Reading Data for Life by Professor Schull reminded me of a conversation that I had with her during my undergraduate years. She brought up this idea of a “digital doppelgänger” where the technologies that we engage with create a self that is represented by numerous data points and information. As one of the most intimate technologies to us, wearable technologies are capable of turning every organ and part of our body into measurements of our well-being. Schull also mentioned that at one point, we become the choices we make, which offers an interesting perspective to evaluate the role of wearables in our lives. As characterized by Deleuze, our bodies are now subject to continuous and seamless monitoring, modulation, and correction. This made me think about some of the health choices and diet plans I have participated in; were they my own conscious decision or were they driven by social perceptions and data?
I also thought about when wearables started becoming an active force in our decision-making. Being an avid user of Apple watch, I get motivated to work out, stand, and walk around because I want to see those rings being closed. When I sit for too long or enter a loud environment, my watch would tell me to stand up or walk away. But in my memory, I couldn’t really pinpoint a time when these things start to matter to me. Remember when watches were just watches? I think that the collection and visualization of user data played a big role in this evolution. Suddenly, we start to realize that there are so many aspects about us that can be quantified and presented in a way that would conform us into a lifestyle that is considered healthy or normal. Of course, this is not to say that data collection and wearables are pure detriments to our individuality.
