Most people will interpolate graphs. Interpolating is an educated guess saying that, with uniform points on either side, you can assume points in the middle follow the same shape which is sometimes a straight line.
For instance the grid like design of Toronto’s streets gives many a straight line between points. If you’re at say York University on Keele Street at Steeles in the north of the city, and you also know a point along Keele, south of Bloor, most Torontonians would guess that Keele Street connects these points in a straight line.
If you only venture to interpolate things, you are a relatively cautious person.
Science fiction writers take calculated risks and often extrapolate. Extrapolation on a graph occurs at one end that has no measured points. To extrapolate, it is assumed that known features of the graph continue in the unknown space. For example, part of a straight line would continue out to infinity when extrapolation occurs.
People who extrapolate are light risk takers.
To me the hardcore risk takers are those who place a blindfold over their eyes and wave a marker around until it makes a mark on the graph. These often flailing people are those who try to balloon around the globe, try to sneak up on a stingray or invest everything they own in a penny stock.
Don’t get me wrong, the hardcore risk takers are a delight to watch. It’s just that you learn nothing useful from them in all the time you watch their escapades.
If you ever see one of these high risk takers enjoy a truly full life be certain that someone somewhere will call them a legend. I just think that they are the lucky few who beat the odds.
