Using oversimplified categorizations and imposing present-day sensibilities—the essence of the Dillingham Flaw—also can occur when individuals engage in demographic projections. For example, the U.S. Census Bureau projects that Hispanics will comprise about 30 percent of the total U.S. population in 2050.U.S. Census Bureau, “National Population Projections,” 2008, accessed at . Given past patterns and current trends, however, we cannot be certain that today's group categories, such as Hispanic, will still be valid by then.
