NNO Book Club: Weapons of Math Destruction

This is the in-person event. There is also an online version of this event scheduled for 7:30 pm this same date.
We are a “nerd” book club which means we do sometimes read non-fiction. This one was a member suggestion. While this book was published in 2016, I am not sure any of the issues or concerns about “Big Data” have gotten much better. This month we are reading “Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy” by Cathy O'Neil. Let’s learn some stuff and eat some great food!
***Book summary from Goodreads***
We live in the age of the algorithm. Increasingly, the decisions that affect our lives--where we go to school, whether we can get a job or a loan, how much we pay for health insurance--are being made not by humans, but by machines. In theory, this should lead to greater fairness: Everyone is judged according to the same rules.
But as mathematician and data scientist Cathy O'Neil reveals, the mathematical models being used today are unregulated and uncontestable, even when they're wrong. Most troubling, they reinforce discrimination--propping up the lucky, punishing the downtrodden, and undermining our democracy in the process.
***This month's restaurant selection***
I am normally suspicious of restaurants that seem to offer too many different cuisines but I promise, Liang’s does their brand of Asian fusion really well. They also have veggie and gluten free options.
***Not sure about book club or never been to one before? ***
Read the book (or some of the book). Come to the Meetup. Eat yummy food and chat with folks about what you thought about the book. REPEAT!
***Not sure where to get the book? ***
All books we select have a decent number of copies (at least 3-4 across all formats) at both the Hillsborough and Pinellas County Library. And, of course, you can always buy a copy.
***Didn’t finish/hated this book?***
Come to the Meetup anyway! If you didn't finish - just be aware, there will be spoilers. If you hated it, come and rant! In my experience, the books that generate the best conversations and the books we really love are rarely the same books.