Simone Montalto @simonemontalto.bsky.social · 04/02/2026That’s what phantom obligation means to me. Feeling responsible for something that never asked for your attention in the first place. Over time, this can turn leisure into debt. Books to catch up on. Episodes piling up. Movies you “should” have already watched. 120
Simone Montalto @simonemontalto.bsky.social · 04/02/2026So in my apps, I chose not to use notifications or badges for new content. Not because I don’t want you to enjoy it. But because I don’t want the interface to make you feel like you owe it something. The content is there when you’re ready. No pressure. No anxiety. 120
Simone Montalto @simonemontalto.bsky.social · 04/02/2026If you want to explore this idea more, I highly recommend reading the full essay here: www.terrygodier.com/phantom-obli...terrygodier.comPhantom ObligationWhy RSS readers look like email clients, and what that's doing to us. 010