     Sean | Friday, December 17, 1999 - 04:15 am 
Why do we let computers tell us where we can live, work and what we can drive? With the long-term ecological and environmental effects of the new computers completely untested, how long before we find that our earth is just a charred-out burning shell of its former self? Experts indicate millions more children will now go hungry and may starve because of the new computers. Oh please, won't someone think of the children??
No, it's not a sci-fi movie nor has science actually created artificial intelligence. You're just reading the standard, hysterical information found on most credit scoring sites.
Nevermind that there's no evidence of children starving due to credit scoring, nor any indication that credit scoring will wreck our environment. Nevermind that most Americans don't even know what credit scoring is and of those that do, most are completely ok with it. Did Dr. Goebbels let a few inconvenient truths stand in his way? Heck no! The secret is to make your idea simple and easy to understand. Then you repeat it until people accept it as fact.
Computers are just a tool. If computers now make underwriting decisions now then previously calculators made the underwriting decisions and slide rules before that. Why was there no mass outcry against calculators? |
| Barbara | Friday, December 17, 1999 - 03:43 pm
Starving children? Ecological damage? What credit scoring sites are you referring to? There are quite a few sites that are opposed to credit scoring, or certain aspects of credit scoring, but I have never seen one that claims credit scoring will cause millions of children to starve or will damage the environment. Please provide the URLs for the sites you described above. I'd like to read them. |
| Christine Baker | Monday, December 27, 1999 - 07:05 am
1) With 10 million children living in poverty in the US, how could one conclude that Credit Scoring is NOT contributing to kids' malnutrition?
Isn't it clear to everybody that Credit Scoring increases the cost of borrowing, of many services such as cell phones/pager, and now possibly auto insurance?
How are poor people supposed to make up for the difference?
2) I have absolutely NO problem with calculators. I can CHECK the results of the calculator by hand and brain. When equations get too complicated, I personally rely on the fact that calculators' results have been checked by scientists in universities worldwide. Although the most important reason I trust calculators still is that I verified results myself.
Here are my problems with Credit Scores:
a) I don't know of ONE person who can calculate a Score by hand/brain.
b) I myself have evidence STRONGLY indicating that the much hailed Fair Isaac Software is flawed and spits out random Scores. Give or take 10?
c) The "knowing" can obtain/maintain high Scores while the ignorant and poor are footing the bill. I can buy a calculator as well as a math book anywhere for just a few bucks.
Where can I buy the software and formula for Credit Scores?
I'd really like to know,
Christine |
| Sean | Monday, December 27, 1999 - 11:17 am
I would be very interested to hear you expound on 2b). What makes you think scores are random?
Out of curiosity I asked the receptionist at Fair Isaac who there could calculate a score by hand and/or in his brain and she couldn't think of anyone, so you might be right.
Anyone can achieve a good score by paying their bills on time, keeping their balances low, (insert additional stock Fair, Isaac advice here). Most of it isn't complicated.
P.S. My earlier post was satire, but I'm glad to see I wasn't too far off. Apparently children really do starve in America due to credit scoring. |
