> Software enables the enforcement of arbitrary rules that no human being would have the heart or foolishness to enforce.

For a long time I've been wanting to write an essay about this exact topic. Once you start paying attention, it's everywhere: the automatic upselling attempts at self-service kiosks, the automatic pre-filled tipping inputs in the card payment terminals, and some horribly long forms that require extremely pedantic input filled just correctly, that no human would bother on paper.

I've come to think of this as a kind of automated tyranny. Few real humans would have the heart to keep trying to upsell with such persistence when most of their customers reject the sale. And very few humans would dare to ask every single human to tip a pre-filled amount of 10% or even up in such a bold manner. But because "the machine does it", there's no alternative but to accept it, or to boycott the machines.

My condolences to the author for having to witness their children live through such an experience. It sounds like hell.