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Dan's avatar

Ah, yes; the measurement bias strikes again.

This bias is systemic preference for what can easily be measured, quantified, or visualized over what cannot.

While this bias allows me to ultimately see the progress of the Amazon delivery truck en route to my house, it also misses what is essential. In other words, we confused measurability with meaning.

The measurable might be privileged because it's more compatible with our epistemological frameworks, not because it's more accurate.

The failure here, so to speak, is one of epistemology: of how we know what we think we know.

We prize data, but struggle with understanding: intuition, narrative, complex human context, meaning; these are all sacrificed to the data machine.

The great irony is that as "big data" becomes more advanced, the more blind it becomes to "the human".

We need a new kind of attention; a new kind of sight.

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John Harvey's avatar

It's a little early on a Sunday morning to be messing with my mind....10:54 am, or 2:54 pm GMT, to be annoyingly precise. The Weather Channel says is it is 71 degrees and "feels like" 71 degrees. Just to get that out of the way.

My location: 41° 19' and a bunch of numbers North Latitude. I won't put out the longitude, because, you know: B-2 Stealth Bombers...coordinates.

I am either "well" or "not well," according to my Schrodinger Watch.

My funny bone is currently vibrating at fifty-nine point something something...can't make it out.

Today's Depressing Thought: "Out there, people with 71.2% better lives are living them."

Plus, the moment has passed, and we missed it. There it went ---------->

Speaking of people: Bill Clinton, a man who, like many of us, isn't sure what "is" is anymore...

The proof:

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/1998/09/bill-clinton-and-the-meaning-of-is.html

Got to call the plumber now, my stream of consciousness (SOC) has another leak in it...

Here's the number: 1-800-$$$-HOUR

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Jeremiah Mora's avatar

I was going to share my thoughts on the essay topic. As I attempted to type, Substack prompted that "for your security, you need to be reauthenticated," and instructed me to check my email for a confirmation code...

Now, having reinstituted my security, I'm instead going to listen to Talking Heads records, read the liner notes and have a drink.

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John Harvey's avatar

At least it didn't say: "You need have your head examined..." What a blessing!

"Re-authentication" is the story of our lives now. I am sure it is all for our own good, in theory.

Because: the bad pee-pull.

Who is this anonymous "Substack" fellow, anyway? Do we get to re-authenticate him, too?

All emails are dubious now.

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The Ark of History's avatar

Data is also the “new oil” because of its lubricating effect

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GM's avatar

Rene Guenon's book 'The Reign of Quantity and the Signs of the Times' turns 80 years old this year. He was no fan of modernity or the metaphysical rot eating away at our collective souls. Though it's not any easy read, I'd heartily recommend it to anyone who is uncomfortable with the datafied worldview.

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Maya's avatar

I loved this and it's a good reminder that I need to read your book that I bought months ago and have sitting on my desk. I want to read it but there's too much information constantly coming between me and it

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