“The group falls for the illusion that Yelp’s menu (of nearby bars and lounges) represents a complete set of choices for where to go,” Harris explains. For example, while looking at your phone you could miss the park across the street with a band playing live music. You might also miss the pop-up food court with crepes, coffee and nearby benches to sit and chat.
“The more choices technology gives us in nearly every domain of our lives (information, events, places to go, friends, dating, jobs), the more we assume that our phone is always the most empowering and useful menu to pick from.
“By shaping the menus we pick from, technology hijacks the way we perceive our choices and replaces them with new ones.” But do these technology menus reflect our true needs or wants? Can all communication be reduced to 140 characters? Can all human emotions be reduced to black and white pixels on a screen no matter how they’re enhanced with colorful emoticons?
Harris goes on to address the addictiveness of modern technology expressed in the apps on our phones and tablets. Harris said the average user checks their phone 150 times a day. That’s six times an hour whether your awake or asleep!
