Technology and Illusions

inspired by Sherry Turkle

3D Printing gives us the illusion of design knowledge.

Recording music gives us the illusion of being able to play it.

Short-form video gives us the illusion of understanding.

Gaming gives us the illusion of being productive.

Social media gives us the illusion of human connection.

I’m not knocking these tools. I actually love technology and the superpowers it can give us. But when their use goes unchecked, it can lead to deep unhappiness. The gap between the feeling of doing something and actually doing it widens—and we inhabit that gap without noticing.

Technology removes friction. It collapses time and eliminates risk. We can simulate mastery without the years of practice. We can feel productive without real stakes. But something gets lost in that removal. The friction, the time investment, the risk of failure—these aren’t obstacles to authentic skill and meaning. They’re what make them real.

Yes, let’s be creative with technology. Let’s leverage these tools to explore, build, and connect. But let’s also be mindful of the illusions they create when we use them without thinking. The tools themselves aren’t the problem. It’s the mistaking of the gesture for the substance.