A useful way to understand an evolved organism or system is to ask what it wants. What actions does it need to evoke to survive or thrive?
The flower wants bees to visit, the berries want to be eaten by birds. Obviously, they don’t have conscious intent, but this desire guides their progression through the generations. When they get more of what they want, they do it more.
The same is true for manufactured objects and organizations as well.
The well-designed tool wants you to hold it by the handle, not the blade, and to use it often and safely. The successful luxury good wants you to show it off to others, and to feel a certain way when you do.
And the smartphone wants your attention. As much of it as it can get. And then a little more. It does that by bringing the outside world to wherever you are, piercing the intimacy of here and the magic of now by persistently creating anxiety or fear or satisfaction, again and again and again.
Choosing to engage with things that want what we want is a powerful choice.
HT to Kevin’s great book.