Consume content

These two words embody many things that are wrong in technology, business and our society. Both words are forbidden in my company.

Do I still need to elaborate?

Abstract concepts such as “user” / “consumes” / “content” used routinely strip the things we love doing from all humanity and sense. When I listen how Apple engineers explain how you can put your content in a glassy rounded box, I sigh and remember how Steve Jobs was talking about concrete things that matter: people reading, artists drawing, musicians composing. Things made sense and products were made with concrete purpose.

When we use such newspeak at work, we focus on the form and forget about the meaning. We stop communcating with clients and start living in our own world of platonic ideas. Results of such work do not make the life better. At best, they produce temporary excitement and fading attention.

Be precise, seek meaning, be human.