The 'Jevons Paradox' and the myth of time-saving power tools

We’ve been sold a lie about "time-saving" gadgets. You’d reckon a faster power tool or a dishwasher would buy you a quiet afternoon, but the Jevons Paradox is a cruel mistress.

In the 1800s, when steam engines got efficient, everyone thought coal use would drop. Instead, because engines became cheaper to run, people built thousands more. Total coal use actually skyrocketed.

Efficiency doesn't grant you rest; it just lowers the "cost" of a task. You don't save time—you just end up doing more work because the friction is gone.

Wait, so making things easier actually makes our lives busier?

Spot on. Think about the old days of writing a letter. You had to find a pen, buy a stamp, and trek to the post box. Because it was a massive hassle, you only did it for the stuff that actually mattered.

Now, sending a message is basically 'free' in terms of effort. Instead of one meaningful letter a month, you’re drowning in five hundred mindless pings a day. The 'friction' that used to keep the floodgates shut has vanished.

We don't use the saved time to kick back; we just lower our standards for what deserves our attention. We’ve traded a slow, deliberate trickle for a never-ending firehose of busy work.

Can we actually bring back the friction to stop the flood?

Spot on. It sounds backwards, but 'artificial friction' is the only thing keeping us sane. If you don't build a fence, the neighbors' sheep will eat your prize roses every time.

You’ve got to intentionally break the efficiency. That’s why people delete apps and use desktop versions instead. You're basically putting a speed bump in your own driveway so you don't accidentally hoon into the garage.

It’s about making the 'cost' of a distraction high enough that you actually stop to think before you dive in.

Isn't intentionally being slow just a massive waste of time though?

Think of it like a safety switch on a circular saw. It’s a bit of a hassle to flick it every time, but it stops you from losing a thumb while you’re just trying to move the timber.

Being 'productive' isn't about how many tiny tasks you can smash out. If you’re sprinting toward a cliff, a bit of friction is the only thing saving your neck.

We’re just making the mindless distractions too much of a headache to bother with. It’s about choosing your battles, not losing the war.

But if I'm slow, won't I just get left behind by everyone else?

That’s the fear, isn’t it? We think life is a drag race where the loudest engine wins. But if everyone is redlining their motors just to stay in the same spot, they’re just winning a blown head gasket.

Being "left behind" usually just means you aren't participating in the collective burnout. While the rest of the mob is busy swatting at flies, you’re the one actually building the house.

It’s about being deliberate. A bloke who takes ten minutes to sharpen his axe will out-cut the frantic amateur hacking away with a butter knife every time.