Home » Blog » On Additive and Extractive Technologies
A reader recently shared a Substack post they believed I would appreciate. The author, Priscilla Harvey, writes, “I bought my kids a vintage phone to keep smartphones away from them while still allowing them to communicate with their friends.” She observes, “However, it has turned into the most delightful, unexpected surprise: my son's new daily chats with his grandmothers.”
As Harvey elaborates, her son has developed a routine of lounging on the couch, conversing with his grandmother through a classic rotary phone, the long cord stretching across the room. “There’s no scrolling, no distractions, no comparisons, and no chasing after dopamine hits,” she points out. “Instead, he listens to stories, asks questions, and enjoys the reassurance that someone who loves him is there on the other end.”
The central theme of the post addresses children and technology. Harvey confiantly counters the prevailing culture of resignation regarding youth and phone usage, uncovering something meaningful.
However, I believe there’s a broader concept at play here.
The traditional hard-plastic, curly-wired telephone exemplifies what we might term additive technology. Its purpose is to simplify and enhance valuable activities, like connecting with familiar people. Want to speak with your grandmother? Just dial her number, and her voice comes through, clear and immediate. The phone is designed solely to add value to your life.
In contrast, consider Instagram. The value proposition becomes unclear. You may find enjoyment in certain elements of this app: the occasional distraction or a rare update from a beloved friend. Yet these pleasures are accompanied by numerous disappointments. Scrolling can become alarmingly addictive, and the content often turns into a confusing mix that is both brain-numbing and anxiety-inducing.
Differing from the straightforward advantages of a landline, it quickly becomes evident that this tool does not prioritize your well-being. Instead, it seeks to engage you just enough that you pick it up, allowing it to profit from your time and data. This could be labeled as extractive technology because it focuses on extracting value from you rather than providing it.
My philosophy of techno-selectionism is based on a fundamental belief: we need to be much more discerning and selective about the tools we incorporate into our lives. This objective becomes challenging when we evaluate our choices solely based on whether something offers us any advantage. Almost everything can meet that minimal criterion.
However, if we differentiate between additive and extractive technologies, it becomes clearer. The key factor is not whether an app, device, or website is flashy or potentially exciting. What truly matters is whose interests it ultimately serves. If it’s not ours, why engage? Life is too short to squander moments on the phone with grandma.
A reader recently shared a Substack post with me that they thought would interest me. "I purchased a vintage phone for my children to prevent smartphones from ... Read more