Technology is often designed to provide more efficiency, more ease, and more consumption. A side effect of emphasizing “ease” may be that we miss opportunities. These include chances for self-reflection, deeper connection, defining and creating our own meaning, and building the confidence and motivation to create and consume in ways that are aligned with our personal interests and goals.
Beth Altringer from the Desirability Lab explores this issue in her flash talk at the 2019 Future Assembly. She discusses how future technologies might be designed to help us understand ourselves better, using examples from music, fashion, flavor, and gaming.