I was just thinking about all these home appliances that are now “smart”….and I realized that it’s got to be men who decided we need these things.
Women still do the majority of housework. I, myself am a stay-at-home Mom. It just occurred to me how all these smart appliances can add an extra time/mental load to everyday chores.
I want to *not* think about my refrigerator for more than the 5 seconds it takes me to open the door and put something in or take something out. I want to load my dishwasher, push “start” and walk away. Likewise my laundry.
These are chores. This is adulting stuff that I don’t want to do but I have to do. The last thing I want to do is faff around with an app on top of that.
So, yeah, the tech bros are increasing my mental load and I want none of it.
Now, having written all that, I realized that many of those smart features can be really helpful for people with disabilities. OK! BUT, make *comparable* models that aren’t “smart”, AND don’t spy on people using the devices.
Thank you for coming to my TED talk.