"This is the soft despotism Tocqueville warned us of, an “immense, tutelary power” that wants only what is best for us. Like Nurse Ratched."
Brings to mind this classic quote:
“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.”
Thirty years ago, Alan Cooper ('the father of Visual Basic') wrote the definitive book on User Interface (what we now call GUI) design. In the introduction he talked about the tendency of software writers to write software for the convenience of computers rather than for the convenience of users. His book (and his approach) was heralded as an enlightened way to design software, so that users could actually use it in a natural, intuitive way. For the next decade or so, software became more intuitive and more usable, but now this philosophy seems to have gone the way of MSDOS. Now software engineers like the Google guy described are now more convinced than ever that humans and humanity are the problem, and their software creations are the solution, not the other way around
The automated bathroom is frustrating for a number of reasons. Every public place seems to have a different combination--auto water, auto soap but no auto towels, auto towels and soap but no auto auto water, etc. Auto flush toilets seem to either flush each time you shift position, or pause long enough after you stand to have you fear leaving your waste behind for others to view and be disgusted by. And, the elephant in the room, what happens when the power goes out?
Loved this. I am grateful every day that I was raised by a mechanic and am unafraid to turn a wrench, dirty my hands or try to fix pretty much anything. Not always successful, but am often enough to make it worth the effort 100 times over. I remember going into an auto parts store to buy new wiper blades at the beginning of monsoon season in the desert and having the guy behind the counter tell me I was the first person to buy blades that day who was actually able to put them on the car without the counter guy’s help. I once thought that was weird. Now I realize that *I* am the one who is weird. Ordering Shop Class as Soulcraft now…
I had looked for Neil Postman's Amusing Ourselves to Death at my favorite used books store but instead found another book of his - Technopoly. It was a very deep read on the trade-offs that technological progress imposes and that we very rarely think about - which seems to be Crawford's ouvre as well. The learned helplessness really hits home with me, because I am crap at doing home repairs, and I'd be embarrassed to admit that non-anonymously.
Good stuff! Thanks Matt and Matthew. At some point the price point of Substack subscriptions is going to have go down. Too many good content providers to be affordable. Haven't got a spare grand to pay for a dozen subscriptions. Hopefully, some sort of co-operative venture option will make that possible.
Now, more than ever, we need diversity and real intellectual debate.
Farmers using organic regenerative farming practices are the only people I can think of who are not moving into the assisted living society. They do need one another - other farmers with regenerative practices - but they are an avenue forward out of a nation in sick disease-ridden decline and lockstep codependency with Big Ag & Big Pharma.
Wow. Just today I transported ( in a real gasoline vehicle) an eighty-six year old gentleman. To an appointment. We talked about almost everything mentioned in this article! I like this guy also. BTW just finished reading the 25th anniversary edition of “ Zen…..”. Read the first edition in 1975. Seems threatening to me to read that the current potus states all EV by 2030!
I was just talking about this today and asking how some (many) people survive without the ability, confidence, knowledge, tools, skill, etc, etc, to maintain and repair their “stuff”. Of course, they do survive, but at a higher cost of living (or by finding someone like me and a six pack). Curse you, Taibbi….I like this guy’s philosophy; another Substack subscription.
So glad to see this interview. Been a big fan of Matthew Crawford since his 2009 book - Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work. it speaks well of Matt Taibbi that he considers this author important.
"Waving your hands under the faucet, trying to elicit a few seconds of water from it in a futile rain dance of guessed-at mudras, you feel like you are being punked. "
Nailed it. I also felt Ellen Generes' joke about automatic toilets (so many seem to randomly flush) - "I'll decide when i'm finished".
"This is the soft despotism Tocqueville warned us of, an “immense, tutelary power” that wants only what is best for us. Like Nurse Ratched."
Brings to mind this classic quote:
“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.”
― C. S. Lewis
I like this guy...
