consumerism
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America, Let’s Stop Working for Our Cars, Man
The Automobile: An American Icon The automobile has been deeply ingrained in the American psyche since the early 20th century. From the Model T’s democratization of transportation to the postwar suburban boom, the car has symbolized freedom, independence, and economic prosperity. It is a cultural icon, a status symbol, and a practical necessity. The Challenges…
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Tax Holidays: A Boon for Back-to-School Shopping, or Retail Elementary Hour?
School bells are silent, but the cash registers are ringing in as back-to-school shopping takes center stage. Tax holidays, a perk for some lucky states, promise savings on essential school supplies and clothes. But before we all stampede to the stores to plunk down our heard-earned dollars, let’s take a closer look at this shopping strategy. On the surface, tax holidays seem…
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Chat G.P…Me? Hello World, We are Becoming A.I.
We’ve all seen it – AI programs churning out realistic art, writing basic articles, or holding simple conversations. But here’s the deal, Jack: AI lacks true thought. Yes, it processes information, identifies patterns, and generates outputs based on those patterns and other rules at play. But it does so without any internal reflection, debate, or…
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My Mother’s Maiden Login: The Need For a Revolution From the Tyranny of Compelled Account Creation
Let’s talk about the elephant in the digital room: the forced account creation on almost every online store. Want a new pair of socks? Account. Need a last-minute birthday gift? Account. Buying a replacement spatula because of a series of unfortunate events? Believe it or not… Account! It’s enough to make you want to throw…
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If You’re Traveling to the 1980s Anytime Soon, Please Print This and Take it With You
The Decade of Excess: A Child of the 80s Reflects on a Spoiled Dream Growing up in the 80s, the air crackled with a certain energy. Shoulder pads were broad, neon was king, and the future gleamed with the promise of endless prosperity. The prevailing mantra of the day? “Greed is good.” As long as…
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Faster Than Your Wi-Fi, Older Than Your Grandma: The Enduring Legacy of NASA’s Voyager I & II
What is obsolescence? Remember dial-up internet? Floppy disks? Encyclopedias? Yeah, me neither! Nowadays, things seem to get outdated faster than ever. That’s obsolescence – it happens when something becomes disused or neglected. Hear the footsteps? That’s the cruel march of time, rendering once-cutting edge tech about as useful as a fax machine. But then there’s…