Will this…

Magazine kiosk, San Francisco, 2008

be going the way of these…

Dead pay phone bank, Honolulu Airport, 2008

This Engadget piece on R&D efforts at the New York Times got me thinking about what gets lost as technology changes our physical routines. How gestures like folding up a newspaper and putting it under your arm to walk down the street become obsolete.

How many aspects of our behavior are influenced by the differences between how we consume online and print-based media?

What physical routines would you be sorry to see go away?

Tags: behavior, Engadget, magazines, media, New York Times, online media, pay phone, physical routines, print

2 Responses to “Endangered Species?”

I would miss the act of making and drinking coffee. Yes, you can get your caffeine in pill form or in a can. But there is something very visceral about smelling freshly roasted beans, grinding them, and following the steps to make the perfect espresso. There is something very comforting about holding a warm mug in your hands and tasting the delicious concoction you made, exactly how you like it.

Comment by Kristy Lovejoy 05.14.09 @ 10:46 am





Kristy, I am totally with you regarding physical rituals (coffee is a favorite one of mine, too). Maybe if digital tools had more tactile variety–texture, etc.–they would be more satisfying in this way.

Comment by Dan Soltzberg 05.16.09 @ 10:50 am