What’s In A Formula?

I was watching an episode (Sacrifice) of “Numb3rs” last night (or was it early this morning) that got me thinking. From a non-conformist’s point-of-view, a scenario which allows a “simple” mathematical formula to calculate the probability of anyone’s success in life seems a little too omnipotent in my book. While I firmly believe that science provides immense benefits to our daily lives, I also choose to question anything that requires absolute belief with little to no tangible proof. Sure there are people out there who have such blind faith. Unfortunately, I’m not such a person. I’m probably one of those walking dichotomies that just likes to frustrate the norm, though it’s not purposeful. I think that it probably has much to do with my upbringing as a multi-ethnic with a view of multiple worlds. Science and spirit walk hand-in-hand here.

The sad reality is that there are many who don’t see the world in the same way. I’m sure you’ve noticed that there are many entities out there trying to distill us into concentrate form. Boil us down to numbers. Calculate our most probable actions from observed actions or reactions. Build a profile that slots comfortably into a cubbyhole. Heck, at the rate that this seems to be progressing, we’re all going to end up looking like PacMan getting gobbled up by those who control these formulas. This is a world that’s uncomfortable to a non-conformist, because I choose to believe that I’m bigger than the sums of my parts. I am not going to become a dot, because that is something that comes at the end of a sentence. My sentence is far from complete.

Establishing the existence of trends is something that we all inherently do to create order. Most people don’t consciously choose to stick out like a “sore thumb”. There’s a bit of comfort in anonymity. It’s why the Net exists in its current state. The Net gives us a way to create an outer persona that we would never try in real life for fear of the consequences. It gives us a wide personal space in which to play. It also gives us a courage that we lack in the face of opposition.There is a lot to be said for anything that allows the truest expression of freedom of speech. We see both the good and the bad sides of this right that we all share. And hopefully, we learn a little and grow because of it. Anyone who chooses to change because of something they learned can’t be distilled into a simple calculation because that variable couldn’t have been foretold.

In essence, the Net’s actions seems to negate the success of such formulas that attempt to corral us. If anything, it should deter those who try, simply because many of us must resemble those unruly cattle that you see herders go after. Sure you’ll get a big clump of people whose digital (and real world) persona reflect realistic actions, but those stragglers will always drive you insane! And those stragglers have a way of influencing the norm’s reactions. There’s something special, something not quantifiable, in life. Life springs up in the most improbable of places, and challenges us to do the same.

The fact that any science, faith, or whatever you believe in, is trying to turn carbon copy profiles into behavioral models only goes to show that we’re concentrating too much on the details and forgetting that intangible essence that evades long-term captivity. The unique won’t be duplicated in its entirety. And any carbon copy is simply a cheap imitation.