I’ll start, as I perhaps should have done, with the case against statistics. Suppose you were exposed to that subject as a sub-cabalistic ritual of manipulating sums of squares and magical tables according to rules justified (if at all) only by a transparently false origin myth — that is to say, you had to endure what is still an all-too-common sort of intro. stats. class — or, perhaps worse, a “research methods” class whose content had fossilized before you were born. Suppose you then looked at the genuinely impressive things done by the best of those who call themselves “data scientists”. Well then no wonder you think “This is something new and wonderful”; and I would not blame you in the least for not connecting it with statistics. Perhaps you might find some faint resemblance, but it would be like comparing a child’s toy wagon to a Ducati.