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I don't agree w/everything here (I'd respectfully say that you're missing a ton of great, smart work at 538 if this is your view) but I think your thread is a thoughtful one. And I get what you're saying abt the popular perception of the site. 1/ https://twitter.com/theREAL_mjammy/status/1293640470208356359
It's somewhat exhausting to defend the "538 is too academic" thing because, yeah, on some level, there's some truth to that. And I think the new model design will hopefully help make it a more broadly popular product. Not just for "politics junkies" (a despicable phrase) 2/
The model is obviously a product that differentiates the site from other sites. So we certainly write off it, and write stories driven by numbers. But to say the site is "correcting and clarifying others' bad stats takes" rings hollow 3/
I do think a certain someone whose name is on the site has a Twitter persona that sometimes goes that direction! But he also writes long and thoughtfully—I must emphasize this—OTHER PEOPLE work at the site besides Nate. And offer different strengths and perspectives 4/
I do think you're point abt probabilistic thinking getting into the political bloodstream is well taken. I think we (media) all need to be more meta in thinking about our effects on the election, esp after 2016, and I do think the site is making good faith efforts. 5/
Ugh, *your*.
Anyhow, I hope you'll keep listening and reading. I appreciate the thoughts. I obviously think about this, too. A lot!
Anyhow, I hope you'll keep listening and reading. I appreciate the thoughts. I obviously think about this, too. A lot!
