Every day, we produce loads of data about ourselves simply by living in the modern world: we click web pages, flip channels, drive through automatic toll booths, shop with credit cards, and make cell phone calls. Now, in one of the greatest undertakings of the twenty-first century, a savvy group of mathematicians and computer scientists is beginning to sift through this data to dissect us and map out our next steps. Their goal? To manipulate our behavior—what we buy, how we vote—without our even realizing it. In this tour de force of original reporting and analysis, journalist Stephen Baker provides us with a fascinating guide to the world we're all entering—and to the people controlling that world. The Numerati have infiltrated every realm of human affairs, profiling us as workers, shoppers, patients, voters, potential terrorists—even lovers. The implications are vast. Our privacy evaporates. Our bosses can monitor and measure our every move—then reward or punish us. Politicians can find the swing voters among us. It can sound scary. But the Numerati can also work on our behalf, diagnosing an illness before we're aware of the symptoms or even helping us find our soul mate. Surprising, enlightening, and deeply relevant, The Numerati shows how a powerful new endeavor—the mathematical modeling of humanity—will transform every aspect of our lives.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
September 15, 2008 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9781481567466
- File size: 227808 KB
- Duration: 07:54:35
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Languages
- English
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Levels
- Text Difficulty: 9-12
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Reviews
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Journalist Steven Baker offers this fascinating look at social trends such as emailing, cell phone usage, and even shopping habits to examine how scientists he calls "the Numerati" are breaking us down into numbers to profile us. The idea may seem intriguing, but, in truth, Baker tells us, it's incredibly scary, as the formulas calculated for each individual may be used to control his or her life. Narrator Paul Michael Garcia taps into the harsh realities of Baker's vision in his reading, speaking in a firm and candid voice that relates the material in a straightforward yet ominous tone. The way Garcia uses his voice to connect with his listeners makes the material all the more believable--and frightening. L.B. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine -
Starred review from July 14, 2008
In this captivating exploration of digital nosiness, business reporter Baker spotlights a new breed of entrepreneurial mathematicians (the “numerati”) engaged in harnessing the avalanche of private data individuals provide when they use a credit card, donate to a cause, surf the Internet—or even make a phone call. According to the author, these crumbs of personal information—buying habits or preferences—are being culled by the numerati to radically transform, and customize, everyday experiences; supermarket “smart carts” will soon greet shoppers by name, guide them to their favorite foods, tempting them with discounts only on items they like; candidates will be able to tailor their messages to specific voters; sensors in homes or even implanted in bodies themselves will report early warnings of medical problems (“have you noticed Grandpa has been walking slower?”), predict an increased risk of disease in the future or adjust a drug for a single individual. An intriguing but disquieting look at a not too distant future when our thoughts will remain private, but computers will disclose our tastes, opinions, habits and quirks to curious parties, not all of whom have our best interests at heart.
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