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Just as we once preferred picture books to boring word-only books, we as a society like our information doled out in bite-sized, highly graphic form. The infographic may be at the height of its popularity as a means of communication — admit it, it’s the first thing you look at in USA Today — but just because we’re addicted to them doesn’t mean they’re always the best method of conveying an idea. Here are six infographics we found downright dumbfounding.
1. Infographics may be the most popular thing since sliced bread, but that doesn’t mean we need an infographic about sliced bread.
I don’t know about you, but I prefer bread for the happy energy its memorable smell provides … huh? Must’ve been a slow news day.
2. Popular suicide spots on the Golden Gate Bridge
From the San Francisco Chronicle, this is probably the most bizarre and depressing infographic we’ve seen. It just doesn’t jibe with the happy-go-lucky nature of most infographics (see sliced-bread-related infographic above). For a larger and more readable version, click here. Just stay away from the bridge, people; you’ve got your whole lives ahead of you.
3. The plagues at a glance
Okay, this one’s actually pretty darn cool. From a much larger infographic about the Passover Seder, this odd little corner is a quickie guide to all of God’s favorite plagues.
4. Another gem from USA Today
5. Iraq “visual language survival guide”
From Boingboing comes this gem, not exactly an infographic, yet both informational and graphic at the same time. Intended for use by soldiers and private contractors in Iraq, it’s an unsettling little chart which pretty much explains itself — and I guess that’s the point. Come to think of it, I imagine this one is pretty helpful.
6. The Onion sums it up
This absurd graphic says it all.
Comments (16)
Comment
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Hilarious and confounding. I for one will not admit to reading McPaper…ever.
For a fascinating look at Golden Gate Bridge jumpers, check out the DVD “The Bridge”.
posted by Johnny Cat on 1-10-2008 at 12:29 pm
I will not make any comment about Light Pole 69 being the most popular location for a Suicide off the GG Bridge. It would be tacky.
posted by WizardBoy on 1-10-2008 at 1:04 pm
As for THE ONION’S chart of popular charts, that also appeared on “Graphs and Charts” on Letterman. Who had it first? I think someone should come up with a graphic chart to clarify.
posted by WizardBoy on 1-10-2008 at 1:05 pm
I love that Onion one! I never saw that one. I think I’ll slip that one in to a PowerPoint presentation and see if anyone notices.
posted by fixedgear on 1-10-2008 at 1:26 pm
I have such a bridge phobia just walking out on the GGB would give me coronary thus removing the need to jump!
WizardBoy – no comment
posted by JaneM on 1-10-2008 at 1:49 pm
Apparently, no one likes the way bread tastes? Thats the selling point for me, personally.
posted by o-line on 1-10-2008 at 1:59 pm
Personally, I like bread for the way it hold my sandwich together.
posted by Craig on 1-10-2008 at 2:22 pm
Best pie chart ever = Dimitri Martin’s Pie Chart on Procrastination.
It was a circle.
posted by Ashley on 1-10-2008 at 2:58 pm
I liked the Pac-man pie chart from this very blog some months ago. You can also find it here:
thehumorarchives.com/joke/PacMan_pie_chart
posted by Telemath on 1-10-2008 at 3:18 pm
An expensive, practical solution to prevent more suicides on the GG bridge is to simply install two diving boards (a low board and a high board) at the place on the bridge where most suicides have occurred.
It might also be a good idea to put up a coat hook, provide a pen and pad (for final thoughts, goodbyes and so forth), clown masks should be laid out and a mirror should also be hung nearby.
This idea is not a joke. I believe it would work and work extremely well.
posted by Bill McWilliams on 1-10-2008 at 6:12 pm
It’s surprising how many people go to the middle of the bridge to commit suicide.
Why make the effort?
posted by Moon on 1-11-2008 at 9:26 am
Actually, as a statistician, I have to say that the bridge graphic is phenomenal, and immediately conveys what the reader would be interested in – how many suicides there have been and what the most popular spot it. Depressing, yes, but nice enough to get in Tufte’s next book. You could also use color for the blocks to distinguish between attempted and completed suicides.
posted by Kimberly on 1-11-2008 at 9:31 am
Where’s Waldo?
posted by Mach1 on 1-11-2008 at 8:09 pm
I think the middle is where there is the greatest distance to the water, therefore extending their lives an extra 3 milliseconds. Social phobias probably wont deter a determined jumper. I, for one, like the idea of a mirror and dresser of sorts for last rites and leaving a good looking corpse behind.
posted by Plerf on 1-13-2008 at 11:01 pm
I just made the Golden Gate bridge graph my background. Does that make me wrong?
posted by Why on 1-21-2008 at 3:35 pm
[…]This may seem like an extremely stupid question, but I am really very new to Linux so please bear with me.[…]
posted by tom on 6-28-2008 at 1:24 am