Generation Chaff - Phase II: "Cloud", Blockchains and Other Hype
In "Generation Chaff", a mini-series about the troubling trajectory of "modern" technology (or "Tech" with a capital T), we deal with a number of nonsensical things people tend to take for granted while losing sight of the real - or the "original" - purpose of technology as force multiplier. Some technology objectively and unarguably improved life; a lot did not.
About two decades ago the marketing industry took over technology and turned it into some kind of consumerist cult with a capital T. No longer was anything about users' interests and productivity. Users became "products". In addition, users were pulled into networks. "Cloud" (centralisation), blockchains (alleged de-centralisation) and all sorts of other hype (NFTs, fake-coins etc.) illustrate this point. They wanted us to think we must create an "account" in some GAFAM page to host some content, we must flood the network with packets to have "money" (which almost no place would accept for payments anyway), and slop - i.e. meaningless junk we'll deal with in the next part - would somehow improve workflows and inform us.
For those of us who turned down those propositions there was a struggle; we needed to justify not having skinnerboxes or "social" accounts in some site run by a private company. "Luddite" became the go-to insult, aside from worse slurs.
To some people, labourers and pensioners, none of the above was even remotely necessary. Just more distraction and complications. In other words, mindless chaff. █