Juxtaposition of Data

“This is the third power of Big Data: Big Data allows us to meaningfully zoom in on small segments of a dataset to gain new insights on who we are.”

[Everybody lies, Seth Stephens-Davidowitz]

Artworks of Georges-Pierre Seurat or modern color printers use the color juxtaposition to effectively render the mixed color without loss of brightness. For example, the pattern intertwined red and blue dots produces a purple color. Depending on the size of color dots (or the resolution of printers), the result looks more vivid and realistic.

In data science, small data or observations (like a low-resolution printer) provide only “purple” data which lose the brightness. However, Big Data, like enormous color dots, enable us to see the small but important patterns of “red” and “blue”, leading to better and deeper understand our world.

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