Letters from the Future

Letters from the Future - I

Letters from the future. Many of us wonder what can be achieved with big data, which combines multiple data bases and machine learning. This is the first of a series of letters maybe not sent yet but soon will flood the world. We are suggesting what can be done right now, like today.

Dear Ms Enyone,

We thank you for completing our online survey on wellness and happiness in your situation. Thank you for sending us your email address. We have determined that you are more overweight than you desire and that your happiness coefficient is 58, placing you just in the sub-happy category. We have also accessed your medical records and note your blood pressure is slightly elevated. We have also noticed you watch many “how-to-diet” TV programs. Importantly, we have determined your credit score is outstanding, currently at 790.

Therefore, in conjunction with our co-business partners Nile.biz and Slimmer-Trimmer.biz, we have enrolled you in the Slimmer-Trimmer weight-loss system. Shortly a one month diet program of food goods will be delivered to your door, with the charge of $169.99 to be charged to your Nile.biz account, payable in three easy payments. Shipping is free! Congratulations. You now begin your journey to happiness and weight-loss!

We trust you will continue to answer our surveys*. Expecting your happiness score to improve substantially in the weeks ahead.

Yours sincerely in good health,
American Progressive Surveys
AmPrSu.com

*We at AmPrSu share your data with no organization outside our umbrella of partners. So, your information is always safe with us.

Post Script Note. Of course legally, Ms Enyone can refuse this charge, but how many anyone's might do so? On the blood pressure matter, it is a fact that most people of certain age group do have slightly elevated blood pressure. So, no hack is really required. Just good guessing. At least one manufacturer has monitored (Vizio, now fined by the FTC) every show you watch for sale to advertisers. Credit scores are easy to get. Moral: be careful about taking these online surveys and to whom you give credit card numbers. BTW, one company I order music from has sent me letters thanking me for orders I did not make! I refused quickly.

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Having no claws does not make you good.

Behavioral Science and Problem-Solving

I. I. Introduction. Concerning our general behavior, it’s high about time we all had some understanding of how we operate on ourselves, and it is just as important how we are operated on by others. This is the wheelhouse of behavioral sciences. It is a vast subject. It touches our lives constantly. It’s influence is pervasive and can be so subtle we never notice it. Behavioral sciences profoundly affect our ability and success at problem-solving, from the elementary level to highly complex wicked problems. This is discussed in Section IV. We begin with the basics of behavioral sciences, Section II, and then through the lens of multiple categories and examples, Section III. II. ...

UNCERTAINTY IS CERTAIN

Uncertainty is Certain G. Donald Allen 12/12/2024 1. Introduction . This short essay is about uncertainty in people from both secular and nonsecular viewpoints. One point that will emerge is that randomly based uncertainty can be a driver for religious structure. Many groups facing uncertainty about their future are deeply religious or rely on faith as a source of comfort, resilience, and guidance. The intersection of uncertainty and religiosity often stems from the human need to find meaning, hope, and stability in the face of unpredictable or challenging circumstances. We first take up the connections of uncertainty to religion for the first real profession, farming, noting that hunting has many similar uncertainties. Below are groups that commonly lean on religious beliefs amidst uncertainty. This short essay is a follow-up to a previous piece on certainty (https://used-ideas.blogspot.com/2024/12/certainty-is-also-emotion.html). U...

Mediocrity

Once of the worst things that can happen to a young person is to be told their mediocre performance is good. For me, I was told the opposite, that my efforts would end me in failure. That was a spur that dug in deep. I would prove him wrong. And I did. Do not praise mediocrity, no matter how much it makes you feel good or your target.

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