5 chapters across the catalog
The "Quantified Self" movement involves individuals using wearable technology and sensors to track every biological metric, from sleep quality to blood pressure. This trend, popularized by tech figures like Natalie Del Conte, aims to give users a sense of total control over their bodies through data.
The Rise and Fall of the Quantified Self Movement
The hosts reminisce about the "Quantified Self" and "Life Logging" fads from circa 2010, which were popularized at TED conferences. They link these early self-tracking trends to current government data mining efforts involving companies like Palantir and Peter Thiel. An anecdote about Austin artist Lori Frick and her data-based murals is included.
A guest at the dinner, involved in the "quantified self" movement, bet that Apple would release an iWatch by Christmas. The host expressed skepticism about the trend of tracking personal data and the influence of Ray Kurzweil's transhumanist philosophy.
Unabomber Manifesto, Quantified Self and Natalie Del Conte
The hosts recommend reading the Unabomber Manifesto as a critique of the technological trends seen in the "Quantified Self" movement and Google Glass. Natalie Del Conte is mentioned as an enthusiast of monitoring personal biological data through wearable sensors. This discussion links modern tech obsession with the broader transhumanist agenda.
The conversation at a social gathering turned to 23andMe, the genetic testing company founded by Anne Wojcicki (ex-wife of Google's Sergei Brin). The hosts critique the "quantified self" movement and the transhumanist agenda, mocking the idea that "it's just math" and that genetic data will allow people to live to 150. They view this obsession with personal health data as a distraction from political reality.
