2018 Trends Report: Technology Fasts

Technology Facts

Written by: Sky King

Photo by: Samuel Zeller

“We have created machines that can change what people think and what people do and the machines can do that autonomously” – BJ Fogg

What it is:

Why are fasts important, it isn’t that you will never consume again, but in a world of limitless options prioritization is the only path to sanity. We are already seeing the technology equivalent of diabetes and it will only get worse. What fasting does, more than anything is give you awareness to how you consume. Just like a 48 hour water fast can make you realize how hunger is often more emotional than physical, technology fasts help you realize that you are wasting the greatest opportunity to learn that has ever existed. We aren’t there yet, but with most of our major products paying billions of dollars to learn how to make you increasingly addicted, people will become overwhelmed and need to find a better way function. Tristan Harris, once was a Google design ethicist and now works with companies to create more ethical designs, has a lot to say about the subject and you should take the time to watch his Ted Talk here:

Where is it in the adoption life cycle?

Early Adopters

This one is extremely tricky and I believe it has been sitting with the innovators for some time now, but as iPhone addicts have struggled with sleep and attention issues the subject has broached the chasm.

Why does it matter to marketers?

People are paying for our attention because we cannot stop making new things. Every market place is becoming overly crowded and as humans seek freedom from stimulation, screen time diminishes so does the time we can advertise to consumers. This means we will have to more savvy to win. Humans, or something in our process, will have to become expert filters. Branding will soon be vastly more important than logistics. We can’t rely on these companies’ recommendations engines. They do not have your best interest in mind...they only have their own. You must understand how customers are deciding to do this in order to place ourselves within the confines of their ritual.