The Electric Lawn Mower Rabbit Hole | April 12, 2024

My simple purchase of an electric lawnmower spiraled into an unexpected exploration of the vast networks of data that weave through our daily lives. What began as a practical decision to avoid disturbing the neighborhood with the noise of a gas-powered engine, led me down a profound rabbit hole about the origins and implications of our increasingly digital existence.

Our homes are quietly filled with devices that collect data: smart vacuums map our floors, thermostats learn our preferences, and phones track our every move. Even a lawnmower might soon report the size of our lawns. With each smart device, companies collect fragments of our lives, piecing together a comprehensive digital portrait.

This interconnected web of smart devices offers unparalleled convenience, yet it comes with a trade-off—our privacy. These devices, governed by a few powerful corporations, could not only know but potentially influence our living environments.

As my cat Wompus sauntered by, I pondered the implications of this digital integration. Today, I bought a lawnmower; what I also acquired was a deeper understanding of the pervasive, sometimes invisible, ways technology is documenting our lives. What about you? What have you encountered today?