CorporateNature Metaphor Series, No 72
When we count the animals in a zoo, we count very precisely and in great detail. For example, the London Zoo counted 19,289 animals in 2018.
When we count humans in a census, we omit a lot of details. For example, the US census conducted every 10 years does not ask for the citizenship of the people who get counted.
The reason for this discrepancy is simply... complexity. Whereas it is us humans who do the counting of the animals, in a census the humans are supposed to count themselves. This may trigger a complex reaction of avoidance in case the incentives for declaring all details are misaligned.
Just like dogs and wolves roll in animal carcasses to mask their scent to be more successful in hunting their prey, so people may try to hide from the census to avoid disclosing information that they find sensitive. Thus, we end up counting humans not with a fine pen but with a broad brush.
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| Penguins at London Zoo (Source: Wikipedia) |
