Quantified Self and Biohacking #edcmooc

 Leonardo da Vinci: The Proportions of the Human Figure (Vitruvian Manek) (1490; Pen, ink and watercolour over metalpoint)

The topic of ”Quantified self and biohacking" is of relevance from the point of view of digital culture, and probably also from the angle of future e-learning potential. Paradoxically there is simultaneously something extremely appealing in this approach, and something that gives you shivers.

Well what is this phenomenon then all about? As far as I understand it, quantified self is all about deepened self-knowledge through numbers. Biohacking contains the means and instruments utilized for acquiring information about physical states. Practical and well-known measurement instruments are for example pedometers and heart-rate monitors. The array of various tools to measure what happens inside is expanding rapidly. Applications that help to analyze measurement results are available and can be utilized to define actions to be done based upon measurement results received.

What is new in new measurement possibilities is the potential of gathering deep going information in real time and continuously about human physical states. The measurements combine mind and body. Everyday actions and their physical counterparts can be observed simultaneously. Bodily information in various situations becomes visible. (Ruckenstein, 2012)

The shivers part of this short comment is related potential outcomes of expanding self-control in a narcissistic individual focused culture. A god-like belief in our ability to monitor and manipulate our own existence and experiences contains risk factors. These obviously exist both on individual and on social level. An easy to see individual level risk is addiction. Our life may turn out to monitoring it through intelligent gadgets. In this process we may forget to live.


Sources

Quantified self & biohacking Finland. Main event Nov. 5, 2013.
http://quantifiedself.fi/2013/10/28/quantified-self-biohacking-finland-main-event-5-11/
 
Ruckenstein, M. (2012). Mittarein kuvattu elämä: arjen analytiikasta biopoliittisiin pyrkimyksiin. Kuluttajatutkimuskeskuksen vuosikirja. http://www.ncrc.fi/files/5706/07_mittarein_kuvattu_elama_vuosikirja2012.pdf (Nov 6, 2013)