I really didn’t want to write a blog about a Corvette. As a designer, I respect the Corvette’s beginnings, back at the 1950s and 1960s when we were flying into Outer Space and flying down the roads in Space Age cars. But, I came of age in the 1990s, and by then, the Corvette didn’t […]
Technology and Culture
For Social Networks to Survive, They Must Solve the Problems that They Created
It’s easy to argue that the future of social media will be a linear progression–that we will get more engrossed in social media. This is a probable outcome, but only if you ignore the problems that social media has already caused, and you assume that these problems will not get worse.
Let me highlight three problems that we can can clearly see around us today:
1) The Validation of Vanity
2) Undeniable Addiction
3) Artificial Division
Lessons in Adulthood: You Don’t have to Put Up with Jargon
I have always hated jargon. Why do we use made-up words and silly phrases? What are we trying to prove? What’s wrong with speaking clearly? Everyone should hate these made-up words as much as me. Before I teach you how to get gangster with jargon, first lets identify 4 different kinds of jargon: Jargon that […]
Aunt Becky Goes to Jail, Rigging the System Makes Everyone a Loser
Earlier this year a bizarre news story broke about Hollywood celebrities bribing officials to admit their children into top universities. The most famous name attached to the scandal is Aunt Becky on “Full House,” IRL the ever-pretty actress Lori Laughlin. She and her husband Mossimo (1990s fashion icon) apparently paid their child’s way into the […]
The Problem of Hindsight Bias
There was an irresistible TV mini-series on VH1 called “I love the 1980s” that debuted late in 2002. Over the course of ten episodes, VH1 showcased each year of the 80s and all the stuff that defined that year: popular music, fashion, trends, TV shows, movies, and occasionally something about politics. The show was so […]
Models for Predicting the Future: Gartner’s Hype Cycle
Last week in the blog, I talked about how echo chambers can create wrong-headed predictions about the future. This week, I want to talk about my favorite model for understanding the hype that surrounds a new technology: Gartner’s Hype Cycle. I’ve added emojis to their famous chart because–well–I think that it deserves it! What it […]