It makes our society even more results-driven and number-driven than I would like it to be.
I do understand what you are saying and I actually have much the same view, but will play devil's advocate a little more.
Perhaps this is a good thing as it puts the numbers on the surface, instead of hidden away. The numbers of our lives are there, especially digitally. The large handful of data gatherers have digital avatars created for all of us, and they use those numbers - while we don't even know they exist.
I will listen to my body and look in the mirror, and that will have to do :)
Yes, then there will be the jobs, the kids, the pressures, the whatevers that arise - and before you know it, you look in the mirror and not like what you see, lose confidence in who you are perhaps.
We are already gamified, most of just don't pay attention to the metrics that matter, even to ourselves. Regardless of whether we track them or not, they tick along, or don't.
Interesting take on it. But what's the merit of knowing? Of course i'm not talking about preventive screenings for cancer or anything like that. People should have themselves screened preventively, even if they don't feel sick or unhealthy. But a young man like me, 26 years old and in good shape, why would I care about my heartrate or daily steps?
And that's perhaps the thing about our society today. We put way too much emphasis on the ticking, when we perhaps are better off without that clock in the first place. Of course you can call it ignorant, and I would agree, but I really feel sometimes ignorance is bliss. Especially when we're talking about trivial things like daily life.
Interesting topic to discuss. Good article Taraz!
Most people don't know about economics and finance either, how is that working out? The problem is, knowledge is power as it affects behavior, and when only a small fraction have the knowledge, they can affect the behavior of the masses.
Not necessarily. Not knowing doesn't mean one isn't influenced by something and when one knows that they are affected but don't know what is affecting them - that is a suffering. Again with the economy, people suffer not having enough and blame all kinds of things, yet - they don't actually know, if they did - they would change their behavior.
I see "knowing" as more than knowledge in the head, it is practical.