One of the many complaints we commonly hear about modern life is that it is too busy and rushed. While on many levels this is true, there are elements of this culture which we feel get a bad rep. We think Sheffield is a better place because of these methods and technologies, and we want to explain why.
What is Convenience Culture?
Convenience culture is the general idea that we need to be catered to on a more efficient scale than what is possible traditionally. Fast food is a popular older example of this, though there are many more modern systems which have had a similarly powerful influence.
Self-checkouts have long been standard in many Sheffield supermarkets, and these are themselves aided by technologies such as quick-pay systems. It is probably these quick-pay systems which have been gaining the most steam overall.
The Quick-Pay Example
It’s not just in-person shopping which has seen an increase in quick-pay integration, as online systems have also adopted this more efficient approach. Some of the involved industries see this as important enough to have their own dedicated sections to guiding users to these options.
Online casinos are some of the more popular on this front, as finding the fastest payout and biggest bonuses ties in well with the industry’s other online advantages. Less time wasted, and more time playing. This perfectly illustrates the advantages of blending two advancing technologies together for the betterment of both. This is, however, just the start.
In the Modern World
Sheffield, like many areas which care about technological evolution, has seen rapid change over the last few decades. As with any change, there are those who resist. We want to make an argument for progression over conservatism, as we look at the realities this modern life brings.
Technology has connected us on a scale which has never before been possible. This does pay off dividends in many ways, however, it also creates a problem of significant additional stress. Being connected so often and so easily means that we no longer experience the rechargeable downtime as our predecessors did. We are constantly in contact with friends, family, work, and strangers. While we are social creatures, we also have limits.
Convenience culture, in a direct way, can alleviate the stress of over interaction. When you use self-checkouts you no longer need to waste time with small-talk. Whether you quick-pay with an online casino or a physical local business down on Abbeydale Road, you get more time for yourself, and this is increasingly something many of us need.
Not a Matter of Laziness
There is a tendency for this reality to be labelled as an affectation of an over-privileged culture. Typically this is a complaint levelled by those who operate outside the modern sphere of connectedness.
This sort of convenience, as it should be seen, is not about being in a rush. Rather, it is about adapting to the rush which already exists. Rather than seeing convenience culture as the problem, we see as a technological solution to a hasty digital age, as contradictory as this can seem to the uninitiated.
