So much data had accumulated, he argued, and computers were already so much better than us at finding relationships within it, that our theories were being exposed for what they were – oversimplifications of reality.

Are we witnessing the dawn of post-theory science?

As video conferences give an increased importance to the faces of the participants while hiding the rest of their body, measuring how individuals perceive the social traits of these faces is central to the impression formation.

Impression Formation From Video Conference Screenshots: The Role of Gaze, Camera Distance, and Angle

These are the kinds of relationships — fleeting but indicative of significant eras in life — whose memories older generations may have kept neatly enclosed in picture albums as they, quite separately, moved on to different stages of life.

Nostalgia for Nostalgia

The most important variable was the stories people told and the emotions they suddenly stumbled upon. And that was the only thing you couldn’t measure and couldn’t predict with foresight. That’s why the results don’t compute.

Does Not Compute