Thus, holders of this statistically-driven information holds the 'power' over the general public, succeeding in influencing the general public's opinion and feelings about a specific issue or social concern. Best reflects in his book his advocacy for correct usage of social statistics, as he knows the critical role that numbers and statistics play in swaying not only general opinion and perception, but ultimately, in the public's perception of the favorability of a public issue, which could possibly lead to the development and implementation of legislation that will inevitably affect the lives of many people. However, as reflected throughout the...

Perhaps it would help to think that what Best actually promotes is the use of critical thinking -- how an individual should process and analyze information (such as social statistics) first before believing this information, and forming an opinion and/or feelings about the issue being discussed or in which the social statistic is said to be relevant or significantly related.
Reference

Best, J. (2004). More damned lies and statistics: how numbers confuse public issues. CA: University of California Press.