I was at a local Staples today grabbing some office supplies. While there, I
took a look at the laptops they had on display. Universally overpriced with
loads of crapware/adware and all with a highly visible 'Windows 8 installed'
sticker. The usual bait-and-switch with a sticker price in a large font and
the admission in a tiny font at the bottom edge of the tag that the actual
price is higher, unless you send in for a mail-in rebate. Rather than tout
how worthless it all was and how a decent text editor was nowhere to be
found, stickers touting the latest version of Office for just $50 more, and
some sort of kiosk display with prominent Facebook and Netflix icons. No
mention of the required anti-virus software, I guess that's just assumed
nowadays. How can people use these to do anything useful, I thought to
myself? The answer is they can't, and they are not intended to be useful,
merely to enable consumption.
While walking along the notebook aisle, I noted a giant sign touting Avery's
(the well-known label company) partnership with a photoshopped, giant
likeness of Martha Stewart. In the back of the store, seated near the office
desks, was a young employee speaking to an older woman, it must have been a
class of some sort, as he was explaining in an animated fashion how to use
google to find out how to do computerey-things, like add a row to an excel
spreadsheet. He excitedly explained how he taught himself to fix computers
by just trying things out and seeing what happened. The woman seemed amazed
that this was possible. Nothing is obvious to the uninformed or those who
have lost their curiosity. I think growing up in a first-world society means
being accustomed to having information handed to you in sound-bites and
small, easily digestible chunks so as not to strain the brain cells. Don't
think, just consume. We'll tell you how to think.
