A small rant about modern tech

15-10-2024 21:40

Ayo, small disclamer - these are just my thoughts currently, and they might will change. My perspective even 5 years ago was drastically different, and I am sure it will change again in 5-10 years.

A smartphone nowadays feels like is a thing that a lot people just can't live without.

I am using services of a bank that just does not have a desktop website, only the mobile app, for a lot of stuff I am using 2-factor auth that requires also, a mobile app.

So, my phone is great, it's my way of:

• additional security
  • 2 factor auth really helps: even if the hackers somehow find out the password, they usually still can't access the accounts without that second factor - the phone itself
• keeping connected with a lot of people
  • Sure, previously humans had mail and stuff, but communication via phone nowadays is just effortless
• quickly googling stuff
• the mobile browser is pretty much identical to desktop in functionality (well, if you don't go for dev tools), so it can be used to administrate web based things, like this server, for example.
  • A few weeks ago after an update one of my pet projects was down and I restarted it via my phone.
• replacement for a physical debit card
  • I can't remember the last time I had to pay by cash, it's enough for me to just bring my phone with me if I'm out for groceries.
  • Plus, it's more secure - even if the phone gets stolen, the thief will not be able to pay with NFC as it will be locked.

But also, my phone is terrible:

• it can get me into a bad mood
  • sometimes going on social media just feels like literal poison, and after a few hours of scrolling Twitter/Instagram I really start to feel like the Sky is about to fall.
• algorithms are getting better at tracking our behaviors and just straight up generating endless dopamine. The algo knows what it is that you want, and it tries to keep your attention for as long as it can.
  • "Just one more post/reel/video", and you realise that you've spent multiple hours mindlessly consuming trash.
  • "Staring into the void", as I jokingly call it, but it really is not far from that - nor tiktoks, nor insta, nor whatever else it is that feeds people dopamine does not have anything good about it. You forget 90% of the stuff you consume, but it still takes up some background processing inside.

I have a hope that sometime either EU steps in to regulate all the scammy stuff apps do to hook the user, or that people in general will realise how big of a waste of time modern social media is. But with every passing year I feel like the situation is getting worse, and a lot of people are okay with it, unfortunately. And with the development of AI generated content we might just get that "perfect dopamine generator"™, that will just fry people's brains😭.

In my opinion, humans are supposed to be bored from time to time. Boredom is when ideas get born, boredom is what helps you connect with yourself and understand what it is exactly that you want. And phones are trying to take away from that.

My generation feels like it's trying to drop a lot of traditions of the past. Sure, a lot of times it's the right thing to do, but imo meditation is one of those that are actually essential. Just a little bit at a time, but giving your mind some rest and restructuring can really help you ease off tension, being that source of boredom.

To me, meditation is a rather vague thing, but in the recent years I am starting to undertand that in the past I was perhaps doing it uncounsiously, doing some things in foreground, while going through things in background. And right now, I am constantly feeling under some pressure. Sure, it's not too much, and rather manageable, but I am trying to reach that clear state of mind I used to have previously, again. Experimenting with my routines and how much time I spend "offline".

Returning to the tech topic, I feel like it is trying to get simpler for the end user, making the learning curve as shallow as possible, ideally trying to remove it, hiding a lot of features. Some modern kids don't know what a file extension is, nor how to install an application, because they don't really need it. Not really sure how good or bad this is tbh.

Phones nowadays are in multiple ways an item of wealth and a toy. I feel like this is a mistake, and in an ideal world they could have been more robust and focused on doing task at hand. But unfortunately it would be not as profitable.