
Game Over: Metrics, Big Data & Why We Need to Stop Keeping Score w/ C. THI NGUYEN - Highlights
From Books & Writers · The Creative Process: Novelists, Screenwriters, Playwrights, Poets, Non-fiction Writers & Journalists Talk Writing, Life & Creativity by Novelists, Screenwriters, Playwrights, Poets, Non-fiction Writers & Journalists Talk Writing • Creative Process Original Series
March 13, 2026 · Season 16 · Episode 1223
About this episode
C. Thi Nguyen discusses the impact of metrics on creativity and the importance of the creative process in life.
"To be in the process of making things, to be in the process of talking to people about what things mean. The creative process is actually, I think, the most meaningful part of life, but it's very hard to measure. When we get shoved towards a world that demands easy measurables, it's very hard to optimize away from the creative process and optimize towards things that are more static." On this episode of The Creative Process, philosopher C. Thi Nguyen joins us to discuss his new book, The Score: How to Stop Playing Somebody Else's Game. He unpacks the profound concept of "value capture"—the moment we stop caring about the rich, subtle experiences of life and start obsessing over simplified, external metrics like grades, likes, and screen time. Beyond the trap of quantification, C. Thi Nguyen explores the liberating power of games and art. We discuss how true play requires us to step lightly between different rule sets, the difference between art and craft, and how reclaiming our creative process might just be the ultimate meaning of life. (0:00) THE TRAP OF VALUE CAPTURE How external metrics and scoring systems hijack our personal values and creativity (7:09) THE LOGIC OF…
People in this episode
Guest: C. Thi Nguyen
Topics covered
- creative process
- value capture
- quantification
- art vs craft
- play
- metrics
Keywords
- creativity
- metrics
- value capture
- art
- play
- quantification
- life meaning
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: The Score: How to Stop Playing Somebody Else's Game
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