[nemo44x]

I feel like as an art piece, "Magic" is sort of the distillation and abstraction of everything that has happened with the Internet over the last 20 years - especially lately.

"Send a blackbox a message and you get something - on demand!"

That's art. Or it's an incredibly sad state of affairs with what qualifies as "technology" and is a horrible commentary on modern societies values. Or a reflection of it - imitating it I suppose.

"Magic" & "Yo" - The future is bright.

[prawn]

I think there's something in your comment, even if you end up on the wrong track in being dismissive.

More likely it's an abstraction (via the blackbox) of the way we build internet services and ordering. That something so simple neared 500 comments and 1,200 upvotes on HN suggests to me that for 10+ years we have built ecommerce in one way, when people would rather it in a different way. No continual re-creation of accounts, of declining newsletters, declining warranties and insurance, of re-entering shipping details, etc.

Or avoiding phone ordering processes that involve waiting on the line, repeating details three times, clarifying specials and so on.

How is something that saves us time and allows us more time with our families and friends a horrible commentary on society's values? Surely the interest in Magic is a commentary on how off many of our assumptions are when building online/phone ordering processes?

[nemo44x]

As I mentioned in another post I'm not really dismissive (not entirely - but skeptical for sure) and I agree with you - who is to say that our assumptions based on old models were right?

Part of our identity and love of capitalism is shopping as entertainment. We love advertising and responding to brands that we identify with. What if this is all a lie, as you imply?

I just find it all very interesting.

Freedom of choice was the old way. Freedom from choice could be the new way?

[maxerickson]

What are we supposed to value?

[nemo44x]

I'm not sure. That's the job of art to reflect upon our culture to let people judge for themselves.

I find it brilliant, disgusting, tempting and shocking all at once. I'm not sure if it's a civilization in decline and on the eve of revolution or if it's a beautiful thing.

You don't get an emotional response from just saying "Pizza" and a price comes back and you reply with a "Yes/No" and then it arrives? Where is the service that says "Pizza" and "Yes/No" for me? Clearly that's the only place the form can go.

I guess it's the infantilization of society?

[maxerickson]

I tend not to order food, so the idea of making it easier didn't really resonate with me. I also tend to be a cheapo, so the idea of spending $4 extra also put me off. So my reaction to magic wasn't very strong.

I also don't really see the difference in values between buying flour and making obtaining a pizza really easy. Why is buying flour okay, or dealing with the details of ordering pizza yourself okay, but handing off the last little bit of the pizza ordering is reflective of decay?

[nemo44x]

"Why is buying flour okay, or dealing with the details of ordering pizza yourself okay, but handing off the last little bit of the pizza ordering is reflective of decay?"

I think it has to do with the fact that you surrendered choice in where this pizza comes from. You have no agency in the quality, labor conditions, ingredients, etc of the pizza. You have reduced your "freedom OF choice" to "freedom FROM choice".

Devo was right.

[prawn]

"Hey Magic, can I get two pizzas from (insert organic pizza place you like)? You choose the toppings."

If anything, having people within the blackbox means you might get a better choice rather than just the closest or cheapest choice.

[nemo44x]

I was sort of thinking the opposite here is more interesting. I just want to text to a blackbox:

"FOOD"

And a short time later food (possibly Soylent to keep the baby food aesthetic right) shows up. If I can do this while wearing a VR mask showing a strange new world with bigger people that talk, even better. I want to be an infant again.

Maybe they can add a feature where it can hear me shriek out and automate this process.

In your scenario the UX may be broken since Seamless can do this much faster I think?