Trailblazing #15 (06/01/2024)!

What I recently found interesting:

Are data-driven decisions always good?

Understanding numbers is a wonderful skill to have, as they help us understand the world around us and, consequently, optimize our lives. But there is a catch. How do we know what to optimize for?

• Should the objective function be time spent with family? Or perhaps, the number of distinct things we can learn? Or maybe, material goods, or something else?
• Secondly, can the data answer that for us? Or can our parents / teachers simply tell us that? Or, perhaps we shall figure it out ourselves?
• Lastly, should we know that answer the moment we are born, or shall we only find out when we legally become adults, or perhaps we never get a straight answer? If it’s the last option, what do we do?

I start with those rhetorical questions because as humans, our natural instinct is to search for safety. And the data, followed by the comprehensive analysis, provides just that.

• Data is always historical and if a certain scenario repeats itself over and over again, it is logical to assume that doing an activity the same way yet another time will lead to a similar end result. Such a thought process is applicable to both, a) our personal lives (e.g., when we build trust with a friend) and b) business endeavors (e.g., when we create many repeatable processes to scale a company).

Now, I like the leading article because it highlights a significant risk associated with relying on data too religiously → repeated patterns may turn into boring outputs… To be fair, we want boring when it comes to flights, trains, cars and many other things (incl. the ones I described above). But then, let’s contemplate where does each of us want to set their individual limit for “boring”? As an example, we all have likely seen a version of a Maslow pyramid. I tend to think that everything above physiological and safety needs is related to feelings. Now, what kind of feelings will “boring” evoke in us? Do “boring feelings” sound exciting or worth striving for? Perhaps, but I’d encourage everyone to find out for themselves.

Taking this reflection a step further, the author (rightfully) connects ‘feelings’ to cultural goods. He mentions how music tracks & movies have gradually become more and more similar to one another with the advent of data analytics. Anecdotally, I recently heard the same from my dad (re: music), and one other person (re: movies). They both said, 95%+ of new movies / music tracks are the same as the ones they watched / listened to in 70s, 80s, or 90s. To me, while I have not lived long enough to make such clear conclusions myself (which, as a side note is an excellent example of the value of experience), that sounds scary… In other words, in 30+ years I would love to have an option to “experience a new movie” ??

When I was in college, many people would claim (motivated by future job prospects) that pursuing a bachelor of science was a much better choice than its arts equivalent. There is lots of truth to it, but I would argue that (tangentially supported by this reflection) moving forward there will also be a growing need for soft, creative and ‘critical thinking’ skills enabling us to a) properly manage technology, and b) invent new patterns, new structures, and new ways of thinking about the world. Those skills will only become more valuable, especially as the barrier to use technology to pursue groundbreaking ideas continues to dwindle.

Lastly, for further reflection I recommend this article, describing a few examples of how conformity has spread across some aspects of our lives.

• I think those patterns indicate a relationship between the growing emphasis on data-driven decision-making and its, often unconscious, impact on our actions. And as I mentioned in some of my past posts, critically understanding the world around us might just enable us to make optimal decisions for ourselves ??

Miscellaneous

Personal

This month has revolved around three big themes a) lots of work that I really enjoy, b) dedicated time to reinvigorating old and developing new hobbies, and c) my parents’ and sister’s visit, as well as a few other in-person chats with friends.

• Interestingly, in those chats one question would repeatedly leave me speechless → “how was I doing?” And I mean it in a very positive way. Life keeps happening and I am simply enjoying it, just the way it happens… without overthinking it, without being impatient, without stressing about things I cannot control or do not have, and merely focusing on what’s in front of me and doing the best I can whatever the task at hand is (while prioritizing quality of effort over quantity).
• That state of mind reminds me of the times when, as a teenage boy back in Warsaw, I would be learning tennis under a cold (but so memorable ??) bubble. Practice duration was irrelevant, temperature did not matter, and schoolwork, social life or any worries occupying my mind always had to wait. It was all about the task at hand, about hitting that next shot, patiently improving my game, treating “both wins and losses just the same,” and spontaneously filling my face with a full smile. Said differently, I was “in the zone.” I bring that memory up because such a state is very hard to describe. It is something that one simply feels. With tennis it was easier, because the game had clear rules and the encompassing hustle was definitely tangible. Now it is different, as it is the overall environment shaped by a combination of activities that do not all (yet) manifest clearly established rules with concrete milestones to reach. But the “in the zone” feeling is very familiar, and I will continue to trust the process of enjoying life, as it “unwraps itself” ??

Song Recommendation

• “These days” by Foo Fighters -> this song matches what I described above perfectly. Certain experiences (the ones we strive for as well as the ones we don’t want) will happen “one of these days.” And the most beautiful thing is the uncertainty that we don’t know the exact time and place and even whether these experiences will ever occur. All a person can do in between “these days” is to truly listen to their instincts and keep following them. Because our bodies and souls, when fully isolated from the noisy world, magically know what is best for us ??