More numbers every day : how data, stats, and figures control our lives and how to set ourselves free / Micael Dahlen, Helge Thorbjørnsen ; translated by Paul Norlen.
"Originally published in Sweden as Sifferdjur by Volante in 2021." Includes bibliographical references and index.
Contents:
The History of Numbers -- Numbers and the Body -- Numbers and Self-Image -- Numbers and Performance -- Numbers and Experiences -- Numbers and Relationships -- Numbers as Currency -- Numbers and the Truth -- Numbers and Society -- Numbers and You.
Summary:
"How many unread emails are there in your inbox? How many hours of sleep did you get last week? How many steps did you walk today? We're drowning in digits and immersed in integers, and More Numbers Every Day, by internationally renowned economics professors Micael Dahlen and Helge Thorbjørnsen is a timely and powerful investigation - and warning - about the trouble numbers can bring us. Today we all strive to quantify everything: calories, likes, website traffic, and even friends. And then we rate things, too: movies, restaurants, taxi drivers, experiences, professors, and dates. We measure ourselves against others and compare our real experiences to imagined averages. But in our rush to measure, we can lose sight of what matters. In this delightful and alarming book, Dahlen and Thorbjørnsen show how we're exposed and infected by an ever-more contagious pandemic of numbers. With groundbreaking, empowering, sometimes frightening, and sometimes funny research, they help us see how numbers creep into our heads and bodies, affecting how we think and feel. When do numbers make us stronger and when do they make us weaker? When do they mislead us? And when do they turn us into narcissistic idiots? Look at the book as your numerical vaccination, for a happier and more numerically healthy life"-- Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.