Numbers can tell a story, but the brief list of “notable numbers” published this week in the opinion section demonstrates a lack of forethought. The Cavalier Daily regularly reports a short list of important numbers, typically centered on a single topic such as housing, the election, or sports. However, it is unclear what narrative the Editorial Board intended to present to readers in the most recent list. The numbers are not arranged in any logical or numerical manner, and do not seem to be tied together in a substantive sense.
In a rather insensitive move, the first number is 379, or the number of days that U.Va. student Otto Warmbier has been detained in North Korea. Reminding students in such a casual manner of a personal and important issue may have been appropriate if the list only included serious numbers related to life at U.Va., but this is not the case. The authors of the list go on to include the number of times U.Va. alum and noted white nationalist Richard Spencer got punched in the face. This juxtaposition sends a mixed message to students. In an attempt to either entertain or surprise readers, the Editorial Board appears unaware of the inappropriate and befuddling nature of the list in general.
The seemingly disjointed and somewhat irrelevant composition of this “By the numbers” is distracting for readers. The topics range from national politics, U.Va. sports, to U.Va. early acceptance rates. Authors include crowd estimates for both the inauguration and the women’s march on Washington, two numbers which have been heavily disputed over the past week and a half. In addition, there are two numbers related to sentences that Obama commuted while in office, two related to the number of basketball wins this season, one about the number of days left to drop a class, and one related to the legalization of higher proof alcohol. The authors would have been better off creating a list with one centralized theme or idea, such as recent sporting events, politics, or an amusing list of numbers related to the new semester. The mash up of all of these topics creates an unpalatable and puzzling list.
Additionally, the configuration of this list appears to undercut the importance and seriousness of some of these facts. In order for this sort of compilation or list to be amusing or informative, it needs to be well planned and executed with a specific intention in mind. In the future, the Editorial Board should more heavily consider the impact a list will have, whether that is eliciting confused shrugs, or uncomfortable laughter from readers.
Jacquelyn Katuin is the Public Editor for The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at publiceditor@cavalierdaily.com or on Twitter at @CDPublicEditor.
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