Young statistician, you shall live in adventurous times

What is it about?

Based on a speech given at a graduation ceremony in Berkeley on 2014 this text is an ideal letter to statisticians at the start of their carrier. It comes with recommendations to use the tools at their disposal without being overtaken by them, and to exert judgment in quantification. It also reminds young practitioners of the ongoing difficulties of the discipline in relation e.g. to abuse and misuse on methods (e.g. P-test) and of the dark sides of the history of statistics (e.g. Eugenics).

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Why is it important?

The article offers some elements of an epistemological therapy, an invite to caution and responsibility in the use of the tools of the craft. This is all the more important as training typically tend to exalt the power of statistics and induce data hubris. At an age where the power of big data and algorithms is perceived to pose significant dangers - beside the purported benefits - this text may be a useful corrective.