"THE unexamined life is not worth living," Socrates said at his trial in 399 BC. The philosopher, dubbed "the gadfly of Athens", had made himself unpopular with his fellow citizens by questioning what he saw as their unthinking pursuit of power and pleasure. Socrates had grand issues of morality, justice and democracy in mind as he spoke, but over the millennia his words have been interpreted as a more general plea to consider carefully the choices we make.
In recent years, technological advances have enabled us to examine our lives in minute detail. Lifelogging – the recording of our every step and second – has evolved from the preserve of obsessives to a pursuit for enthusiasts. Soon it will be a pastime open to anyone: even our dogs (see "Lifelogging: This is your life, on the record").
So far, our ability to capture every moment has outstripped our ability to categorise and assess the data, and applications have been restricted to tracking diet and exercise. But sophisticated new tools are on the way. The ability to sort memories by mood, for example, could help us analyse past experiences in order to lead more fulfilled lives.
That's the idea, anyway. But many will dismiss lifelogging as navel-gazing or control freakery. Socrates's peers were unimpressed by his argument: they put him to death by hemlock. We'll have to see if, 2400 years later, it finds a more receptive audience – or if its time is still to come.
This article appeared in print under the headline "Is the unlogged life worth living?"
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