De-techtualization

Meanwhile in China, Xiaomi has accessory options for customers to add their own physical controls.

Volkswagen is bringing back physical buttons

At one point in the interview she talks about screen fatigue leading people to crave more tactile experiences, and I think that’s a big part of it. It seems like every device we use today has a screen interface, and it’s exhausting:

Plotnick: We spend all our days and nights on these devices, scrolling or constantly flipping through pages and

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It’s just another weird way that, as I’ve written about before, tech is going too far in attempts to reduce any kind of friction in our lives.

Anything a friend once did, apps do “better.” Instead of a friend picking you up from the airport, you summon an Uber. Instead of taking food to a sick friend stuck at home, they order Instacart. Even Venmo,

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Downgrading is the radical decision to step backward in an age of dizzying, almost compulsory forward momentum. I have watched many people attempt to reduce their screen time, an agonizing process requiring constant vigilance and self-restraint. Removing the option altogether, I’ve found, is the surest way out.

Milk was a respite from the coldness and isolation of the modern age. Newer conveniences such as canned condensed milk and milk delivery could save time and money, he acknowledged, but at a spiritual cost.

Tech companies are clamoring to re-buttonize their products