The issues addressed in this chapter were the most relatable to me. Money transfers to one’s bank account are silent affairs, requiring one to login and notice the outstanding amount change a few digits. And if not for One Time Passwords verifying your purchase, one wouldn’t realize that the money has already been wired to a vendor’s account. Money today became an intangible survival object in my life. The chapter made me realize how dependent I was on services to function normally, and what would happen if they broke down one by one. Would I store cash money in a biscuit tin like my late grandfather did when my relatives were eyeing his assets? This thought is enough to give an anxiety attack, but the convenience of it is just too good to put down. If only there was a good way for a credit card to give haptic feedback letting you feel how much money your account has to curb your spending habits.
Chipchase’s discussion about the increasing psychological burden of carrying so much in one’s pocket is also very relatable. I have a bad habit of hoarding apps I don’t need, including a video editor, 2 photo editors, 3 chat apps, a document scanner, qr code reader, 4 shopping apps, 5 games. Knowing they’re there in my phone but forgetting about them when I need them is my daily disaster. His discussion about the centers of gravity in a digital space has probably led to ideas like the Fuchsia OS by Google. This new OS has an interface that revolves around actions that the user performs, rather than apps. This is one the ways a better center of gravity can be achieved in digital space.
- What are the ways one can give assurance for a totally digital service?
- What are the loopholes of a sharing economy, and how does one overcome them?