The Quantified Self

Whether it’s the number of calories or steps, blood or mood levels: Latest gadgets like fitness wristbands and their apps measure our daily behavior precisely—our digital footprint reveals more than some of us might think. But what does it mean when numbers are said to describe us better than we could describe ourselves? The young scientist Vivien Suchert shows in a substantiated and entertaining way what the constant measuring of our bodies and our lives is doing to us.

Nowadays, humans can be measured to an extent that never existed before: Millions of people analyze their life in minute detail according to the motto »self-knowledge by numbers«. But how far can our reality even be portrayed with zeros and ones and how positive and useful is this development for our society? Because whether it’s voluntary or unknowingly—we leave behind a great amount of data about ourselves on the internet everyday, reveal our consumer behavior, political preferences or our exercise and sleeping habits. Psychologist Vivien Suchert traces the trend of self-measuring—as a critical scientist and technologically adept exercise enthusiast.