Does Technology Suck?
Do you ever wonder: am I using this technology, or is it using me?
Seriously, it’s there: in your pocket. On the desk. In the cup holder of the car.
You want to use it.
Just grab it and alleviate the boredom or discomfort. Might as well check the headlines instead of struggling to type words on a blank screen.
And why stay in this tense conversation on a date night with your spouse when you can see what’s new on Instagram?
“Hey, sorry, kiddo, I can’t play princesses right now — I have to answer this email.”
That’s what our phones have become.
An instant escape and a constant burden.
I remember when I got my first BlackBerry. It was an exciting and surprisingly moving moment. My phone, once a source of liberation — I could check my email without going home, which meant I could spend more time out doing things — eventually became a weight that tied me down.
Instead of making me better at my job, it started preventing what Cal Newport calls “deep work” — focused, dedicated, creative time. Instead of helping me have fun, it was making me miserable.
Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about how to use it less. About how to get the benefits from the technology without all the downsides.
What works for you?
