While adjusting my half of the dual climate control in the new car to a toasty 75 degrees, I was struck by how much we customize our experiences. If I were a coffee drinker, I could order precisely the right flavor, with just the right amount of foam, and my choice of lactose source.
On the web, I have an RSS feed that gives me only the headlines I want to see based on my keywords and publication preferences. My web browser loads exactly the page I want to see upon opening the window. Even Blogger lets me choose the template I like for this blog and pick the information I want to present.
We are trying desperately to feel special in a highly populated world. Customization lets us feel like we are getting special treatment, even if our preferences are being fed to us by a computer.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Personalizing the World
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2 comments:
I find my need for customization to be borderlining on autism. It's not that I need to feel special, that my individuality needs to be expressed or something.
It just HAS to be done.
First thing I did when I got my laptop was change the wallpaper, the screensaver, sound and font. Same thing with my mobile and my company blackberry.
Okay now I've got a sudden urge to watch the Rain man ...
Thanks for your comment, j. Customization is contagious. Once you've customized one thing, you want to personalize whenever possible.
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