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There are few things more infuriating than a placebo button. They talk about illusion of control, but it's actually just a cruel and borderline sadistic demonst

There are few things more infuriating than a placebo button. They talk about illusion of control, but it's actually just a cruel and borderline sadistic demonstration of the control you don't have. “Doing something is better than doing nothing, so people believe. And when you go to press the button your attention is on the activity at hand. If I’m just standing at the corner I may not even see the light change, or I might only catch the last part of the change, in which case I could put myself in danger.” Probably the most condescending and patronizing statement I've heard in a long time.

hinkley 10y ago
Several of the crosswalk graffiti examples pictured in the article are sociopolitical commentary on our illusions of control. "Naturally, a number of street art projects have popped up around the humorous futility of pedestrians pressing placebo buttons:" I think the depths of the satire on these is lost on the author.
- developer2 10y ago
  Then there are those who try to find deep meaning in something as innocuous as a joke placed at a crosswalk signal. It's not "sociopathical". There is no "depth" or "satire". It might be "art", but even that is debatable. It's just citizens putting up something funny. Why is there a need to attribute it to something more deeply rooted in the psyche?
  - hinkley 10y ago
    uh, socio-political. I think a lot of these stickers are a form of graffiti with a political agenda, of thinking for yourself and noticing you're losing your autonomy. Some people scream it and throw things, others use satire to prod us into action.
    - developer2 10y ago
      This is what I mean. You're reading way too much into the situation. If I were not such a lazy are artistically-challenged person, I would absolutely set up such a display at a useless crossing signal. And it would have no meaning whatsoever other than to make fun of the fact that the specific button does nothing. Nearly equatable to being satire, but with less meaning than the term "satire" generally refers to. It would be purely for the purpose of a fun moment in my life, nothing more. No philosophical meaning about how "many actions in life are fruitless", but rather "heh, this one button doesn't do anything, time to have fun with it". Our brains may be wired with complexities we don't understand, but I know the difference between having a moment of enjoyment for myself, vs. doing something with an ulterior motive of pretending to be a genius making grandiose remarks about civilization as a whole. More people need to remember what it's like to be an innocent child who, in such a case, would instantly proclaim "a button that doesn't do anything... whyyyy?", instead of going full-on adult with a cynical point of view. For fuck's sake, stop overthinking every single moment in life. It's depressing.
dredmorbius 10y ago
Almost like comments on websites....

hinkley 10y ago

Several of the crosswalk graffiti examples pictured in the article are sociopolitical commentary on our illusions of control. "Naturally, a number of street art projects have popped up around the humorous futility of pedestrians pressing placebo buttons:" I think the depths of the satire on these is lost on the author.

developer2 10y ago
Then there are those who try to find deep meaning in something as innocuous as a joke placed at a crosswalk signal. It's not "sociopathical". There is no "depth" or "satire". It might be "art", but even that is debatable. It's just citizens putting up something funny. Why is there a need to attribute it to something more deeply rooted in the psyche?
- hinkley 10y ago
  uh, socio-political. I think a lot of these stickers are a form of graffiti with a political agenda, of thinking for yourself and noticing you're losing your autonomy. Some people scream it and throw things, others use satire to prod us into action.
  - developer2 10y ago
    This is what I mean. You're reading way too much into the situation. If I were not such a lazy are artistically-challenged person, I would absolutely set up such a display at a useless crossing signal. And it would have no meaning whatsoever other than to make fun of the fact that the specific button does nothing. Nearly equatable to being satire, but with less meaning than the term "satire" generally refers to. It would be purely for the purpose of a fun moment in my life, nothing more. No philosophical meaning about how "many actions in life are fruitless", but rather "heh, this one button doesn't do anything, time to have fun with it". Our brains may be wired with complexities we don't understand, but I know the difference between having a moment of enjoyment for myself, vs. doing something with an ulterior motive of pretending to be a genius making grandiose remarks about civilization as a whole. More people need to remember what it's like to be an innocent child who, in such a case, would instantly proclaim "a button that doesn't do anything... whyyyy?", instead of going full-on adult with a cynical point of view. For fuck's sake, stop overthinking every single moment in life. It's depressing.

dredmorbius 10y ago

Almost like comments on websites....