--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If there’s one thing I sincerely hope…" description: "\"“If there’s one thing I sincerely hope this book might get you to reconsider,” Rudder writes in the introduction, “it’s what you think about yourself. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/565/christian-rudder-24686_book_if-there-s-one-thing-i-sincerely-hope-th_1826763.jpg" --- # If there’s one thing I sincerely hope this book might get… ![“If there’s one thing I sincerely hope this book might get you to reconsider,” Rudder writes in the introduction, “it’s what you think about yourself. Because that’s what this book is really about. OKCupid is just how I arrived at the story.” Rudder wants to convince us that data is how we can…” quote by Christian Rudder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/565/christian-rudder-24686_book_if-there-s-one-thing-i-sincerely-hope-th_1826763.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/565/christian-rudder-24686_book_if-there-s-one-thing-i-sincerely-hope-th_1826763.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/565/christian-rudder-24686_book_if-there-s-one-thing-i-sincerely-hope-th_1826763.jpg) > ““If there’s one thing I sincerely hope this book might get you to reconsider,” Rudder writes in the introduction, “it’s what you think about yourself. Because that’s what this book is really about. OKCupid is just how I arrived at the story.” Rudder wants to convince us that data is how we can arrive at our own stories. “As the Internet has democratized journalism, photography, pornography, charity, comedy, and so many other courses of personal endeavor, it will, I hope, eventually democratize our fundamental narrative.” Gone are the days when our moment is defined only by researchers, effete columnists or whoever else gets to say what a millennial is. Now, Rudder argues, the story is ours to tell.”” [Christian Rudder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-rudder/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author argues that data and digital platforms let individuals shape their own narratives, democratizing personal storytelling beyond traditional media gatekeepers. **In simple terms:** Data lets us craft our own stories. Key Takeaway Use data to understand and tell your story. Themes technology democratization identity Mood optimistic critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - social media profiles - online dating apps - personal branding - content creation - self‑reflection Key Concepts data analysis digital media self‑narrative Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance data insights with personal intuition? - What stories remain untold despite digital tools? A Different Perspective Reliance on data can oversimplify complex identities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Interview](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interview/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) ## Related quotes > [On my podcast, I got to interview Will Ferrell, Sam Hunt, Colin Cowherd - all these different names - and it was just really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-darnold/on-my-podcast-i-got-to-interview-will-ferrell-sam-hunt-colin-cowherd/) [Sam Darnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-darnold/) > [At first, when my agent told me, 'They want you to do an interview, a piece for '60 Minutes,' I was like, 'What is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giannis-antetokounmpo/at-first-when-my-agent-told-me-they-want-you-to-do-an-interview-a/) [Giannis Antetokounmpo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giannis-antetokounmpo/) > [I'm actively trying to get away from the over-exposure that happened eight years ago. The only thing a celebrity can do in one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/i-m-actively-trying-to-get-away-from-the-over-exposure-that-happened/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [I'm very quiet. I can go a whole week without talking, so doing interviews is really awkward for me!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-leung/i-m-very-quiet-i-can-go-a-whole-week-without-talking-so-doing/) [Katie Leung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-leung/) > [I do interview senior candidates at the home office or many of our hotel or restaurant General Manager candidates. My two favorite questions are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-conley/i-do-interview-senior-candidates-at-the-home-office-or-many-of-our/) [Chip Conley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-conley/) > [For the most part, if somebody approaches me and says, 'I'd like to interview you,' who am I to say no, when I spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-roach/for-the-most-part-if-somebody-approaches-me-and-says-i-d-like-to/) [Mary Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-roach/) > [When you're interviewing someone, you're in control. When you're being interviewed, you think you're in control, but you're not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-walters/when-you-re-interviewing-someone-you-re-in-control-when-you-re-being/) [Barbara Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-walters/) > [“Who is this man I’m supposed to interview, this man whose last name is the same as the color of my sweatpants? Is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-shaffer/who-is-this-man-i-m-supposed-to-interview-this-man-whose-last-name-is/) [Andrew Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-shaffer/) > [I never do formal interviews. I don't use a tape recorder. I take notes but occasionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-finkel/i-never-do-formal-interviews-i-don-t-use-a-tape-recorder-i-take-notes/) [Michael Finkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-finkel/) > [I am really bad at actually interviewing people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-norton/i-am-really-bad-at-actually-interviewing-people/) [Graham Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-norton/) > [“Imagine what I could have done in ten years. I could have learned to speak Japanese. I could have played every RPG video game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/imagine-what-i-could-have-done-in-ten-years-i-could-have-learned-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not really a big fan of doing interviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-m-not-really-a-big-fan-of-doing-interviews/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [With every interview you feel like you lose a piece of yourself, and with every bad review you become just that little bit more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-march/with-every-interview-you-feel-like-you-lose-a-piece-of-yourself-and/) [Jane March](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-march/) > [If you're going for an interview, you will dress smartly and look the part, that is absolutely fine, but it's just the level to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-swinson/if-you-re-going-for-an-interview-you-will-dress-smartly-and-look-the/) [Jo Swinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-swinson/) > [I remember I heard it in an interview with Michael Jackson one day, saying the art is gone, everybody makes records just to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raekwon/i-remember-i-heard-it-in-an-interview-with-michael-jackson-one-day/) [Raekwon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raekwon/) ## More by Christian Rudder > [Going to a site with more users seems obviously better to me, but at the same time, having a bland, middle of the road…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-rudder/going-to-a-site-with-more-users-seems-obviously-better-to-me-but-at/) [Christian Rudder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-rudder/) > [Dudes have been making up stuff about themselves probably since there have been dudes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-rudder/dudes-have-been-making-up-stuff-about-themselves-probably-since-there/) [Christian Rudder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-rudder/) > [“Tonight, some thirty thousand couples will have their first date because of OkCupid. Roughly three thousand of them will end up together long-term. Two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-rudder/tonight-some-thirty-thousand-couples-will-have-their-first-date/) [Christian Rudder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-rudder/) > [Even at the person-to-person level, to be universally liked is to be relatively ignored. 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Do not use net speak, like WOT, W-O-T or U. Those messages get a lot lower reply rate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-rudder/use-correct-grammar-and-punctuation-do-not-use-net-speak-like-wot-w-o/) [Christian Rudder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-rudder/) > [“for anything to be made whole, the first step is to know what’s missing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-rudder/for-anything-to-be-made-whole-the-first-step-is-to-know-what-s-missing/) [Christian Rudder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-rudder/) > [I know that shorter messages are better in terms of reply rate. The optimal length is something like 50 characters. Characters, not words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-rudder/i-know-that-shorter-messages-are-better-in-terms-of-reply-rate-the/) [Christian Rudder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-rudder/) > [You take a picture of yourself in some exceptional situation - skydiving or whatever. People always post those photos because it works - you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-rudder/you-take-a-picture-of-yourself-in-some-exceptional-situation/) [Christian Rudder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-rudder/) > [Kind of paradoxically, men are very open minded or very even handed with their votes of women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-rudder/kind-of-paradoxically-men-are-very-open-minded-or-very-even-handed/) [Christian Rudder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-rudder/) [Explore all 24 Christian Rudder quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-rudder/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! 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