ABSTRACT
Our day-to-day lives have become exceptionally frenetic, overloaded and, at times, disorienting. While change is a fundamental ingredient of being alive, the pace of change today is unprecedented, and it is a function of our modern preoccupations. The way of life that results can be overwhelming, even exhausting, because of the sheer volume of information people have to deal with on a daily basis. At home and at work many basic services that were once common have either diminished or disappeared altogether. It has become the responsibility of the individual to sort out all the options and details of each and every task using online systems. Whether booking a flight, making a bank transaction or checking out groceries at the supermarket, it is a case of ‘do it yourself’. To complete these tasks we have to use systems that are frequently poorly designed, mind-numbingly repetitive and extremely time-consuming. This so-called service economy – a misnomer if ever there was one – offers us a host of choices but few opportunities to talk with experienced people who can provide informed advice. In this milieu of rapid change and instability, we continually have to make multiple minor decisions, but it is difficult to know if they are the right decisions and what overall effects they are having.
