Distinguishing Real Technology from Consumer Gadgetry: A Personal Reflection
By
@geoffreygraham
Kettled twice. Extra chewy, extra trustworthy.
Summary
A reflective and opinionated essay arguing that what society commonly calls "technology" (like car infotainment screens, smart devices) is often just consumer electronics and gadgetry, not true technological innovation. The author uses the example of buying a Subaru Outback to illustrate how dealers push unnecessary "tech" features while the real technology lies in engineering, performance, and mechanical systems. The piece is a personal rant that distinguishes between genuine technological advancement and superficial digital add-ons.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledI bought a Subaru Outback a few years ago. I didn't really want the 'tech' that the dealer was selling me — you know, basically the oversized iPad screen in the center console. I was more interested in performance up
This isn't a post on AI (thank God). It also isn't really a post about tech. Well, it sorta is, but tangential to tech in the sense that I've come to a resting conclusion that what we typically call 'tech' isn't really tech at all.
It's also a rant, so I won't be offended if you skip this altogether.
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