Felix Gonzalez-Torres “Untitled” (Perfect Lovers) 1991 — Future Tattoo

Data Humanism: Respecting our Datapoints

Michelle Cedeno
Nov 3 · 4 min read

In class we are discussing data and the different forms, meaning, and the importance it can take. Questions of ownership and personalization arise within the increasing collection of data within society. They include:

Who is using your data?

Who has access to your data?

To what level of autonomy do we as users as citizens have on our data?

Data humanism is an emerging field reframing these discussions.

Data humanism is the ability to associate data with people who generate them and with their behaviors and habits. This looks at data as a narrative element. Thus, in order for data and emerging technologies to be influential for society a humanist perspective on organizational and societal levels is crucial to consider and implement change.

Our mission was to think about:

“How does our attitude towards data change if we see it as the result of a relationship rather than an end in itself?” Imagine you were to start collecting data about yourself over the next ten years (2020–2030) to store in a time capsule. What data would you collect and why?”

Metropolis: Humans a slave to time

I have never before thought of being a quantified self. However, within today’s society being quantified is becoming the norm. With the cultural phenomenon of self-tracking technology and a growing interest in self-knowledge through numbers, it seems inescapable.

To me, data humanism can be a great self-practice. The idea overlaps with the practice of lifelogging. Many of these trends aim to improve physical, mental, and/or emotional health and performance and I would like to do just that.

My life seems very uncertain at the moment. I have many future prospects that are both exciting and chilling. The next ten years seem transformative and transient and I would like to use my data as a way to self reflect on my growth as a person in both confidence, habits, morality, decisions.

I have dreams of starting a family, forming lasting relationships yet I also want to advance in my career, get a Ph.D., and establish a comfortable life. These things seem at odds, but through data humanism, I hope to better learn about myself.

I would want to quantify my

Journal entries- ever since I was a child I wrote short snippets about my day and I would draw. I would love to collect these and see how my everyday thoughts reflect who I am, who I was, and who I am still becoming.

Relationships- I hold my friendships dearly and make a point to make lasting connections with people. But with this I know relationships come and go, prosper and fade at different points of time. You outgrow them but they still give you growth and meaning. I would love to reflect and collect the people of who have become important throughout the next coming decade.

Movies watched- I love movies, I collect movies, and they help me understand what I am going through. Marking the movies I watched will be good

Music Playlist -music has gotten me through so much would love to see what trends a hot hit song or a playlist I make has on my life. Would love to see a correlation with my mental state.

Screenplays written — I like to write a lot of fiction that comments on society. Would love to collect these microfiction thoughts and make a story unfold.

and many more…

Books read

Museums visited

Countries Visited

E-Conversation with penpals/ friends

Evolving fashion

But with this data and with the time I also want to respect the data I have collected. I think measuring time is a beautiful way to learn about ourselves and track the time we have gone through. With that is a lot of power great way A way to reflect and generate meaning for our limited time on earth.

Felix Gonzales Torres on time and art
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