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This is off-side. This is akin to a cigarette dealer being proud of the grotesqueries on the side of the cartons that warn you of their side-effects. Culture is

This is off-side. This is akin to a cigarette dealer being proud of the grotesqueries on the side of the cartons that warn you of their side-effects. Culture is in shambles and recovery from the magnificent impact of the Internet will need more than widgets, doo-dads, and yet more Google products. I feel a sort of embarrassment on account of this marketing angle. The concept of digital wellbeing is a paradox. Yuck.

GW150914 8y ago
It’s the fast-food salad option, or McDonald’s apple slices of tech. If they cared about their impact they’d address their role in it, not seek to marketeer their way out of it with empty gestures.
- mac01021 8y ago
  Is adding apple slices to your menu an empty gesture? Or even a gesture at all?
nnq 8y ago
> Culture is in shambles and recovery from the magnificent impact of the Internet Some of us see the destruction of this culture thingy as a good thing and are truly rejoycing now, ya know!
- twtw 8y ago
  Why?
  - disantlor 8y ago
    maybe what's being rejoiced is the demise of a white-dominated monoculture.
    - 6cd6beb 8y ago
      This is a really odd place to leap to from "google is going to show how much time you spend on the phone and in each app". It's also a good reminder of why having a bit on your phone that reminds you how long you've been on it is a good idea. Too much of the internet is toxic.
      - disantlor 8y ago
        what’s toxic about it? sincere question. it’s not about bringing down a culture as much as raising up other ones to equal prominence.
        newfoundglory 8y ago
        Other ones like Stormfront, MRAs and Trump?
        fny 8y ago
        This at least gives people a moment to consider the other forms of entertainment beyond a screen? Maybe go outside? Interact with people? Play an instrument? Make some art? Go volunteer somewhere? Stand up? Walk around?
        6cd6beb 8y ago
        It tends to isolate people into self-reinforcing communities, many of which have two things in common: They have an enemy that they demonize, and they admit no wrong. Not all communities are like that, but when communities (and now that I think about it, especially ones where your comments can get some kind of point or reward) get big they trend towards that. Possibly because those behaviors are low-hanging fruit in terms of your comment earning points. Points feel good. No one likes to admit it but they do.
    - indoorfish 8y ago
      And a perfectly ratio'd "blend" of phenotypes is somehow better?
      - 8y ago
spuz 8y ago
> The concept of digital wellbeing is a paradox. No not really. Physical and mental wellbeing is linked to financial wellbeing. It makes sense for Google to want their customers to feel happier and healthier because they can be more productive, earn more money and ultimately spend that money on products that Google advertises.
- scottie_m 8y ago
  Emphasis on feel happier and healthier; it’s enough for the perception to exist without the reality for Google’s purposes.
  - cjhopman 8y ago
    You're making no sense. What does it mean to "feel happier" but not be happier?
    - V-eHGsd_ 8y ago
      > What does it mean to "feel happier" but not be happier? is this an honest question? an alcoholic while drunk might "feel happier" while not being happier. a drug addict might "feel happier" while high, but not be happier.
      - c22 8y ago
        I don't understand this, are you defining feelings of happiness based on some sort of average over time? If so, what is the period and how is it determined? I think great great gp is using "feel[ing] happier" in the sense of achieving higher baseline happiness, not maximizing the "happiness level" of an instant.
        V-eHGsd_ 8y ago
        > I think great great gp is using "feel[ing] happier" in the sense of achieving higher baseline happiness, not maximizing the "happiness level" of an instant. I might be misreading who you mean by "great great gp", but I don't think scottie_m thinks that google is raising the happiness baseline. At least that's not how I interpret > it’s enough for the perception to exist without the reality for Google’s purposes. Anyway, that's enough speculation about speculation for me for one day.
vertexFarm 8y ago
Yeah, it's insultingly obvious and pandering and condescending. Like who do they think isn't going to see through this? Assholes still think they're saving the world somehow.

GW150914 8y ago

It’s the fast-food salad option, or McDonald’s apple slices of tech. If they cared about their impact they’d address their role in it, not seek to marketeer their way out of it with empty gestures.

mac01021 8y ago
Is adding apple slices to your menu an empty gesture? Or even a gesture at all?

nnq 8y ago

> Culture is in shambles and recovery from the magnificent impact of the Internet Some of us see the destruction of this culture thingy as a good thing and are truly rejoycing now, ya know!

twtw 8y ago
Why?
- disantlor 8y ago
  maybe what's being rejoiced is the demise of a white-dominated monoculture.
  - 6cd6beb 8y ago
    This is a really odd place to leap to from "google is going to show how much time you spend on the phone and in each app". It's also a good reminder of why having a bit on your phone that reminds you how long you've been on it is a good idea. Too much of the internet is toxic.
    - disantlor 8y ago
      what’s toxic about it? sincere question. it’s not about bringing down a culture as much as raising up other ones to equal prominence.
      - newfoundglory 8y ago
        Other ones like Stormfront, MRAs and Trump?
      - fny 8y ago
        This at least gives people a moment to consider the other forms of entertainment beyond a screen? Maybe go outside? Interact with people? Play an instrument? Make some art? Go volunteer somewhere? Stand up? Walk around?
      - 6cd6beb 8y ago
        It tends to isolate people into self-reinforcing communities, many of which have two things in common: They have an enemy that they demonize, and they admit no wrong. Not all communities are like that, but when communities (and now that I think about it, especially ones where your comments can get some kind of point or reward) get big they trend towards that. Possibly because those behaviors are low-hanging fruit in terms of your comment earning points. Points feel good. No one likes to admit it but they do.
  - indoorfish 8y ago
    And a perfectly ratio'd "blend" of phenotypes is somehow better?
    - 8y ago

spuz 8y ago

> The concept of digital wellbeing is a paradox. No not really. Physical and mental wellbeing is linked to financial wellbeing. It makes sense for Google to want their customers to feel happier and healthier because they can be more productive, earn more money and ultimately spend that money on products that Google advertises.

scottie_m 8y ago
Emphasis on feel happier and healthier; it’s enough for the perception to exist without the reality for Google’s purposes.
- cjhopman 8y ago
  You're making no sense. What does it mean to "feel happier" but not be happier?
  - V-eHGsd_ 8y ago
    > What does it mean to "feel happier" but not be happier? is this an honest question? an alcoholic while drunk might "feel happier" while not being happier. a drug addict might "feel happier" while high, but not be happier.
    - c22 8y ago
      I don't understand this, are you defining feelings of happiness based on some sort of average over time? If so, what is the period and how is it determined? I think great great gp is using "feel[ing] happier" in the sense of achieving higher baseline happiness, not maximizing the "happiness level" of an instant.
      - V-eHGsd_ 8y ago
        > I think great great gp is using "feel[ing] happier" in the sense of achieving higher baseline happiness, not maximizing the "happiness level" of an instant. I might be misreading who you mean by "great great gp", but I don't think scottie_m thinks that google is raising the happiness baseline. At least that's not how I interpret > it’s enough for the perception to exist without the reality for Google’s purposes. Anyway, that's enough speculation about speculation for me for one day.

vertexFarm 8y ago

Yeah, it's insultingly obvious and pandering and condescending. Like who do they think isn't going to see through this? Assholes still think they're saving the world somehow.