Story over truth
"No one ever made a decision because of a number. They need a story."
— Daniel Kahneman
There are three ways to make a living:
1) Lie to people who want to be lied to, and you’ll get rich.
2) Tell the truth to those who want the truth, and you’ll make a living.
3) Tell the truth to those who want to be lied to, and you’ll go broke.
Why We Sleep is a popular book on sleep, which I had read and was convinced. But it seemed to be filled with scientific errors and likely caused more harm than help. But the book is so popular that the truth doesn’t seem to matter for most people.
Okinawans, one of the Blue Zone folks, live long lives not because they lead a special lifestyle but because they likely reported older ages to get postwar benefits. Blue Zones turned out to be more of a business venture than a scientific health study. (Source. Also see Eat Your Ice Cream.)