Exploring Modern Liberalism and Data-driven Identity

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The chapter examines how modern liberalism intersects with the digital age, showcasing the contrast between individual autonomy and corporate data profiling. It dives into the challenges and benefits of personalized data use by companies like Amazon, as well as the evolving landscape of data privacy and user validation. The discussion also navigates through the historical roots of computing, internet development, and the pitfalls of projecting futuristic expectations onto new technologies.

We claim to love all of our children, friends, and students equally. But perhaps deep down you assign a ranking to them, from favorite to not-so-favorite. Ranking and quantifying people is an irresistible human tendency, and modern technology has made it ubiquitous. In this episode I talk with sociologist Kieran Healy, who has co-authored (with Marion Fourcade) the new book The Ordinal Society, about how our lives are measured and processed by the technological ecosystem around us. We discuss how this has changed how relate to ourselves and the wider world.

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Blog post with transcript: https://www.preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/2024/06/10/278-kieran-healy-on-the-technology-of-ranking-people/

Kieran Healy received his Ph.D. in sociology from Princeton University. He is currently a professor of sociology at Duke University, and a member of the Kenan Institute for Ethics. As an undergraduate at University College Cork he won the Irish Times National Debating competition. He has a longstanding interest in data visualization.

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