in Burma on the happy map. If Burma actually made it to the happy map, I would skeptical of those results.

But then, I am a skyful liar.

[Zeb]

"this piece of shit theory"

I don't see any theory. Just a question and an amusing correlation.

[Tulpa]

Apparently the Northeast US and the upper peninsula of Michigan seceded from the US in the first map.

[Juanita]

Of course drugs make users happy, why else would anyone use them, to be sad? The fact that they make users happy is why they need to be illegal because that makes them addictive and they overtake and control their users.

[BruceM]

I don't think Americans are very happy at all. In fact, most Americans are freakin' miserable.

[Nick]

She's back!

[Nick]

You're right, Juanita. If people are happy they will become addicted and if they are addicted they will use more drugs and then they'll be even happier. Well, we can't have that shit. No happy bastards in this here Land of the Free.

Fucking cunt.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Just a question and an amusing correlation.

That's right. Post hoc ergo propter hoc, or some shit like that. Maybe these green-tinted people just get off on doing something illegal (read: immoral).

[Chinese Bankers]

All of your happiness are belongs to us.

[SugarFree]

Nick, she's just a long running spoof troll.

[The Ghost of Frank Zappa]

@ oldtimer:

Bow tie daddy, dontcha blow your top
Everything's under control
Bow tie daddy, dontcha blow your top
'Cause you think you're gettin' too old
Don't try to do no thinkin';
Just go on with your drinkin'
Just have your fun, you old son of a gun
Then drive home in your Lincoln

[The Ghost of Nacy Reagan]

Hi Frank!

[The Ghost of Nancy Reagan]

Damn!

[Elemenope]

Ghosts are poor typists.

[jtuf]

And how is the Netherlands on the happy list but not on the druggy list?

Because the druggy list only represents illegal drug use.

[anarch]

Does a "happy population" necessarily mean that many of its members are happy, or does it mean there's simply a lot of happiness in that population, perhaps unevenly concentrated in a few ecstatic individuals?

Because the presence of drug users makes certain individuals very, very happy that they can tase, bust heads, prosecute, imprison, etc.

[iowahawk]

Not trying to be pedantic, but there's no such thing as "% correlation". Linear correlation is coefficient that ranges between -1 and +1, and is define only for 2 numeric variables that are either interval or ratio scaled. Squared correlation (R^2) can be interpreted as % of shared variance accounted for. In the case of drugs R^2 would be .42 x .42, approximately .18, so the researcher could say that 18% of the pooled cross-sectional variation in happiness is accounted by pooled cross-sectional drug use.

Okay, I guess I am trying to be pedantic.

In order to better establish causation, a researcher needs to set up a longitudinal experiment with random application of the treatment. I will now torch a blunt, and report back with my conclusions.

Okay I seme too be much mcuh happpiere now.

My conclusson: more research is neneded.

[JL]

is it possible that the conclusion being drawn from this is wrong because of the variation of drug laws, hence different definitions for illegal drugs in various countries...or are the stats based on a consistent definition of "illegal drugs?"

[J sub d]

Oh god, I clicked on his link...

You must be new here.

Do I has the crazies now?

It's only temporary. Continued clicking may lead to irtreversible crazies.

[J sub d]

My lovely Juanita, I've missed you so.

What is it about you?
That makes my stomach turn
My heart beat fast
My mouth curl

Is it your beautiful smile?
Your sexy lips
The sweetness of your voice
Or just what whisper me

The many things we had and shared
The sunsets
The candlelight dinners
Our passion and love

The ways we talked and laughed
Were only dreams before we met
Now turned into reality
How I wish this will last for eternity

[g4m3th30ry]

I don't see any theory. Just a question and an amusing correlation.

Even arguing they are correlated is a theory and all those pretty graphs don't prove that.

Since correlation assumes a relationship (of course the relationship might be weak), making such a pronouncement with such little data is pretty worthless.

It's sort of like stating since the US spends more on health care than other countries but US citizens die earlier than countries spending less in more socialized systems - it must be that socialized medicine correlates with longevity.

[g4mth30ry]

sorry

[Nick]

I know, SF. But, just like she's a spoof troll, my responses to her are not only cathartic but serve the purpose of telling any lurkers who agree with her to STFU because they are also fucking cunts for thinking that way.

[Elemenope]

sorry, gametheory, but correlation is simply juxtaposing two data sets and looking for matches in proportional change of quantity of some quality. It does not require a theory to explain it; that's in large part what theories are: causation explanations for certain discovered correlations.

[Warren]

Drugs make people feel good.
Learn something new every day I guess.
Can't wait to find out what earth shattering thing will be revealed tomorrow.

[Kant feel Pietzsche]

Working hard on an overlay regarding the correlation between vigorous masturbation and tennis elbow.

Problem: Can't get Nutrasweet and Warty to stop long enough to gather data.

**DEVELOPING**

[Neu Mejican]

iowahawk,

So the effect size claimed here would be pretty high?

;^)

[a-priori]

correlation is easy to find, causation... you actually have to use logic for that.

[Soda]

Mike P wrote:

But in this case the two correlate because of a joint cause

I see what you did there.

[snaggle]

24 Dot guy's link reads like a Bill Cooper book. 1 long paragraph that goes quickly into the void. Black Helicopters!!!