Reading My Body in Numbers
“Oh? I’ve only walked 300 steps today. I should get off the subway one stop early and walk.”
My name is Min-jun Kim, an ordinary office worker approaching forty. I have a health assistant that is always with me: my smartwatch on my left wrist. This small device monitors and informs me of my heart rate, sleep patterns, step count, and even stress levels 24/7. I can now accurately diagnose what I used to feel as just ‘fatigue’ as ‘I lacked one hour of deep sleep last night.’ At first, the thought of perfectly understanding and controlling my body through numbers gave me a thrilling sense of liberation.
Chapter 1: Meeting the ‘Second Body’
The real change began after I took a genetic test. I was curious about the idea that a single drop of saliva could reveal the blueprint of my body. A few days later, a report filled with dense data arrived on my smartphone.
- My Genetic Traits:
- Slow caffeine metabolism (No afternoon coffee!)
- Alcohol metabolism gene mutation (The reason my face turns red when I drink)
- Better effects from aerobic exercise than strength training
- 1.5 times higher than average risk of certain cancers
I nodded along with the earlier points, but my heart sank at the last item. It felt like the shadow of a disease that hasn’t occurred yet, and perhaps never will, was looming over my body. Since that day, I could no longer view my body in the same way. Although invisible and imperceptible, a ‘second body’ that exists through data began to take root within me.
Chapter 2: Becoming a Slave to Data
The ‘second body’ was a very diligent advisor. I changed my diet according to my genetic information and tried to meet the exercise recommendations from my smartwatch. Every morning, the first thing I did upon waking was check my ‘sleep score,’ and if it was below 80, I couldn’t shake off a feeling of unease all day.
- The Beginning of Health Obsession: I felt pressured to maintain ‘good numbers.’ Even during enjoyable drinking sessions with friends, I couldn’t fully enjoy myself, thinking about my alcohol metabolism gene, and the day after a company dinner, I forced myself to move to meet the ‘recommended activity calories.’
- Trusting Data Over Sensation: On days when my body felt refreshed but my sleep score was low, I somehow felt more fatigued, and even when I wasn’t feeling well, I pushed myself to exercise because my heart rate was stable. Before I knew it, I began to trust the words of the ‘second body’ represented by data more than the actual signals my body was sending.
The efforts I started to become healthier turned into a new source of stress that constrained me. The joys of life became ‘variables to manage,’ and my body turned into a project that needed constant ‘optimization.’
Chapter 3: The New Boundary Between ‘Normal’ and ‘Abnormal’
The bigger problem is that the criteria for ’normal’ have changed. In the past, I was considered a ‘healthy person’ until a doctor diagnosed me. But now, it’s different. As someone in a high-risk group for certain diseases according to my genetic test results, I can be classified as a ‘potential patient’ or ‘abnormal’ even if I have no symptoms.
“Not sick yet, but potentially sick”
On this ambiguous boundary, I had to constantly suffer from anxiety. Data robbed me of the ‘peace of mind that comes with being healthy.’ With a lingering sense of ‘what if,’ I found myself visiting the hospital more frequently and reacting sensitively to minor physical changes. It felt as though technology was not liberating me from disease but rather trapping me in the shadow of illness.
Are We Masters of Data?
Recently, I put my smartwatch deep in a drawer. Of course, the benefits of data are undeniable. But I realized that it should not become the master of my life.
We now live with both a first body made of flesh and blood and a second body composed of data. This ‘second body’ can provide us with amazing insights for a healthier life, but it also constantly monitors and controls us, creating new anxieties.
The advancement of technology is asking us: Are you living as the master of your data, or as a slave to your data? The answer to this question ultimately lies in each of our hands.