Thirty years ago, Alan Cooper ('the father of Visual Basic') wrote the definitive book on User Interface (what we now call GUI) design. In the introduction he talked about the tendency of software writers to write software for the convenience of computers rather than for the convenience of users. His book (and his approach) was heralded as an enlightened way to design software, so that users could actually use it in a natural, intuitive way. For the next decade or so, software became more intuitive and more usable, but now this philosophy seems to have gone the way of MSDOS. Now software engineers like the Google guy described are now more convinced than ever that humans and humanity are the problem, and their software creations are the solution, not the other way around
The automated bathroom is frustrating for a number of reasons. Every public place seems to have a different combination--auto water, auto soap but no auto towels, auto towels and soap but no auto auto water, etc. Auto flush toilets seem to either flush each time you shift position, or pause long enough after you stand to have you fear leaving your waste behind for others to view and be disgusted by. And, the elephant in the room, what happens when the power goes out?
Loved this. I am grateful every day that I was raised by a mechanic and am unafraid to turn a wrench, dirty my hands or try to fix pretty much anything. Not always successful, but am often enough to make it worth the effort 100 times over. I remember going into an auto parts store to buy new wiper blades at the beginning of monsoon season in the desert and having the guy behind the counter tell me I was the first person to buy blades that day who was actually able to put them on the car without the counter guy’s help. I once thought that was weird. Now I realize that *I* am the one who is weird. Ordering Shop Class as Soulcraft now…
I had looked for Neil Postman's Amusing Ourselves to Death at my favorite used books store but instead found another book of his - Technopoly. It was a very deep read on the trade-offs that technological progress imposes and that we very rarely think about - which seems to be Crawford's ouvre as well. The learned helplessness really hits home with me, because I am crap at doing home repairs, and I'd be embarrassed to admit that non-anonymously.
Good stuff! Thanks Matt and Matthew. At some point the price point of Substack subscriptions is going to have go down. Too many good content providers to be affordable. Haven't got a spare grand to pay for a dozen subscriptions. Hopefully, some sort of co-operative venture option will make that possible.
Now, more than ever, we need diversity and real intellectual debate.
50 YEARS since Zen?
Jeebus, I got OLD!
Keep it up Matt, your ilk may prevail yet. I 'discovered' you a couple, three years back, changed my world view you did. Keep it up!!
Exactly: "one big assisted living facility".
Farmers using organic regenerative farming practices are the only people I can think of who are not moving into the assisted living society. They do need one another - other farmers with regenerative practices - but they are an avenue forward out of a nation in sick disease-ridden decline and lockstep codependency with Big Ag & Big Pharma.
A Ford! A Ford! My kingdom for a 1974 Bronco!
Wow. Just today I transported ( in a real gasoline vehicle) an eighty-six year old gentleman. To an appointment. We talked about almost everything mentioned in this article! I like this guy also. BTW just finished reading the 25th anniversary edition of “ Zen…..”. Read the first edition in 1975. Seems threatening to me to read that the current potus states all EV by 2030!
I was just talking about this today and asking how some (many) people survive without the ability, confidence, knowledge, tools, skill, etc, etc, to maintain and repair their “stuff”. Of course, they do survive, but at a higher cost of living (or by finding someone like me and a six pack). Curse you, Taibbi….I like this guy’s philosophy; another Substack subscription.
So glad to see this interview. Been a big fan of Matthew Crawford since his 2009 book - Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work. it speaks well of Matt Taibbi that he considers this author important.
Matt -
Good choice for your first interview, I enjoy his writing and perspective.
Crawford is a brilliant thinker.
Highly recommend N.S. Lyons as your next Q&A.
"Waving your hands under the faucet, trying to elicit a few seconds of water from it in a futile rain dance of guessed-at mudras, you feel like you are being punked. "
Nailed it. I also felt Ellen Generes' joke about automatic toilets (so many seem to randomly flush) - "I'll decide when i'm finished".