I recently took a new job, and by taking that job I moved from a Google and Apple organization to a PC and Outlook organization.
I find this very distressing.
Some context:
My family got our first computer when I was four or five – a Macintosh Classic. I absolutely loved it, and my sister and I played Super Munchers and Sim City until we wore the unreasonably chunky 1990s keyboard down a little. Although I’ve worked with Windows, Microsoft, and Android occasionally over the years, my little digital native heart always insists on returning to the sleek, integrated systems of Apple and Google. Customizations and control have always been less important to me than simplicity and a shiny user interface.
And when my last organization started using Google for everything, I spent hours organizing and color-coding my emails and calendar so I could know at a glance whether my next appointment or communication was business or personal. Yes, it matters that much to me.
No, I’m not turning this into a tech blog and I’m not going to review the next iPhone (what number are we even on at this point, LVII? Or is that the Super Bowl?) I’m telling you this so that when I say I find the switch to PC and Outlook very distressing, you understand that there’s some history. I’m not being a dramatic millennial.
(Although I guess I should say I’m not just being a dramatic millennial, we’re all a little dramatic. We grew up on Brittney Spears and the Clinton administration, can you really blame us?)
See, I discovered this week that I can’t integrate my new calendar into my Google calendar. I cannot take my Google calendar with me into this new world. My beloved Google calendar, which includes a color-coded birthday list with a reminder system that works at least 50% of the time (that’s 50% more than anything I’ve had before) either has to die the slow technology death of the unused system, or I have to utilize two different systems.
This is a heck of a lot of context to say this: it feels like everything in the world pushes against minimalism.
Got your routine down to a science? Sorry, here’s a wrench in your plans.
Know exactly which brand of shampoo you want to use for the rest of your life? Well, it’s discontinued. But we’ve made three new options for you to try instead!
Love that local store that has one of everything? Good news! We’re closing it and opening a superstore that has 14 of everything so you won’t know which one to buy!
Really like this song? We made you a remix! Actually, we made you a whole mix tape of remixes!
The complications and extras of life always seem to come packaged in enthusiasm, like they’re doing us a favor.
Don’t misunderstand me. Change can be very good and necessary. But erasing simplicity for options and customizations causes us to have to make more and more decisions, most of which don’t even matter.
And I find this distressing.
I don’t have a fully-formed response yet, as I’m still trying to find time on my new calendar to think about it.
So what do you think? Is this something that bothers you? And if so, how do you deal with it?
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