Another day another rumoured product slowdown for Google & Co there is part of me that is curious (but ultimately doesn’t care) if Google is more machine than man. If the goal is to be uncompromisingly objective (or data-driven) why do anything? If you were uncritical (and without shareholders) you would dig a hole (build a product) decide the hole doesn’t accomplish much (maybe you’re overcharging, maybe you aren’t) and that the intervention didn’t change much (nice pricing changes what people can build). Maybe you develop some critical insight and either commit to doing nothing (it will all fail anyway) or embrace the inner humanity you’re avoiding and decide thata choices are worthwhile because they are choices.
Will Google become just the machine? Will they become ever more extractive and manipulative for their shareholders? Am I wrong for being curious? Ultimately it doesn’t matter, but I do hope they stop incinerating human potential whilst they decide.
— LostLetterbox