I Joined the Social Sciences to Avoid Math

(Day 60) Firstly, I do not look forward to June, as it will become much more difficult to judge which day it is (since I started my writing). April was easy, date = day (April 1 = Day 1). May hasn't been too bad either, just add 30 to the date. June is mildly more tricky, it will take more than just the split second I have previously been alotting the task. In any event, that is my trouble to worry about.

I started my data analysis today, which was daunting to say the least. I opened up my first document only to be presented with a short paragraph from one of my sites, and the task of finding themes (for the thesis) from its content. This anxiety was soon alleviated with the nearly 60 page document that followed. Needless to say it was much easier to pick out themes from the larger document. One theme that immediately stuck out was instances where either site developers think we (the users) are mentally deficient or people do in fact ask the dumbest questions. I highly doubt the 'F' (Frequently) in the FAQ acronym in many cases.

Something else I learned today: privacy policies are totally bogus. Some sites or programs at least make you agree to the privacy policy before continuing on (not that anyone ever reads them, but it is nice that they pretend that we do). On the sites in my sample however, there is no such request. As I discovered today, I apparently accepted the terms of the policy simply by being on the site. It sort of seems like an old TV gag, where the person of authority rambles quickly on about rights and obligations, ending the 200 words/minute speech with a, "If you agree, say 'huh?'" To which the dupe inevitable replies, "Huh?" negating all of his rights and inheriting many new obligations. Interim thesis conclusion: People are dupes who ask dumb questions, for greater detail see: bad TV sitcoms. But really, who am I to call people dupes or dumb question askers, I am complaining about having to add 61 to the date. That is the type of contradiction that belongs in only one place...academe.

Another slide from the collective imagery of the GWW and the 'if corporate execs read my thesis would they care' song of the day: Don't Get the Music Worried - Tricky Woo