Made to Break (Part Three)

Made to Break (Part Three)

The third and final portion of Slade's book Made to Break concludes his discussion about planned obsolescence. The connection of planned obsolescence to disposability and its detrimental environmental effects is highlighted. Trends and hype of the "new" and "better" products along with the products' lifespan are essential issues in planned obsolescence. The new and improved features of tomorrow's iProduct will undoubtedly make the current iProduct obsolete. Digital devices like the iPod or iPhone are upgraded every year. These products include new features, that are sometimes not worth the hype, every year. But people always seem to buy into the hype. They want to have the latest and greatest whatchamacallits. This need to want has been conditioned by marketing agencies to the culture. We have become a people of wanters. We could live with so much less, but we choose not to.

Planned obsolescence is an idea that contrasts "make do and mend". Make do and mend is a mindset focusing on preservation, renovation and repair. Instead of disposing working items and replacing them with something new, you would make do with what you had and fix it up so that it fits your needs. I think Slade would promote a "make do and mend" lifestyle.

I don't think that separating oneself from being a participant in the cycle of (e)waste is easy. There is so much temptation to want the new and better item. We're trained to be neophiliacs. After reading Made to Break we are all more aware of ourselves and our patterns of consumption (hopefully). I wonder how many of us actually change our behavior, or even want to.