Big tech companies might be making our lives too easy, and one writer thinks that's a problem. Ian Bogost, a tech philosopher, suggests we've become so focused on convenience that we're missing out on the small, meaningful challenges of life. Think of it like a smart fridge that automatically orders groceries for you; it's convenient, but you lose the simple satisfaction of picking out your own ingredients and making a shopping list.
This idea challenges the current trend where companies like OpenAI, Google, and Meta are all racing to build ever more powerful AI models, promising to automate even more tasks and simplify our lives further. Bogost argues that by outsourcing all our "small stuff" to AI, we might be sacrificing the very things that make us human, like problem-solving, creativity, and the joy of effort. It's not about rejecting technology entirely, but about being mindful of what we give up for convenience.
So, what should you do? Take a moment to consider if the newest app or gadget truly enriches your life, or if it just removes a minor inconvenience that you actually enjoyed. Maybe try doing something the "old-fashioned" way sometimes, just to see what you discover.
Let's reclaim the joy of the little things, before technology takes them all away.