By Paul McGowan From PS Audio

The top button on my short sleeve casual shirts really upsets me.

I don’t wear ties, I never button that top button, and yet it is there just because that’s the way they make shirts. It’s what people expect or more likely don’t think about. And just because it’s there it causes me no end of grief. When the shirt comes back from the laundromat they button that sucker down in such a way I can hardly get my fumbly fingers around it to unbutton it.

I plan on razor blading off all my top buttons.

Now, this might seem pretty trivial in the grand scheme of things and certainly I will own up to that. But, I bring it to your attention because it begs the question of how many things in our lives exist just because that’s the way it’s always been.

Are we really better off hearing instructions how to leave a message after the beep? How to buckle our seat belts? Do we feel better when told how important our call is as we wait on endless hold? More convinced the bot is working on my behalf when we hear the sound of keys clacking after asking our question? More empowered when asked to fill out a survey? Do we really believe anyone has a clue what my signature looks like when they ask for it at the market? ( as a matter of defiance I always sign my name as Elmer Fudd. Never once has anyone noticed or cared) 

I guess where I’m going with all this silliness is an observation that it’s sometimes valuable to do a re-look at what we sometimes come to take for granted.

It’s not always obvious but I think its helpful from time to time.

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