In today’s age, you get picked (and judged) by algorithms and your number of social media fans.
No matter your unique talent, it is the statistics that predetermine your success.
But the element of surprise is not over.
John Hammond discovered Billie Holiday, Bruce Springsteen, and Bob Dylan at the clubs. As a staunch contrarian, he looked for talent that offered a fresh and rebellious sound.
Meanwhile, the Goldman Sachs algorithmic machine incorrectly picked Germany to make the World Cup final.
Data or gut, predicting future success is impossible because everything thrives on chance.
Truth happens to an outcome.
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One response to “The gutless algorithm”
Talent is one element, while infrastructure is another. Would Bob Dylan be a nameless talent at a dive if no one discovered him? Would Dylan have pursued fame if it didn’t find him? Chance is certainly an interesting aspect of fame.