Isn’t it funny how technology is supposed to simplify our lives, yet often leaves us feeling more tangled than a pair of earbuds in a pocket? Just when we thought we’d mastered our devices, here comes a shiny new upgrade demanding our attention—where’s the user manual for our emotional state, right? In an era where an iPhone has the processing power that soared humanity to the moon, we find ourselves grappling not just with buttons and screens, but with the dizzying pressure to create something extraordinary that matches up to our extraordinary tools. In this article, I explore the exhilarating yet daunting experience of having cutting-edge technology at our fingertips—how it fuels our creativity and the haunting whisper of self-doubt that often follows. So, the next time you’re swiping on your latest gadget, take a moment to consider: are we really creating, or are we merely trying to keep up? LEARN MORE.
New technology fuels a desire to create but can also be overwhelming and lead to unmet expectations.
Apple celebrated my birthday weekend by sending me a new iPhone Pro Max. They do this every year after I give them money and send them my old phone. It’s a tradition at this point.
The new iPhone Pro Max is more or less the same as my old iPhone Pro Max but with better cameras and processing power. And a new camera button. And a better Siri (coming soon). Anyway, this new phone has roughly two million times more memory than the Apollo guidance computers. So, there’s that.
Each phone upgrade provides new opportunities to create, be it writing whenever an idea strikes or capturing incredible moments with powerful cameras. So why do I continually feel like what I make doesn’t meet the caliber of my tools? I mean, I’m not planning a moon mission anytime soon.
In 2007, JJ Abrams shared his concept of the Mystery Box. This TED Talk often lives in my head rent free. While there are a lot of great takeaways in there, he has a kind of throwaway line about halfway through:
So, you know, I love Apple computers. I’m obsessed. So the Apple computer — the PowerBook — this computer, it challenges me. It basically says, what are you going to write worthy of me…
