Skip to main content

Review: Dataclysm: Love, Sex, Race and Identity---What Our Online Lives Tell Us about Our Offline Selves by Christian Rudder



Review: Dataclysm: Love, Sex, Race and Identity---What Our Online Lives Tell Us about Our Offline Selves
Christian Rudder
Broadway Books
2014

Rudder takes a subject that could’ve made the Sahara look verdant and makes it not only enlightening but a good read.  This guy deserves some award for his service to readers like me.  In the meantime he’s showing us how similar and different we are as persons and groups of persons.   OK, we already know that---sort of, but he’s got the numbers to prove it.  Big samples that reflect the characteristics of the online users.  For those of us that managed to get through school without statistics as a requirement he explains what he’s done in ways that are understandable to us.

Dataclysm by Christian RudderThis is not a beach read, page turner item but I don’t think the readers mind that too much.  He’s revealing how the information is gathered and used.  Some of it I knew about and so do you.  The stores tracking your purchases, websites recording time and clicks, time and place on your photos.  Stuff like that.  But I didn’t realize you could get a good idea of gender, sexual preferences, race, political leanings, and HR departments’ dream, employment potential.  Or what about discovering the difference between saying and doing?  It’s all there and for some gathering agencies loads more.  This information isn’t just hometown stuff, it’s global if the gatherers decide to include that much in their samples.   How or should all this information be regulated?  He offers some insight on that topic too.  

His presentation helps put some of my privacy paranoia at bay by presenting how the information could be used in manners that go beyond economics or political intrigue without violating all those rules that we sign off on when we go online but never read.  Yeah, that “I accept” choice.  The whole enterprise is still evolving though and it remains to be seen if his optimism will prevail. 

Good read.  I recommend it.

This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for a review.
 

Labels

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: When God’s Ways Make No Sense by Dr. Larry Crabb

Review: When God’s Ways Make No Sense Dr. Larry Crabb Baker Books 2018 I chose this book because the title intrigued me.   When God’s Ways Make No Sense.    There have been plenty of times when that seemed truer than I’d like to admit.   Are we even allowed to say something like that?   Even if we think it.   So, an author willing to take on that topic had my attention. And mostly because I wanted his take on what to do about it? As it turns out Crabb pretty much gave away his case very early on in his book with a single scripture quote.   The basic idea is God is GOD and we are not.   His motives and actions are incomprehensible to mankind and He owes no explanation for them either.   Crabb admits near the end of his book that he is not a theologian which I knew going into this book, but his arguments are theology.   Or at least I think so.   I found his repeated circling the topic a bit frustrating. ...
1 comment
Read more

Review: The Little French Bistro by Nina George

Review: The Little French Bistro Nina George Crown 2017 I have to admit that I'm not a fan of romance novels, but I think this one goes beyond the boy meets girl idea.   By a bunch.   If adults had coming of age stories this one would fit there.   Marianne travels a road many people I know would love to, but fear taking the steps needed. And that is the basis of this book.   Taking the steps.   Joy, sorrow, whatever comes and keep on taking the steps.    I agree with many of the comments already made about George's ability to build wonderful characters, paint scenes that vibrate with energy, and tell a story too.   Her writing touches the heart and not in some sappy, maudlin way.   A place of real emotions and desire.   Speaking of desire---her intimate scenes are just that, intimate.   In body and mind.   And not for just spicing things up a bit.   She captures the true nature of intimacy...
1 comment
Read more

Buntings and Books

Time to blog says the calendar. So OK let's blog. What about? Oil spills? Court nominees? Euro problems? Weather? The last one is the easiest to go with it looks like. Cold and windy again. What is this about? Not more than a week ago it looked like summer. Even needed fans to cool the place. Well, the fans are off now. Nature has provided some pre-cooled forced air for a few days now, complete with humidity adjustments ie rain. Keeps the ground cold and the urge to garden at bay. Protection for those of us who aren't in the best physical condition. The weather has the birds on the feeder more often and that included a new one in the area. We've decided to call it an indigo bunting. Matches the picture in the book so that's got to be who he is. Pretty little guy, all decked out in his breeding plumage. Haven't seen those colors since the last peacock came around. Just read that cowbirds like to use them to raise their chicks. Yet another reason t...
Post a Comment
Read more