Some Points About Perception
Conjured up by Martin B with a shit pile of help from an A.I. Robot that goes by the name of "Rhonda G. Blevins".
The Windshield Illusion:
Miles considered himself a trendspotter. He prided himself on staying ahead of the curve, always equipped with the latest gadgets, the fastest apps, and the newest ideas. He lived by one assumption: if he was doing something, the world must be too.
One evening, while watching a late-night tech panel on TV, a guest speaker declared, "No one uses desktops anymore. Everyone’s on their phone. It’s the only way to live." Miles nodded along, tapping at his phone with smug confidence.
Later that week, during a meeting at his company, Miles pitched a bold idea: scrap the desktop version of their platform. "It’s dead weight," he said, waving his phone like a priest swinging incense. "Nobody’s looking at websites from their computer. It’s all about mobile now. The phone is your personal windshield. Everything happens through it."
Janice, their senior designer, raised an eyebrow. “That may be true for you, Miles. But let’s check the data before we rewrite the entire product strategy.”
The team pulled up the analytics. To everyone’s surprise—except Janice—over 40% of their users still used the desktop interface regularly. Many worked in professional environments, multitasking across screens. Others lived in areas with limited mobile data or simply preferred a larger display.
“What about Carl in logistics?” Janice added. “He’s got that dual-monitor setup and hasn’t touched a phone browser in years. He says it's like trying to paint a house through a keyhole.”
Miles looked sheepish, but still tried to defend his stance. “Okay, but I mean... most people I know—”
“That’s the problem,” Janice interrupted kindly. “You’re mistaking your world for the world. Just because your view is shaped by the windshield of your phone, doesn’t mean everyone else is driving the same car.”
Moral: One person’s experience isn’t a blueprint for all. Your windshield might give you a clear view—but it’s still just one lane on a much bigger road.
