Our devices work for Big Tech, not us

GIVEN how many things there are to rage-tweet about these days, it was almost a pleasure to stumble upon the hate for the Analog to-do list system, available from a Philadelphia-based design studio, UgMonk, for a mere US$100. What does that US$100 buy you? Basically, some nicely formatted index cards, and a luxurious wooden box (walnut or maple) to keep them in. You can even get a subscription to get more cards sent to you every quarter! What’s not to despise?

I have no plans to abandon my trusty notebook. Still, I think the haters are sadly mistaken, as haters often are. This rather pretentious piece of design gestures towards three truths about productivity systems that we’d do well to embrace.

The first is that the multifunctionality of our digital devices is often a curse. Tools that do less often give us more.