Overwhelmed and Underwhelmed
Introduction: The Data Deluge
We live in a time of relentless data creation. In 2022 alone, over 79 zettabytes of data were generated worldwide, touching nearly every part of our daily lives. From smartwatches to social media to grocery receipts, we are enveloped by data. Yet the more data we collect, the less empowered many people feel. The public’s relationship with big data is fraying—not due to lack of information, but because of the way it’s being delivered and processed.
The Challenges of Big Data
Big data was meant to liberate insight and make decision-making smarter. Instead, it has often left people overwhelmed, confused, and even manipulated.
Information Overload
The average person consumes approximately 34 gigabytes of data per day. That’s the equivalent of reading a hundred thousand web pages, watching hours of videos, and parsing hundreds of emails. This flood of information results in decision fatigue, a drop in focus, and diminished satisfaction with choices made.
Privacy and Trust
A 2023 study showed that 76% of consumers globally cite data privacy as a major concern. What’s more telling—70% of people have little to no understanding of how their online behaviors are being tracked. The lack of clarity fosters distrust.
Data Quality Issues
Even within organizations that claim to be data-driven, about 30% of their data is inaccurate, duplicated, or incomplete. This undermines the entire promise of big data as a tool for better outcomes.
Public Sentiment: Overwhelmed and Disillusioned
People are not just tired of too much data—they’re disillusioned by what it delivers.
Dissatisfaction with Search and Filters
From job boards to housing sites to recommendation engines, the public is stuck using endless checkboxes, dropdowns, and keyword searches. It’s inefficient, robotic, and devoid of nuance. No surprise that 65% of users report feeling overwhelmed by data-heavy interfaces.
Erosion of Trust
Only 45% of individuals trust businesses to manage their data responsibly. With scandals, breaches, and manipulative algorithms making headlines, the social contract between users and data platforms is deteriorating.
Implications for Society
The crisis isn’t just about inconvenience—it affects how we think, act, and engage with the world.
Decision-Making and the Big Data Paradox
Larger datasets don’t automatically mean better decisions. In fact, the “big data paradox” shows that more data can increase confidence in false conclusions. Biased inputs, amplified by machine learning, can result in distorted outcomes—especially when they mask themselves in objectivity.
Autonomy and Surveillance
From smart cities to targeted advertising, the reach of data is not neutral. It carries the weight of power. The more data systems know about us, the less room we feel we have to maneuver. Surveillance concerns aren’t theoretical—they’re embedded in our phones, homes, and public infrastructure.
The Need for New Interfaces
We don’t need more data. We need better ways to interact with data.
Sliders and Emotional Intelligence
Tools like Sliders.AI offer a radical shift: instead of asking users to fit their thoughts into rigid categories, sliders let users express how much they feel, want, or need. This isn’t just a new UI—it’s a new philosophy of engagement. It works below language, at the level of instinct and feeling.
Rebuilding Trust
Interfaces that show transparency, offer control, and respond in real-time can help restore faith. When people understand the impact of their preferences—and see how their data shapes results—they engage more deeply and make better decisions.
Conclusion: The Urgency of Reinvention
The Pathosium Crisis is a cultural and cognitive breakdown in our relationship with big data. We’re overwhelmed by the volume, underwhelmed by the usefulness, and alienated by the tools. It’s time for a shift—from passive recipients of data to active participants in its meaning.
That shift begins not with more complexity, but with more clarity. Not with more data, but with better design. Sliders represent a bridge to that future.
Let’s cross it.