"In God we Trust. All others must bring data"

Authentic narratives of tomorrow can only stand the test of times if they are backed by hard-data! ?

‘Whole Numbers and Half Truths’ by data journalist Rukmini S. establishes this fact beyond doubt. She uses data to prove how so many popular narratives are ‘half-truths’ or an array of myths whereas others are ill-informed or ill-interpreted. Page after page she debunks and dismantles some of the most popular ‘frames’ deployed and used around which our policy discussions take place in the media as well as private conversations. False narratives or rhetorics are debunked in every chapter which may be promoted based on incorrect belief or claim that data is always neutral.

It offers a mirror to our societal realities as well and shows how descriptive data should be used to tell truthful stories.

It is a must-read for campaign planners and those wanting to understand India and the Indian consumer. The author not only helps us understand consumer preferences but, also how much we earn, what we eat, believe, and several other aspects of individual and collective behaviour; all backed by hard-data, which ‘speaks for itself’. It is full of something that we communicators love i.e. consumer insights. While it is all about data, it is rarely dry and so even the creative ones would find it very useful and that is the beauty of how the subject is treated.

The book shows us that stories (can) change depending on a storyteller’s conscious or unconscious biases unless the right data is deployed and studied and it also does not necessarily operate under binaries. We can learn about different aspects of our society, our own half-truths, our array of myths, which are on a vast spectrum across regions, age, religions, castes,?etc. A goldmine for planners! The author also teaches us the importance of 'primary research' or on-ground reporting to back up the data insights to bring to life and personalise our stories.

Just to discuss one subject as an example -

Labelling a city/ state as ‘rape capital’ can be so misleading if the right data is efficiently dissected – it also impacts other popular narratives around topics such as ‘crime against women’, ‘inter-caste relationships’ and so on. Similarly, data also helps us deconstruct many western-inspired understandings of terms such as ‘modern’, ‘liberal’, ‘democracy’, ‘secular’, etc. which can make better sense in the Indian context only data is demystified.

The author tutors us how complex data can be so revealing and resourceful when properly contextualised otherwise mistreatment of data can also create false perceptions. ?

The book is not only an interesting but also an important read especially in today’s post-truth environment that is filled with fake news and uncertainty. It points us to a growing trend worldwide that communicators and PR professionals should watch out for and embrace and that is data-journalism. In a single sentence, the book is a manifestation of Edwards Demings legendary quote “In God we trust. All others must bring data.”