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I was just reading that unless the US Census 2007 gets better funding, it may not even be.

I have always and I mean even as a kid, loathed census takers coming to our house and delving into our personal business. I haven't had to deal with any myself yet as an adult but when I do I will not be cooperating. I feel it should be voluntary and I doubt it's even that helpful.

What do you do? Do you participate in it?

Sure I participate. What's the harm? In this day and age it's not hard to pick up a lot of personal data on anyone, if you are interested enough and want to spend at least $25.00

I know some of the questions are pretty personal. But as a historian, I can tell you many people besides the government does use the census data for research and writing purposes. Yes, most of the data is at least fifty years old, but when writing history, that is a drop in the bucket. I usually about once or twice a year have a reason to pull up census data for something I am writing.

Maybe no harm, but for me it's more the principle...privacy is tought to hold onto in our times and I really value it.

Thanks for your reply, Lon.

chonsigirl;662219 wrote: I know some of the questions are pretty personal. But as a historian, I can tell you many people besides the government does use the census data for research and writing purposes. Yes, most of the data is at least fifty years old, but when writing history, that is a drop in the bucket. I usually about once or twice a year have a reason to pull up census data for something I am writing.


Here, they will not release census data into the public domain until it's a hundred years old, the only data used prior to that is depersonalised summary data. Theis would appear to be a good compromise between demographics and history.

Like voting, participating in the Census in Australia is compulsory, and run by the Government - for historical and planning purposes. It's the information as a whole that is used, not that bit relating to any individual person. Like voting, I guess most Aussies regard it as a civic duty, a bit of a pain, but something you just do. Some results get published, and I personally think it's interesting to see things like what proportion of the population has English as a first language, how many people of what religions we now have, how many millionaires, how many people with ten children or no children. The census is a picture of my country - and its ongoing story.

It's very valuable historical data but it's impossible for gov. to plan unless they have a clear idea of where and where the population is. How can you decide whether you need new schools if you don't have any idea how many kids there are and what age?