How convenience technology strips the texture from daily life

In his book The Small Stuff, writer, designer, and academic Ian Bogost argues that daily existence has become dematerialized. Building on a 2022 article he wrote about the decline of manual transmission stick shifts, Bogost suggests that modern convenience technologies are a primary reason for this disconnection from the sensory world. He describes this shift as a loss of physical contact with our surroundings, driven by systems designed to make tasks easier. “Basically, it’s the idea that we’ve become disconnected from the sensory world, and the reason that happened is what you might call convenience technologies,” Bogost says. Rather than calling for immediate, sweeping structural overhauls, he suggests that individuals can find gratification by re-engaging with everyday sensory experiences.

This transition did not happen overnight. Bogost traces the evolution of computing from the 1960s, when computers began turning into cultural tools, and the 1970s, when historical research centers like Xerox PARC and companies like Apple focused on human factors engineering. By the 1990s, the process of negotiating between computing and people began to turn away. This culminated in the 2000s with the real takeover of culture by computation, shifting the industry’s focus toward automation and efficiency. Bogost notes that while critics often target these systems, consumers genuinely appreciate the utility they provide. He references author and critic Cory Doctorow, who popularized the term “enshittification” to describe the degradation of online platforms, but notes that users still value services like Amazon Prime and Google search.

The convenience offered by platforms like Uber, Spotify, and Google has undoubtedly made life easier, but Bogost argues it comes with an unacknowledged tradeoff. By optimizing for frictionless outcomes, we have stripped away the physical texture of daily life. However, Bogost notes that Silicon Valley-style technology is certainly not the only factor distancing people from the world; bureaucracy, efficiency, and regulatory systems also play a role. He cautions against placing the burden of systemic change on the consumer, arguing that it is too much to ask ordinary people to solve massive issues like capitalism or wealth inequality before they can fully experience their lives. Instead, he asserts that individuals do not need to wait for broad societal shifts to reclaim their sensory existence.

Why it matters

The book challenges the tech industry’s obsession with efficiency, suggesting that founders and users alike should re-evaluate the value of friction and sensory engagement in product design.