I was addicted immediately then knew I was screwed

The karma of creating technology and ways to alleviate it.

She snuggles on the sofa, the little one snores, and outside it's dark, and I head to the kitchen. Inside awaits me, a moment alone with the tinkling of dishes dripping water and foam. Before I start, the idea of making this daily chore more enjoyable crosses my mind. I remember the app that's gaining popularity among teenagers. I decide to download it.

Download complete. The TikTok logo appears on the screen. I register and immediately an infinite scroll of videos rushes at me, hungry for attention. A voice within tries to dissuade me but it fades and succumbs. TikTok flirts and seduces me with chiropractic videos. "What are you doing sitting on the kitchen floor?" she asks surprised. I realize my butt hurts and I'm somewhat disoriented. "And what happened with the dishes? I thought we'd watch a movie." I shrink like a bashful goat. I don't know what to say. Finally, "I got distracted. I'm sorry, darling," comes out of my mouth.

I then decided to uninstall it from my phone.

Every time you face an infinite scroll of content, your mind is battling against hundreds of scientists and experts in sociology, human behavior, psychology, anthropology, marketing, data, user experience, propaganda, and Artificial Intelligence.

The creators of the original iPhone thought about the mobile application paradigm to add utility to the iPhone and add a source of income. So, they incentivized developers to develop apps on iOS with the promise of making money.

Mobile application developers began to create applications, but they needed to incentivize their users to buy or consume. So they turned to psychology to keep them using the application longer. Some examples of psychological tricks are social ranking based on the likes you receive, an infinite scroll with posts from people you know, endless options for a product you are looking for, interface customization or refreshing the screen among others.

Consumers like you and I constantly struggle against psychological tricks even when we know about them. If you don't believe me, think of a time when you started using your phone to do one thing and suddenly you're doing something else. What I'm saying is, that is normal for apps to kidnap your attention. Your attention is their money or a way to get it. Entering TikTok is akin to being Neo facing the clones of Smith in Matrix Reloaded. You face many tricks at once, and getting out of the situation is difficult.

Our behavior is just a second-order consequence of the decisions made by those who created the technology and their incentives. What I'm not sure about is whether this consequence was considered before implementing the psychological tricks. Because, without going into details, we're starting to see how is harming us individually and as a society.

In any case, I believe it can be useful to utilize second-order thinking when starting to form any technological device, especially those intended for the masses.

What is Second-Order Thinking?

Second-order thinking is the process of listing the possible consequences of the consequences of something you want to do or have already done. Our behavior with apps is a second-order consequence of the implementation of psychological tricks in the apps.

Another example of a second-order consequence is the London Underground. The London Underground first opened on January 10, 1863.

Here's my experience with the Underground. As I enter the Underground car, I duck my head and make room among the crowd by pressing my body cautiously. Inside, my neck remains arched, and I feel a warmth that, like that of penguins, comes from contact and proximity. The train moves forward, and the breeze crosses the car from one window to another, leaving an aroma of rush hour, dusty tunnel, and irritation. I still have 10 stops to go.

Let's list the main attributes that affected my subpar Underground experience. The size of the car, particularly the height, the London population, ventilation, and price among others. Let's look at 2 of the attributes separately.

The size of the car: In 1860, 3 years before the London Underground opened, the average Londoner measured 166.60 cm. By 1980, this had increased to 176.5 cm. Now it's around 178.21 cm. The train measures about 210-220 cm at the peak of the interior arch of the car. If you stand near where the arch begins, where the door is, measuring more than 180 cm. at rush hour, you're going to be crouching.

The London population: In 1801, the census began in the United Kingdom, revealing how many people lived in a city. In the photo, you'll see the population of London between 1801 and 1871. If you look at the figures, the population increases every 10 years progressively, starting with an increase of 150,000 in the first 10 years of the census and increasing to half a million between 1861 and 1871.

In conclusion, could they have seen that more space was needed? I think so.

The information was available, perhaps what was missing was the awareness and mindset to think about the future which is what we need to cultivate.

The consequences of second-order can have a greater impact than the technology that enables them. We are here to make better decisions and accounting for what happens after we do something is always a good idea.

What can we do to avoid second-order consequences?

Ask yourself some of the following questions:

1. What primary change or outcome does the initial action cause? This question sets the stage by identifying the first-order consequence.
2. Who will be directly affected by the first-order consequence, and how might their behavior or situation change as a result? This question begins the exploration of second-order consequences through the lens of direct impact on stakeholders.
3. How might these changes in behavior or situation among directly affected stakeholders lead to further changes in the system or environment? This encourages thinking about the ripple effects of initial changes.
4. What are the potential feedback loops that could be created by the initial action? Identifying positive or negative feedback loops can help foresee escalating or diminishing effects.
5. How might the initial action influence the competitive landscape or market dynamics? This is particularly relevant for business strategy, considering the broader industry impact.
6. What are the potential regulatory, legal, or ethical implications of the first-order consequence? Considering the broader societal and regulatory impacts can uncover significant second-order effects.
7. How could the initial action affect resource availability or environmental conditions? This encourages consideration of environmental sustainability and resource constraints.
8. What unintended cultural or social changes could be catalyzed by the initial action? This question explores the broader societal and cultural ramifications.
9. How might the initial action alter public perception, brand reputation, or trust among stakeholders? Understanding the implications for reputation and trust can reveal significant indirect effects.
10. What are the possible impacts on human health, safety, or well-being stemming from the initial action? This question addresses the human and social welfare dimensions.
11. How could technological advancements or innovations be influenced by the initial action? Considering the impact on technological progress can uncover effects on future capabilities and innovations.
12. What are the long-term implications for operational efficiency, productivity, or quality? This focuses on internal organizational impacts that may not be immediately apparent.
13. How might the initial action influence partnership dynamics, alliances, or collaboration opportunities? Exploring changes in relationships and collaborations can reveal important strategic consequences.
14. What are the potential impacts on education, knowledge dissemination, or skill development? This question considers the broader effects on human capital and societal progress.
15. How could the initial action affect diversity, equity, and inclusion within the organization or community? Recognizing the implications for social justice and inclusion can uncover important ethical and social consequences.

I believe we owe it to others to help them have better lives, and for that, we need to think beyond the 1-year, and 3-year marks and expand to 5 to 10 years and have in mind what we do at that scale, especially if you release products for the masses.

I hope this article is useful. Let me know in the comments or direct messages. Cheers.