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> I think lots of industries are ripe > for "habit-ifying", and I'm going > to pursue that further. Brilliant > insight. This is, of course, the

> I think lots of industries are ripe > for "habit-ifying", and I'm going > to pursue that further. Brilliant > insight. This is, of course, the same insight that the gambling and tobacco industries and cults thrive on. Not talking you down - just reminding you never to forget the moral angle.

r00fus 9y ago
Is it a moral issue if the habit a starts a virtuous cycle? Like my Apple Watch making me exercise more?
- ZenoArrow 9y ago
  Yes, it can still be a moral issue (I'd prefer to use 'quality of life' rather than moral, as the term moral implies a certain level of judgement of the choices of others, and I'd rather be focused on making those judgements over my own choices). Use of technology can both help and hinder us. On the negative side, we can become dependent on it, and that dependency does not always enhance our lives. Even in the case of your Apple Watch making you exercise more, used in moderation you can get the benefits without too many downsides, but it can also become a device that distracts you from the world around you, disconnecting you from experiences that you could get by being more fully in the moment. To be clear, this isn't an issue solely limited to use of technology, but the more devices we have and use the more easily distracted we become. The ideal for companies is to have all our life's needs and wants fulfilled by companies. If they can do so by suggesting there's a hole you need to fill by buying their products, and you become unhappy if you don't have it, is this a healthy trend? What if you were generally happy before this marketing campaign started?
- aalleavitch 9y ago
  It's pretty important to be constantly evaluating the ethical implications of what you're producing. I can't speak for larger companies, but I get the impression that ethics in software development is not nearly as emphasized as it should be. Even the tech guys/gals should be highly concerned with how their product affects their users' overall well-being (or the well-being of those around their users). In fact, they're a critical layer in protecting against unethical business practices given they're the ones actually implementing things and mediating the user's experience on a ground level. Small features in your product can have significant repercussions on the lives of many users given how these things scale. What could be a few lines of code to you could be something that millions of people end up being influenced by hundreds of times a day.

r00fus 9y ago

Is it a moral issue if the habit a starts a virtuous cycle? Like my Apple Watch making me exercise more?

ZenoArrow 9y ago
Yes, it can still be a moral issue (I'd prefer to use 'quality of life' rather than moral, as the term moral implies a certain level of judgement of the choices of others, and I'd rather be focused on making those judgements over my own choices). Use of technology can both help and hinder us. On the negative side, we can become dependent on it, and that dependency does not always enhance our lives. Even in the case of your Apple Watch making you exercise more, used in moderation you can get the benefits without too many downsides, but it can also become a device that distracts you from the world around you, disconnecting you from experiences that you could get by being more fully in the moment. To be clear, this isn't an issue solely limited to use of technology, but the more devices we have and use the more easily distracted we become. The ideal for companies is to have all our life's needs and wants fulfilled by companies. If they can do so by suggesting there's a hole you need to fill by buying their products, and you become unhappy if you don't have it, is this a healthy trend? What if you were generally happy before this marketing campaign started?
aalleavitch 9y ago
It's pretty important to be constantly evaluating the ethical implications of what you're producing. I can't speak for larger companies, but I get the impression that ethics in software development is not nearly as emphasized as it should be. Even the tech guys/gals should be highly concerned with how their product affects their users' overall well-being (or the well-being of those around their users). In fact, they're a critical layer in protecting against unethical business practices given they're the ones actually implementing things and mediating the user's experience on a ground level. Small features in your product can have significant repercussions on the lives of many users given how these things scale. What could be a few lines of code to you could be something that millions of people end up being influenced by hundreds of times a day.