If Then

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Exploring the origins of predictive analytics, the book delves into the activities of the Simulmatics Corporation, established in 1959, which pioneered data mining and voter targeting long before modern tech giants. Author Jill Lepore, a Harvard historian, draws parallels between the corporation's influence and the practices of today's tech leaders like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk. This engaging narrative offers a critical examination of how early innovations in data manipulation shaped contemporary politics and consumer behavior, blending humor with serious insights.