Kill the "User": A disillusioned technologist's reflections

A technologist reflects on the current state of tech companies treating users as commodities to be manipulated. The article critiques how 'user experience' design, under the guise of user-centricity, actually maximizes corporate profits by minimizing interfaces and exploiting user data, leading to poor user experiences and digital burnout. The author proposes 'killing the user' – a shift towards more human-centered technology development, exemplified by personal computing, dignity design, folk software, and small software, ultimately aiming for a harmonious coexistence between humans and technology.