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jdintr's review against another edition
4.0
Working at an online dating site like OkCupid, one might expect Christian Rudder to be something of a "love guru." He's a guru, all right, but it's in his crunching of the data behind his site and others that he reveals fascinating insights into the factors that go into those most subjective of human activities: love and attraction.
Reading this book, I would estimate that I had an "ah ha" moment about every five pages. Do you want to know if you & your spouse are compatible? Check the overlap on your Facebook friends. Which races of people are attractive across a broad spectrum and which ones aren't? How many people in America actually are homosexual or bisexual? The data reveal fascinating answers that couldn't be collected any other way.
And that's not the most prosaic of the information that Rudder reveals. What words are Asian men (or women) most/least likely to use to describe themselves? (This was probably the most hilarious section of the book.) Do women with lower attractiveness ratings really get fewer messages from suitors?
OkCupid isn't Rudder's only source of data. He includes statistics from Google Books, Twitter, and other online dating sites. He's after a peek behind the curtain of attractiveness that we present to the world. What he finds there isn't scary or embarrassing, it's...well, normal.
Despite being a number-cruncher, Rudder also has a deft hand with a phrase or an observation. On language, he writes, "Realize this: if anything, today is writing's Cambrian explosion, not its mass extinction."
This is a well-written book, but what you'll appreciate most is how well thought out it is. Whether you're single, married, or swearing off relationships forever, Rudder's "Dataclysm" has insights you will enjoy.
Reading this book, I would estimate that I had an "ah ha" moment about every five pages. Do you want to know if you & your spouse are compatible? Check the overlap on your Facebook friends. Which races of people are attractive across a broad spectrum and which ones aren't? How many people in America actually are homosexual or bisexual? The data reveal fascinating answers that couldn't be collected any other way.
And that's not the most prosaic of the information that Rudder reveals. What words are Asian men (or women) most/least likely to use to describe themselves? (This was probably the most hilarious section of the book.) Do women with lower attractiveness ratings really get fewer messages from suitors?
OkCupid isn't Rudder's only source of data. He includes statistics from Google Books, Twitter, and other online dating sites. He's after a peek behind the curtain of attractiveness that we present to the world. What he finds there isn't scary or embarrassing, it's...well, normal.
Despite being a number-cruncher, Rudder also has a deft hand with a phrase or an observation. On language, he writes, "Realize this: if anything, today is writing's Cambrian explosion, not its mass extinction."
This is a well-written book, but what you'll appreciate most is how well thought out it is. Whether you're single, married, or swearing off relationships forever, Rudder's "Dataclysm" has insights you will enjoy.
radbear76's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting look at how data can be used but doesn’t hype up the risk to individual rights or claim it will solve all problems.
kerrygibbons's review against another edition
4.0
Pretty darn good book. Very interesting look at Big Data.
melledotca's review against another edition
4.0
Not quite as much fun as the old OKCupid blog post data stunts, but a really interesting read. Will definitely need updates over time.
hisuin's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 estrellas.
Análisis interesante de la gente gracias a los nuevos datos que se pueden adquirir del uso de internet y redes sociales varias. Empieza muy bien, pero me parece que va perdiendo fuelle con el paso de los capítulos.
El análisis y tratamiento de los datos está dirigido a todos los públicos, en un estilo directo y sencillo.
Análisis interesante de la gente gracias a los nuevos datos que se pueden adquirir del uso de internet y redes sociales varias. Empieza muy bien, pero me parece que va perdiendo fuelle con el paso de los capítulos.
El análisis y tratamiento de los datos está dirigido a todos los públicos, en un estilo directo y sencillo.
amn028's review against another edition
3.0
It's an interesting read but I don't feel like I learned anything new or earth shattering. It's a good reminder though that the internet and big business are connected, and nothing you do on any type of social media is private or anonymous.
helpfulsnowman's review against another edition
3.0
I'm an idiot. Because I listened to an audiobook version of a book with a lot of charts and visuals. Not my finest moment. Not my finest several hours.
What I like about this book is that it's based on data that's not collected by people putting up fronts or creating a persona. Shit's real.
My favorite piece of data was that, relative to other identities, black men talk very little online about Social Distortion. This is definitely a stereotype that should gain some momentum.
What I like about this book is that it's based on data that's not collected by people putting up fronts or creating a persona. Shit's real.
My favorite piece of data was that, relative to other identities, black men talk very little online about Social Distortion. This is definitely a stereotype that should gain some momentum.
iguessthisisme's review against another edition
4.0
Mostly a rehash of the oktrends blog. But the oktrends blog was incredible, so I'm not complaining.