Novelty fatigue: Difference between revisions

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{{a|tech|}}{{d|{{PAGENAME}}|/ˈnɒvəlti fəˈtiːg/|(n|}}
{{a|tech|{{image|Tech furniture|png|}}}}{{d|{{PAGENAME}}|/ˈnɒvəlti fəˈtiːg/|(n|}}


From the “[[this time is not different]]” file.
From the “[[This time it’s different|this time is not different]]” file.


After the ''shock'' of the New comes the ''fatigue'' of the new: the tipping point with any new technology, fashion, fad or bright idea — say GPT-3, [[Bring your own premises|Lockdown WFH]], [[Cryptobabble|Crypto]], AI art, HDR photography, 3D cinema, [[Outsourcing]], Total Quality Management, [[Human Resources]] — when people go, “okay I see what’s going on here: this seemed fun but is really kind of tiring and the output is essentially rubbish. Can we all get back to work now?”
After the ''shock'' of the New comes the ''fatigue'' of the new: the tipping point with any new technology, fashion, fad or bright idea — say GPT-3, [[Bring your own premises|Lockdown WFH]], [[Cryptobabble|Crypto]], AI art, HDR photography, 3D cinema, [[Outsourcing]], Total Quality Management, [[Human Resources]] — when people go, “okay I see what’s going on here: this seemed fun but is really kind of tiring and the output is essentially rubbish. Can we all get back to work now?”

Latest revision as of 22:12, 8 December 2022

JC pontificates about technology
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Novelty fatigue
/ˈnɒvəlti fəˈtiːg/ ((n.)

From the “this time is not different” file.

After the shock of the New comes the fatigue of the new: the tipping point with any new technology, fashion, fad or bright idea — say GPT-3, Lockdown WFH, Crypto, AI art, HDR photography, 3D cinema, Outsourcing, Total Quality Management, Human Resources — when people go, “okay I see what’s going on here: this seemed fun but is really kind of tiring and the output is essentially rubbish. Can we all get back to work now?”

Technology goes one of two ways: it either quickly works, solves a perennial problem, is widely adopted, and migrates in the collected mind from “revolutionary weapon” to part of the furniture — here think email, smartphone, internet, online shopping. This Stewart Brand calls the “invisible present”.

Or, it turns out to be a a flash in the pan, as fun as eating toothpaste off a spoon, and is abandoned as rapidly as it was adopted. If you have a 60inch curved 3D TV that you paid five grand for that now takes up an inordinate amount of room in your living room, and can only be viewed from a 15 degree angle, you will know this feeling.

See also