The Inconvenient Ratchet of Convenience

Philosophics — Philosophical and Political Ramblings · Jul 29, 2026 · 5m

Language philosopher Bry Willis explores the deceptive nature of labour-saving technology, arguing that modern conveniences often fail to reduce our overall workload. Rather than vanishing, saved effort is frequently displaced into "shadow work" or swallowed by rising societal expectations and increased task volume. This phenomenon is driven by a selection bias for least effort, where we consistently choose easier paths without accounting for the vital skills and systems being abandoned. Consequently, we create a "ratchet effect" where returning to manual competence becomes nearly impossible…