Lifelogging

What in Bast’s name is lifelogging? Is it related to logrolling or weblogging or video blogging? No, yes (it can be), and yes.

Wikipedia tells me that it’s a personal record of one's daily life in a varying amount of detail, for a variety of purposes.

The record contains a comprehensive dataset of a human's activities. The data could be used to increase knowledge about how people live their live. In recent years, some lifelog data has been automatically captured by wearable technology or mobile devices.

Am I a lifelogger? I suppose to a meager extent I am. After all, I often record details of my adventures, struggles, and general thoughts right here on this very blog.

I do keep a daily somewhat detailed record of how much I exercise. Why? To give myself credit for work done. I’m prone to thinking that I’m never doing anywhere near enough. The log shows me that I am (how far did I elliptical or walk and how many reps of PT exercises I’ve accomplished) OR that I need to get off my ass and move.

 I used to keep an account of my food and drink intake. I did this in order to have an accurate record of how I was doing in my effort to get my food and alcohol consumption under control. When consistent healthier intake levels became a habit, the norm, I stopped.

Beyond that, no—I wouldn’t consider myself a true, full-blown lifelogger. I’m certainly not in the same galaxy as:

Robert Shields, who recorded 24 years of his life, practically minute to minute, from 1972 to 1996. Yes, this included going to the can (and the details of all that), how many ounces of Campbell’s soup he prepped and consumed, the act of typing his diary, and more minutia.

Steve Mann who’s been designing, building, and wearing some form or another of wearable computing system (i.e., smartwatches, fitness trackers, web-enabled glasses, etc.) for more than 35 years.

Jennifer Ringley who, in 1996, set up a webcam in her college dorm room, It took pics every five minutes 24/7, no matter what she was doing. She shut down the "Jennicam" on New Year’s Day 2004.

 There are and have been others. Are the folks like Shields, Mann, and Ringley responsible for the onslaught of execrable reality teevee? Would we have Big Brother, Keeping Up with the Kardashians or Stars on Mars without them? What about The Truman Show?

He doesn't know it, but everything in Truman Burbank's (Jim Carrey) life is part of a massive TV set. Executive producer Christof (Ed Harris) orchestrates "The Truman Show," a live broadcast of Truman's every move captured by hidden cameras. Cristof tries to control Truman's mind, even removing his true love, Sylvia (Natascha McElhone), from the show and replacing her with Meryl (Laura Linney). As Truman gradually discovers the truth, however, he must decide whether to act on it. (source)

I loved that movie.

I couldn’t (ever, never) say the same thing about reality teevee shows. Those are nothing but cheap-ass bucko making machines by the money guys. They can hire fewer, less experienced writers, create no-frills sets, and feature "real people”—i.e., untalented or otherwise unemployable actors, washed up personalities (hello Sarah Palin!), Hollywood hopefuls looking for a break and complete freaks. People who will work for less dough.

Nope. If I want to spend even a minute of my life with  egomaniacal narcissists, I can read the news reports of the incoming Musk/Trump co-presidency.