Ep 6. Gary Wolf: The Quantified Self

Gary Wolf, a journalist and editor, speaks about the "Quantified Self" movement in this episode of TEDTalks: Rad Invention. Wolf explains that the movement is all about using technology to track one's behavior in order to better understand oneself and improve the quality of one's life.

Wolf originally became interested in this idea when he and some friends tried to track how much they were drinking. He found that there was no technology available at the time to help him achieve this goal, but he quickly realized that the idea of tracking one's behavior could be applied to many different areas of life.

Wolf explains that there are now many different devices on the market that people can use to track various aspects of their lives, such as their sleep patterns, their heart rate, their nutrition, and more. He argues that these devices can not only help people better understand themselves, but also help them make positive changes in their lives.

One interesting example that Wolf discusses is the use of a device called the "Up" band, which tracks how much a person is moving throughout the day. The device can also track how much sleep the person is getting and how deep their sleep is. Wolf notes that many people who use this type of device have found that they need to make changes to their sleeping habits in order to get a better night's rest.

Another area that Wolf explores is the use of technology to track one's mental health. He notes that there are now apps and devices that can help people monitor their moods and track how they are feeling throughout the day. This type of tracking can help people better understand what triggers their moods and can help them make changes to their behavior to improve their mental health.

Wolf discusses some of the criticisms of the "Quantified Self" movement, such as concerns about privacy and the potential for people to become obsessed with tracking every aspect of their lives. He argues that these concerns are valid, but that they should not overshadow the potential benefits of using technology to better understand oneself.

Overall, Wolf's talk is a fascinating exploration of how technology is changing the way we think about ourselves and our behavior. He presents a compelling argument for why the "Quantified Self" movement is important and how it can help people make positive changes in their lives.