Just a cute pic of me
by Mike McKee
Personal

I'm Done Being a Data Simp

66 Days of Math and Programming -- Day 47

I ain’t no data simp.

I’m a data rebel. Yea, I said it. I write what I want (stuff like this). I write when I want (every day like it’s a job, sigh). And I write wherever I want (usually at home because I don’t get out of the house enough).

Most of the influential LinkedIn creators in the data world create the same type of content – educational content.

It’s a fact.

They want to teach others how to grow and excel (no pun intended) in this dorky world of data. Since I’m trying to grow my data brand, I should get on my knees and do everything these big data influencers do, right?

Hell no.

I’m a writer – a fiction writer, to be precise. I ain’t no teacher.

Back in college, while debating what to do with life, countless people would tell me the same thing… “Mike, you’re so amazing. You’re the best. I wish I were like you…”

Oh, wait…

That’s from my diary.

What they’d actually say was, “Mike, you love math. You’re great at it. You should become a math teacher!”

Every time I had the same response, “HELL NO!”

I hate teaching.

I’m not cut out for it.

When I created Dorky Data, I wanted to make math and data fun. I wanted to create and share stories like nothing else you see on the internet. But I slowly started to simp. Some of the posts in this 66 Days of Math and Programming challenge became too educational. And not fun enough.

That’s where I’m drawing the line.

I’ll leave the educational content for the incredible influencers you see on LinkedIn.

And I’m gonna write my fun and wacky stories instead.

Because here’s the truth about you and me…

If you made it this far, you’re probably a data dork like me. You love learning. I love learning. We all love learning.

But do you know what else we like? Aside from money and SQL queries…

Entertainment.

I don’t care who you think you are. You lust for your fair share of Netflix, novels, YouTube, and TikTok.

No matter what, we all want to be entertained.

And that’s where Dorky Data comes in…

There are thousands of people teaching you about data, so why would I do the same?

Instead, I’ll focus on sharing cool and funny data-related stories to brighten your day. As a writer, I don’t become happy by teaching someone how to concatenate columns in Excel. I find joy in sharing stories that make people laugh, smile, and sometimes cry.

That’s who I am.

And when I write to connect to emotions, I have the most fun ever.

This brings me to my second point…

Since I have no intention of becoming a data teacher, why am I still writing?

The answer: because I love it.

I’m a writer at heart and will never stop writing. That said, I don’t want writing to become a second job. I want it to stay a fun/exciting hobby.

And if I focused on educational content, I’d become a 5-10 slave, writing every day after work.

But that’s not happening on my watch.

I’m a data dork, baby.

I ain’t a data simp.

Okay…

I digress for now.