First published 2014
Christian Rudder turns big data into a mirror for human nature. The OkCupid co-founder abandons traditional polling and lab studies to examine how people actually behave when they think no one is watching. Rudder demonstrates how Facebook likes predict sexual orientation and intelligence levels with startling precision. He reveals that attractive women get far more job interview requests and explains why having enemies makes you desirable. Through Google searches, he tracks the evolution of America's most offensive language. Twitter becomes his laboratory for studying collective anger. He answers unexpected questions about regional bathing habits and racial attitudes toward folk music. His analysis extends beyond individual behavior to map human migration patterns from small towns to major cities worldwide. Rudder confronts the tension between these revelations and personal privacy. His approach transforms abstract numbers into human stories, showing readers who they really are through the digital breadcrumbs they leave behind.
Genres: psychology, social-science, non-fiction
Vibes: informative, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: data-driven-narrative, social-commentary
Setting: America, OkCupid
Period: 21st-century
304 pages · Hardcover · Crown