The author, a UX/CX designer, reflects on the growing disconnect between designing for users and the pressures to cater to market demands, metrics, and short-term growth. The piece is framed as a wake-up call, emphasizing that user experience should never be an afterthought. The author credits Edward Zitron’s essay, “The Enshittifinancial Crisis,” for providing clarity on the current tech and financial environment, where users are treated as mere commodities for profit rather than individuals with needs. The article critiques a tech ecosystem that prioritizes investor interests over genuine user experience, labeling this trend as “enshittification.” It highlights how poor user experiences are often a deliberate choice to boost revenue rather than an oversight. The author points out that key performance indicators have replaced authentic understanding of user needs, especially evident in the AI sector, where products roll out with little regard for actual user value. This approach fosters distrust and weakens brand integrity over time. The author warns that treating users as data points undermines the very essence of good design. Complicity exists among stakeholders who prioritize short-term gains over utility and user satisfaction. To counter this, the piece calls for a shift toward human-centered metrics and a commitment to empathy in product development. The author stresses that without this change, the focus on investors will continue to erode trust and harm the broader ecosystem.