Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by m463 1164 days ago
> It really kills any enthusiasm I have for new cars.

... and televisions, and phone apps, and solar inverters (with wifi!) and air purifiers (with wifi!) and drones (with wifi to activate) and scooters (to activate), and on and on...

2 comments

Consumer tech takes a lot of cues from domestic abusers. “I want to know everything about you and who you talk to.” “I will do what I want to you with little notice or recourse.” “You can’t leave me that easily.”
Also making the victim believe they are at fault for the abusive behavior.

I can't count the number of times I've heard naive users blame themselves when it's a device/system/app misaligned with their interests.

I would assert that consumer tech manufacturers are domestic abusers when they take things to this level.
It seems to me that we have long past the road building stage in US economy & now mostly in toll-booths stage of things. I wonder if we will ever go back. Maybe AI will change that but not very hopeful.