What it sounds like
- Sharing one good review while hiding 200 bad ones.
- "Our campaign worked because traffic was up on Tuesday." What about the full month, conversions, and the budget? Rude of math to ask.
Logical fallacy
Cherry Picking
Only using evidence that supports your point and ignoring evidence that does not.
Classic tell: Sharing one good review while hiding 200 bad ones.
Back to the guideFurther explanation
What is happening underneath?
Only using evidence that supports your point and ignoring evidence that does not.
Only favorable evidence is allowed into the room. The inconvenient data waits outside holding its little folder.
How to tell
- The evidence set is oddly narrow, flattering, or missing obvious counterexamples.
Why people use it
- It lets someone keep a preferred conclusion while appearing evidence-based.
How to combat it
- Say: "What data did you leave out, and what would the full set show?"
Manipulation watch
How this gets used on people.
- Marketers quote the best testimonial, best time window, or best metric while burying the base rate in a polite little grave.