Fate awaits us

Because capitalism is based on numerology rather than poetry, it tries to make sense of the world with binary logic.

Which sounds incredibly sensible and altogether reasonable. You look at the numbers and percentages and predict accordingly. You sift through the data sets and forecast the future.

But it’s a fallacy. As soon as you apply a dash of logic to the logic it crumbles and falls apart. Looking at past numbers to predict the future is like driving a car by looking at the rearview mirror rather than through the windscreen.

Looking at the rearview mirror is great for reversing. But when you’re rushing forward, it’s an excellent way to crash and kill you and any passengers in the car. And anyone else on the road.

Looking at data is a great history lesson. By definition, history is the past. Not the future.

Be mindful that if you’re hiring a data analyst, you’re hiring a historian.

History doesn’t repeat itself. It cannot.

That’s why tomorrow is not today.

Or yesterday.