21 January 2014

I Know All About You Because I Have an Algorithm.

Ever shop for a widget on the internet, decide not to buy one and go on with your day?  That's right.  You can't go on with your day without the widget haunting you in the sidebars of every. website. you visit after that.  And purchasing a widget doesn't make the ads go away.  The advertisers just figure hey, she bought one widget.  Maybe she needs 20 more!  Which is weird if the widget you just shopped for and bought was a clothes washer. 

But that doesn't scare me so much.  What will scare me is the day when they already know what I want before I do.  Have you read that that day is coming?  Using secret technology and/or the art of wizardry, Amazon will ship your packages before you order them soon.

My dear Amazon, I love you, but I just don't want you to get to know me that well.  I want to at least pretend that I have free will and am not so simple-minded that you can figure me out because you know my ZIP code, my credit score, and my browsing history.

Let's add to the creepiness. TIME Magazine has a personality quiz that can guess your political leanings.  Will you go take it before reading on?  I really really would be interested to see if the robots at TIME can figure you out.  It just takes a minute. Because apparently they already know all about me.

Ok, here are my results.   I'm conservative.  TIME figured this out because: 
  • You like dogs more than cats
  • You think kids should respect authority
  • You like a neat desk
  • You think self-control trumps self-expression
  • You're not wild about fusion cuisine
  • You think the government should treat the lives of its citizens as much more valuable than those of other countries
  • You don't think your partner should be looking at porn alone
  • You think the world benefits from nations and borders
  • You prefer Times Square to the Met
  • You're proud of your country's history
Um, I don't think my "partner" should be looking at porn, period.  But who knew that liking dogs more than cats makes a person "conservative?"  What's weird are the things they thought were "liberal" about me.  Ready?
  • You prefer documentaries over action movies
  • You use a modern browser
Okay, let's hear what you think about what the machines think.  :)

4 comments:

  1. My quiz won't load because my Internet is stupid slow lately. So, I like chickens more than dogs or cats, I think my kids need to have a healthy respect for authority but they should give unquestioned allegiance to no one. My desk is not neat, but I wish it were. I do not believe self expression and creativity are the opposite of self control. I am not sure what fusion cuisine is. I don't think anyone should look at porn. Why would I support an industry that supports the enslavement of other humans? It is vile. I prefer my own back yard to either Time Square or the Met. I am proud of our country's history when it was being noble and good. I am ashamed of it when it was not. All human life is valuable as we are all image bearers of God no matter what are geographic location...

    That means I am a Libertarian. :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, the questions were incredibly simplistic. Of course all life has equal value, but I don't think it should insofaras how our government should view it in terms of immigration and military decisions. An illegal immigrant ought NOT have the same rights as a citizen. And so on. Or the desk one. I like a neat desk and value it, but if you've looked at my desk lately you'd think I were a hoarder. How do they get "conservative" or "liberal" based on your favourite pet? I think "Chicken" would send you into the "conservative" camp actually. Just because.

      Delete
  2. I am 90% Conservative because:
    You like dogs more than cats
    You think kids should respect authority
    You like a neat desk
    You think self-control trumps self-expression
    You're not wild about fusion cuisine
    You think the government should treat the lives of its citizens as much more valuable than those of other countries
    You don't think your partner should be looking at porn alone
    You think the world benefits from nations and borders
    You're proud of your country's history

    And 10% Liberal because:
    You prefer documentaries over action movies
    You use a modern browser
    You prefer the Met to Times Square

    I don't know about the reasons, but I would agree with the end result. I'm probably about 90% Conservative.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How strange is that, though?? I wonder if liberals think it's ok for their "partner" (eesh) to look at porn alone and love "fusion cuisine." I can't imagine so...

      Delete

Non-troll comments always welcome! :)

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