The Palladio graph shows how people in our class were grouped based on the songs they picked from the Voyager Golden Record. It connects people who chose similar pieces, forming clusters that show shared tastes. For example, some groups might have chosen more traditional songs, while others liked classical or rhythm-based music. The visualization helps us see these patterns, but it doesn’t explain why people made those choices.
There are many reasons why people might pick the same songs. Some may recognize or feel familiar with certain styles, like classical or Western music, while others might choose songs that make them feel calm, joyful, or emotional. People with similar backgrounds or education might also be drawn to the same pieces because of shared experiences or exposure. In some cases, seeing what others liked could have influenced their own choices. Even though the visualization connects people through data, it can’t really show the personal stories or emotions behind their selections.
Things that are missing from the graph include the reasons behind people’s choices and what they didn’t pick or why. We don’t know why certain songs were left out. Maybe people hadn’t heard them before or didn’t understand their meaning. The graph also doesn’t show how someone’s mood or personal experiences at that moment might have influenced their decisions. On top of that, the song list was limited, leaving out thousands of other possible pieces. This makes the data feel incomplete because it only tells one part of the story.
Some implications could be that when people are grouped by their song choices, it can give the wrong impression that they share the same culture or identity. This can lead to oversimplifying cultural connections or differences and ignoring the deeper meaning behind songs from different parts of the world. It can also reduce music and people’s emotions to simple “data points,” even though they are actually complex and personal. The visualization might look organized and objective, but it hides how subjective and emotional our musical choices really are.
Reflection
This activity made me realize that data can’t fully explain why we like what we like. My song choices say something about me, but they also reflect what I’ve been exposed to and what feels familiar. The Palladio graph shows the connections between people, but it doesn’t show the reasons behind those connections. Everyone’s choices have personal, cultural, and emotional meaning that can’t really be captured in a visualization. In the end, the graph helps us see patterns, but it can’t tell our stories.