Recent articles in The Atlantic suggest design increases expenses and decreases quality of life. Amanda Mull proposes more friction in online shopping interface designs in “It’s Too Easy to Buy Stuff You Don’t Want.” Elsewhere, Elisabeth Rosenthal questions spa-like hospitality and branded patient “journeys” in “Hospitals Have Gotten Too Nice.”

Ideally, as Simon once suggested, design should lead to preferred situations. Buying and receiving things faster and more comfortable hospital stays are undoubtedly innovations. But what happens when preferred situations have externalities like overconsumption or unequal access to proper healthcare?

Where’s the line that, when crossed, happiness becomes unhappiness? When are policies or nudges needed to minimize the less savory viral qualities of “good” design? Who gets to decide? These questions about the social impact of design demand thoughtful and collective discernment as the world and discipline continue to evolve rapidly.

Update: Annie Lowry (also for The Atlantic) blames consumers for inflation. Maybe, as she alludes, it’s too easy to buy things.