Trivial Pursuits

C. Thi Nguyen's book "The Score" argues that while games rely on scoring systems to function, there is a crucial distinction between healthy games that use arbitrary metrics to enable human experiences and extractive systems that convert human activity into measurable, marketable products. The author contends that many online platforms disguise data-harvesting behind scoring mechanisms that users cannot see, turning people into quantifiable assets for advertisers rather than allowing them genuine engagement.