Don't forget that the census itself is a religious event. It is the basis of the Christmas story and we dutifully still bow to its demands. Why do we have the census? Because if it was good enough for your olders and betters it is good enough for you. This kind of non thought is what religion thrives on.

Yes, if you want a good road or rail system you need to know roughly how many people live where and why they want to move around. The same if you want a new sewage works. But anyone who wants to know this has tried and tested ways of finding out these figures to a defined accuracy and at an appropriate cost. Any of us who has run a business knows this.

If government is seeking 100% perfection of information they are 100% going to fail, and at a very high price. But that is what governments are good at.

By all means answer truthfully as your civic duty in the belief you're helping society, but don't expect others on either end of the census to do or think the same. It is a nonsensical goal set by mindless bureaucracy. Let intelligence prevail.