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> It seems kind of lazy to observe that anecdotes contradict statistics, and then conclude that it's the statistics are wrong without providing any empirical evidence to the contrary.

Anecdotes are empirical evidence. Statistics are just collections of anecdotes obtained through systematized processes. As such, statistics are only as good as the process. 1 good observation can be better than 100 bad observations.

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If you want to be nitpicky I suppose you can claim that anecdotes is technically evidence and therefore that statement is incorrect, but in the context of that comment it doesn't change much. We basically have data collected by statisticians at government agencies compared to... people's vibes. As you said yourself "1 good observation can be better than 100 bad observations", so I still think it's a poor argument to claim the professional statistics are wrong, and the only evidence you have is evidence that's worse than the ones you're trying to refute.

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