Good data is not the same thing as good information. The graph below shows an accurate data correlation between highway deaths and imported lemons.

The information conveyed in the graph would seem to be that efforts trying to limit texting and other driver distractions should be immediately scrapped and the focus should be on how to get more Mexican lemons into the USA. That’s clearly the key to saving lives. Except that clearly it’s not. It doesn’t take much common sense analysis to recognize that while there may be a correlation, there’s no causation. This is just a coincidence. But much of the news that’s fed to us in our information saturated lives is chock full of data with more subtle, but equally dubious lack of causation.

Facebook pal Becky posted a link to the recent announcement of October as National Information Literacy Awareness Month. The point of this is to raise awareness that what you read and what you hear increasingly requires some level of analysis prior to accepting the data as useful information. As the release says, “An informed and educated citizenry is essential to the functioning of our modern democratic society.” I couldn’t agree more.

Although, I’m personally a little dubious that declaring yet another national month of something or other adds a lot of value to the cause. After all, October is already dedicated to at least 46 other causes including: Breast Cancer, Books, Depression, Pretzels, Pickled Peppers, Pizza, Pasta, and perhaps ironically, Hunger.

Although, I suppose it can’t hurt. However, I suspect Information Literacy would get more play if it had cool slogans and t-shirts like Breast Cancer does.