The Score

Not the imagined mass-market reader, but I found this an interesting (if winding) through-line, clearly set out, by a likeable writer. Diagnosis stronger than the prescription; particularly good on the trade-offs between trust and transparency, and the more speculative later material on infrastructures of art and play. Might have benefited from more on valuation, and how different values get produced? The two endings worked for me, but others might see the juxtaposition of the cynical and hopeful readings as a failure of nerve. Lots on recipes, yoga, and the pleasures of yoyoing, all from a first-person perspective, which I didn't expect, going in.

This book is an insightful philosophical examination of metrics across society and the significant trade offs that come with relying on them. Nguyen is clearly extremely negatively inclined towards metrics, but despite that he shows a mostly even hand weighing their benefits around coordination and standardization. This does have to be read as a philosophical work, however, not a scientific one, since none of his logical claims are backed by empirical work that he cites. Some of it is named in external research, but I would have loved for him to bring it all in one place. The focus on games as a lens to understand the power of metrics is extremely enjoyable, especially if you know the games he's talking about. Highly recommend