I wonder if other people consider the romance of things before they consider their function. If it was up to me, I think I would write all of my documents on a typewriter, wear dark Ray Bans in and outdoors, wear corduroy pants daily, design all my own furniture with victorian wingback chairs in mind, and structure my day around 4 o'clock tea time. In my home, I would sit at a cluttered desk and call people on a telephone. 

I think design and technology progresses towards improving peoples lives in the minimalist-white-box sense, but I have a feeling that it is inherent for humans to live comfortably, not ideally.