What Works - EP 478: Data Never Speak For Themselves

EP 478: Data Never Speak For Themselves

09/26/24 • 23 min

2 Listeners

We're constantly bombarded by data. And it's easy to think that with the right clues, we could answer the ultimate questions of life, the universe, and everything.

But data aren't facts. They're not a secret code. Data are media—they mediate our interactions with the world around us. To make them useful and meaningful, we need a critical framework for working with data as media. That's what I've got for you today—a deep dive on how predictability, relevance, and actionability can help us see data for what they are and for what they're not.

Footnotes:

Anytime I talk about data and how it mediates our lives and work, I'm referencing the work of philosopher C. Thi Nguyen and his concept of value capture. I've written about his theory previously here
I also make use of Byung-Chul Han's The Crisis of Narration , specifically his critique of a 2008 Wired essay by Chris Anderson about the end of theory

Get written versions of all new episodes at whatworks.fyi—where you can also become a premium subscriber for just $7 per month and help support the work I do at What Works.

(00:00) - A hypothetical
(02:32) - Led astry by ubiquitous metrics
(03:36) - Data aren't reality
(05:37) - A critical framework for data
(06:08) - What is predictable?
(13:36) - What is relevant?
(18:32) - What is actionable?
(21:40) - Data literacy

★ Support this podcast ★

We're constantly bombarded by data. And it's easy to think that with the right clues, we could answer the ultimate questions of life, the universe, and everything.

Footnotes:

Anytime I talk about data and how it mediates our lives and work, I'm referencing the work of philosopher C. Thi Nguyen and his concept of value capture. I've written about his theory previously here
I also make use of Byung-Chul Han's The Crisis of Narration , specifically his critique of a 2008 Wired essay by Chris Anderson about the end of theory

Get written versions of all new episodes at whatworks.fyi—where you can also become a premium subscriber for just $7 per month and help support the work I do at What Works.

(00:00) - A hypothetical
(02:32) - Led astry by ubiquitous metrics
(03:36) - Data aren't reality
(05:37) - A critical framework for data
(06:08) - What is predictable?
(13:36) - What is relevant?
(18:32) - What is actionable?
(21:40) - Data literacy

★ Support this podcast ★

Previous Episode

EP 477: Here's a tip

Today's episode is about tips. As in gratuity. Wait, wait, wait! Where are you going?

I know, you probably don't receive tips for your work. Maybe you don't live in the US, and you're thinking, 'What is this American BS about tips?'

Well, when I first heard about Trump's (and then Harris's) proposal to eliminate federal taxes of tipped income, my brain went a hundred different places: how many people would it impact, how much savings are we talking about, what will this do to the proliferation of tipped work, and how much could this accelerate re-proletarianization?! You probably weren't expecting that last one.

Here's the thing: tipping is a class issue. Which means it's also a social justice issue. And it's also an issue that intersects with frustrations with the way all of us work. To find out how, you've got to trust me—and listen.

Footnotes: