This weekend, I was trying to find articles on female mentorship, and some weird stuff happened. Mainly, I noticed that as I typed in searches using the words “women learn”, I kept getting result after result for women learning to masturbate. Huh?
I noted this on Twitter and DoctorZen mentioned that if you put in “men learn” you’d get stuff about cooking, dancing and cosmetics.
I tried it, and didn’t get those results, but everybody’s results are going to be different because Google searches know what items you’ve clicked on from previous searches and where you live and all sorts of other stuff you probably don’t want to think about.
So today I was screwing around with the auto feature, and here’s what I got:
“women learn” brought up a bunch of websites about learning Thai — I didn’t click on them, because I was kind of afraid where they would lead. “women teach” brought up a links to debates about women in the ministry.
The top hit on “women learn from women” was a website called How To Seduce Women, and there was another article on attracting women later on the page, as well as a consideration of the apostle Paul and whether women should learn in silence; then, at the bottom of the page lessons for lady welders.
When I put in “men learn” I got still more dating sites, including a link to this: “A recent study proves that women are more attracted to men who are unsure about them.” Thank you, scientific inquiry.
“men teach” got more sites about actual teaching, as well as more (you guessed it) dating sites.
Okay, so I guess Freud was right about the basis of Western civilization.
Discussion question: what has Google Instant taught you?
“I noticed that as I typed in searches using the words “women learn”, I kept getting result after result for women learning to masturbate…. Everybody’s results are going to be different because Google searches know what items you’ve clicked on from previous searches and where you live and all sorts of other stuff you probably don’t want to think about”
This is screaming for further comment. Did you mean it to be funny?
Ha, that’s pretty funny, and no, it wasn’t intentional…and I didn’t even think of that because (hand to God here) I don’t think I’ve done any particularly racy searches lately. But Google’s algorithm has its mind in the gutter for some reason.
Hmmm. Interesting game and a good way to occupy “down time” at work. I just Googled “women learn” on my work computer and got nothing about masturbation (go figure — I was hoping for some entertainment, WoPro!), but it’s interesting (and more than a little creepy) that Google “knows” what I use it for. And the results were pretty predictable, given what I use Google for at work (usully stuff related to business and politics). For your amusement, here are some: 1) “Why I Became a Republican: GOP Women Learn Tips on Minority Outreach,” 2) “Investing Tips Men and Women can Learn from Each Other,” 3) “WE LEARN: Women Expanding Literacy Education Action Resource Action Network,” 4) “Must Women Entrpreneurs Learn to Bluster?,” 5) “Women’s Golf: Learn More and Explore Women’s Golf.” (I also got stuff on Thai women. What’s up with that? If I get bored enough today, I might check into it…)
Yeah, I’m still trying to figure out what I did to make the algorithm go in that direction…working on a theory.
eh, sorry for a few typos (that’s what boredom does to you).
As Office Space wisely observed, it will only make you work just hard enough not to get fired.
I just tried “women learning” and “men learning” and discovered that women are learning Thai, Torah, to snowboard, to smoke and to ride motorcycles. Men are learning to cook, to dance, to sew, and “how to do the splits.” I can’t imagine what any of this means, but I find it weirdly fascinating.
I’m not sure how it is that people would learn to smoke…but glad they’re interested in learning such variety of things. And I agree, it’s weirdly fascinating.
Well, I may have gotten the search you were looking for. My top result: an article entitled “Women Learn Best from Women: What Message Does a Male Dominated Faculty Send to Female Students” from Salon.com. My second result, from the University of Florida News, was entitled “UF Study Suggests Women Learn Less Than Men During College.” After that I got the same women learning Thai, developing businesses, dating, etc. that you all got.
I’m going to say that my trigger for Google’s results this time has been the numerous searches I’ve done in an attempt to find something, anything to replace the bane that is Blackboard in my life. But that’s another topic….
Okay, that is exactly the sort of thing I was looking for — hear that, Google?!!?
When I put in “women learn,” I got this: “Women learn best from women – Academia – Salon.com.”And I have to agree. I do learn best from women. Even Jerry Garcia once conceded, “That’s right, the women are smarter,” but that was probably just so he could nab some cocaine and get laid.
Which will bring us back to do-oh-oh-oh.
I agree, as well. But again, why didn’t Google think I wanted this article?
One of the first things I got when I googled was an article on what women can learn from Elizabeth Taylor (http://blogs.forbes.com/shenegotiates/2011/03/28/eight-lessons-millennial-women-can-learn-from-elizabeth-taylor/) Go figure.
Wow, Google’s algorithm indicates you are very glamorous!
LOL – it’s probably because I google for tips trying to figure how exactly I should dress myself. I only recently learned how to buy clothes that actually fit properly. I had no idea pants weren’t supposed to be able to stay up around my waist properly without the help of a belt.
Hmmm. I imagine my previosu searches single me out as male, so the mastrubation thing doesn’t come up. I got:
-Thai (huh?)
-in silence
-Torah
-to snowboard
-to smoke
-to ride motorcycles
-women learning partnership
-photography
-gemara
I appear inclined to encourage high-risk behavior in Jewish women. This is odd, as I’m a non-Jewish, non-smoking, non-motorcycle-riding, non-snowboarding, guy.
Go figure.
Again with the smoking? How hard is it? Well, do your best not to lead any ladies astray with those mad Thai ‘n’ Torah skillz.
Try “William Sh”. Shatner is more popular than Shakespeare.
That I can easily believe….to be fair, though, being alive really gives you an advantage in those search results!
It’s probably something to do with the manner in which Google sets its algorithm. Check this article out which was published yesterday.
http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2011/03/the-panda-that-hates-farms/all/1
That is indeed the determining factor; but what bothers me is Google’s deity-like insistence that it’s creating some sort of ‘natural’ ecosystem with this stuff. I mean, c’mon, no matter what they say the bottom line is that they’re taking advertising dollars. That means it’s neither natural nor neutral.
What makes me more worried is how Google’s advertising cloud judges me. That’s also true of Facebook’s advertising software. I just can’t imagine there’s that many people who are interested in reading Augustine in Canada, buying wholesale coffee, and meeting “Hot Christian Singles” along with all my other weird interests. Honestly, if I only went by the marketing targeting me, I would have to say that I was either a) the weirdest man alive -or- b) the coolest!
I’ve had similar experiences. As you might imagine, my correspondence includes academic terms a lot so I’m constantly getting ads asking me if I want a degree – ha! But such is life in the era of data mining….of course, it gives me some comfort knowing the limit of these algorithms. Data they may have, but they’re still not very good at real people!
Do you also get weird dating site ads? A friend who saw this post informed me of a “Find a Brainy Match” ad. All weird to me. I think for an experiment I’m going to start a daily search based on the first sentence of several great novels. We’ll see what happens!
I love this kind of stuff. I’ve written two posts on Google phrases. The first had something to do with pregnant bowlers and the last one is called “Please Don’t Eat Yourself.” Yes, someone searched Google to ask “what will happen if I eat myself,” a phrase which surprisingly fits in with your lead theme here.