The Tyranny of Now: How Technology Impairs Good Judgment, and What You Can Do About it

The Tyranny of Now: How Technology Impairs Good Judgment, and What You Can Do About it

Put down your smartphone/device for just a minute and ask yourself: If you knew that Steve Jobs refused to let his young children use the iPad because of its addictive design, would you still let your child have a smart device? What if you knew that, since the dawn of the digital revolution in the 1970s, global IQ tests scores have been dropping? Or that multitasking is a myth–it’s actually a time waster? Or that the mere presence of your silent phone is a distraction? This is a book by consumer behavior expert Greg Petro about how difficult it has become to make thoughtful decisions in a world gripped by the tyranny of now–as in “right now.” The technology that freed us from the constraints of time and place has become a tyrant that is never satisfied and never sleeps. Driven by the rush to act, we send poorly worded text messages that sow confusion. We write important emails that drown unread in a sea of junk mail. Driven by the “now” factor, in a blizzard of distractions, we make life-changing decisions on the fly, often with predictably flawed results. And phone addiction is real. It's not just you. Petro, a longtime Forbes.com contributor, draws on his experience and the research of others to highlight what you should know about the science and culture of decision making, and the hidden forces and patterns that unconsciously undermine good judgment. The stories, studies, examples, and resources cited are often surprising, but all support a simple but profound concept. We all need to slow down, think before speaking, and pause before sending. Petro shares—in succinct layman's terms—some of the tips, suggestions, and ideas about how to get in touch with your best decision-making skills, and what some institutions are doing about it. Schools are starting to experiment with smartphone bans. Dating apps are losing their allure and in-person speed-dating is on the rise. Petro addresses this affliction of our times—the tyranny of now—by reminding readers that, as consumers of technology, we can choose how we use it. Readers will find inspiration, motivation, and practical advice.