If Then: How the Simulmatics Corporation Invented the Future

Jill Lepore tracks the mid-century rise of the Simulmatics Corporation, a data science firm that modern tech giants would recognize as their direct ancestor. Founded during the Cold War by Ed Greenfield and Ithiel de Sola Pool, the company built a "People Machine" designed to predict human behavior through algorithmic modeling. These pioneers applied computer-automated simulations to John F. Kennedy’s 1960 presidential campaign, urban riots, and the Vietnam War. They treated political opinions and social movements as data points to be manipulated, establishing the framework for micro-targeting and behavioral prediction decades before the internet existed.

This history serves readers interested in the origins of surveillance capitalism and political psychographics. It appeals to those who want to understand the technological lineage linking the Department of Defense to modern social media platforms. Readers learn that the ethical dilemmas involving algorithmic bias and digital manipulation are not new inventions of Silicon Valley but are rooted in Cold War political science. The book provides a historical perspective on how personal data became a tool for psychological warfare and commercial influence.