The problem with anecdotes is that they don't really address the larger picture or what the most effective and least damaging solutions might be for certain problems.

For instance, if we look at anecdotal information about Northern Ireland, we would probably get anecdotal perspectives indicating that the Protestants feel beset upon by Catholics, and also, conversely, that Catholics feel beset upon by Protestants. That doesn't really address the actual causes of the problem (which in my opinion, have more to do with British imperialism than anything else), and it also doesn't give us any idea of how best to address the problem.