On augmented reality

I believe that we should start considering how we will augment reality. Not with a virtual overlay, but rather with a virtual supplement. Our reality is so beautiful and amazing. Why would anyone be so pretentious as to assume that they can build nature better than it already has been built?

The reason I say this is because there is far too much interference from current virtual influences. When the smartphone became mainstream, people stopped looking at each other and started looking at their screens. Office workers already did this far too much, and now we have made it commonplace for anyone and everyone.

If we truly wish to make reality better, we need to ask what is good about current reality and what is missing. Wearing headphones removes the ability to hear the reality around us. Wearing VR goggles removes our ability to see the reality around us. Placing a phone/tablet/laptop/desktop screen in front of our eyes reduces our field of vision for reality. Bigger screens, louder noises, and constant interruptions only detract from our reality - they do not augment it.

If we really want to build a brighter and better future, we need to start designing to augment the human reality. And we can't afford to let the people who profit from our attention to do that designing for us. We need designers who put humanity first.