A Arbitrarily Annoying Artefacts: Trivial Troubles That Irritate Everyone
Our lives are filled with seemingly minor and trivial inconsequential things that stack up to create an overall sense of irritation. In this article, we explore a few of these annoying artefacts that many of us find ourselves coming to terms with in our daily lives, from magnetic chargers to misplaced inconveniences and more.
Magnetic Chargers: Design for Anger at Apple?
The Charging Cable for the MacBook Air: Apple has faced its fair share of criticism for design choices that, to some, seem purposefully designed to piss people off. One of the most notable of these criticisms is the MacBook Air's charging cable—a minor, yet decidedly bothersome detail that can cause significant frustration.
Look at that charger and mentally snap. The question resounds: Who in their right mind at Apple designed this? It seems that every device management team must be regularly reminded of the inconvenience. The charger falls out every two seconds, causing the cable to plop to the ground every time, rendering it useless. It's a masterpiece of annoyance.
Form vs. Function: Perforation Perplexity
Another source of frustration is related to the way bills are folded for payment. When it comes to paying your water, credit card, or other bills, the perforations are crucial for easy detachment. However, many companies purposely deviate from the proper line by folding the bills a fraction of an inch above the required perforation. This extra half-inch of folded paper makes it extremely difficult to detach the payment section, resulting in a frustrating experience every time you pay.
The Art of Inaccuracy: News Media Multitasking
Turning our attention to the realm of news, one of the most petrifying pet peeves has to do with the language used when describing adult animals. Specifically, the news media's habit of referring to full-grown canines as "pups" rather than "dogs" has irked many a pet lover and animal rights advocate.
The Incident: Consider a recent news report on a video showing a police officer rescuing a dog from a frozen lake at night. The officer, in a heroic feat, inches forward on his belly, retrieves the dog, and saves the day. However, the anchor's description falls short: "The officer pulled the pup out of the water!"
Did you catch it? Did you really believe that a full-grown Labrador, weighing nearly 60 pounds, could be referred to as a "pup"? Many viewers, including me, find this an irritant that goes beyond mere dissatisfaction. It's an inaccurate use of language that deserves a correction from the news media.
Conclusion: From engineering to paperwork, and from media to technology, there are countless minor inconsequential things that can elevate our stress levels. While each of these pet peeves may seem trivial, their cumulative effect on our daily lives can be quite significant. Understanding and addressing these issues can help us maintain a bit more serenity and sanity in our fast-paced world.