{"resolved":true,"match_type":"uuid","source_type":"original_book","book_id":"bff2be14-96b0-46f1-8e61-474593cba908","title":"Pressed for Time The Acceleration of Life in Digital Capitalism","author":null,"edition":null,"publisher":null,"year":null,"isbn":"9780226196473","requested_by":"printed_page","book":{"source_type":"original_book","book_id":"bff2be14-96b0-46f1-8e61-474593cba908","id":"bff2be14-96b0-46f1-8e61-474593cba908","uuid":"bff2be14-96b0-46f1-8e61-474593cba908","title":"Pressed for Time The Acceleration of Life in Digital Capitalism","normalized_title":"pressedfortimetheaccelerationoflifeindigitalcapitalism","author":null,"edition":null,"publisher":null,"year":null,"isbn":"9780226196473","isbns":["9780226196473","9780226196503"],"parsed":true,"ai_readable":true,"document_type":"book","page_count":228,"navigation_url":"https://workshop.closeclaw.top/ai/book/bff2be14-96b0-46f1-8e61-474593cba908","title_url":"https://workshop.closeclaw.top/ai/title/Pressed%20for%20Time%20The%20Acceleration%20of%20Life%20in%20Digital%20Capitalism","fixed_page_url_template":"https://workshop.closeclaw.top/ai/book/bff2be14-96b0-46f1-8e61-474593cba908/page/{printed_page}","path_api_url_template":"https://workshop.closeclaw.top/api/ai/book/bff2be14-96b0-46f1-8e61-474593cba908/page/{printed_page}","read_url":"https://workshop.closeclaw.top/api/ai/read/bff2be14-96b0-46f1-8e61-474593cba908","page_url":"https://workshop.closeclaw.top/api/ai/books/bff2be14-96b0-46f1-8e61-474593cba908/page","search_url":"https://workshop.closeclaw.top/api/ai/books/bff2be14-96b0-46f1-8e61-474593cba908/search"},"page":{"printed_page":172,"pdf_page":184,"physical_index":184,"physical_index_base":0,"printed_page_status":"recognized","page_sha256":"06212ece85671c185ea2b81fcf8603d4ce958a1b05981ef6b61e8be55ecfc59a"},"chapter":"Pressed for Time","content":"The ascribed nexus between high-tech and eficiency is often belied even in conventional, in-the-flesh shopping. Not long ago I visited the Apple store in central London to repair my iPod. As it is over five years old, I was firmly informed that no spare parts existed for such aged machines, that it was redundant and I would have to buy a new one. OK, I said, bring me the new model in any color and I will buy it—where is the cashier? I look around but there was nowhere in the shop to purchase a product. Apple policy is a “personalized” service, so you have to wait for someone to serve you individually. In fact, it took ages. When I inquired as to why there were no such counters, I was told that the company had dispensed with them in order to avoid the appearance of long lines! In their attempt to abolish the cardinal sin of waiting, the company had inadvertently designed a slow service as the condition for purchasing the latest, fastest product. Slowness as a common condition of contemporary urban life is rarely diagnosed.\n\nThe rise of the self-service economy, whereby more and more of the work of consumption is transferred onto consumers, was first theorized in the 1970s.11 ATMs, self-service gas stations, and vending machines were spreading and promoted as being time saving for consumers. More recently, self-service tills at supermarkets and preprepared meals are on the increase. No one could have anticipated the huge growth of online shopping, let alone 3D automated manufacturing or self-driving cars. This trend is being taken to new heights by the world of Big Data that promises a future of frictionless, continuous shopping. As we are tracked and fed information on our wants and needs from online tools, services and apps, we are assured that our consumption will only get more streamlined and eficient. We will no longer need to search for anything since we are perpetually monitored, with the relevant information sent to us on the basis of perceived need.\n\nAmazon, Google, and Wal-Mart are all moving toward same-day shipping, as people become accustomed to instant gratification, where you just type something on your phone and the next thing you know, you have what you need.12 This will soon include Sunday deliveries, boasts\n\nChapter seven\n\n172","previous_page":171,"next_page":173}