How Metrics Make Us Miserable

The discussion centers on how metrics and scoring systems impact our lives, often leading to "value capture," where simplified measures overshadow richer, more nuanced values. Philosopher C. Thi Nguyen, author of "The Score," argues that while metrics can be useful for compressing information and coordinating action, they become dangerous when they eclipse intrinsic values. Nguyen uses examples like rock climbing and philosophy to illustrate how an initial love for an activity can be undermined by an obsession with external rankings and scores. The conversation explores how metrics can distort personal values, such as prioritizing heart rate variability over meaningful social interactions, and how easily measurable outcomes can overshadow less quantifiable but equally important aspects of life, like joy and tradition. Ultimately, the podcast emphasizes the importance of actively choosing the "games" we play and guarding against the authoritarian imposition of external metrics.