Critical Analysis #9

For the past three blogs I have been taking a look at Made to Break: Technology and Obsolescence in America by Giles Slade.  In the first two sections Slade has talked mostly about how our society has conditioned us to need new things after a certain period of time.  Manufacturers have done this through new models, and items that are made to break after a certain period of time.

In the third section of his book Slade continues to talk about the development of obsolescence becoming normal in our society.  He writes, "By this time, the rapid pace of technological obsolescence was an accepted fact in software design.  Application packages were updated every eighteen months or so, in a spiral of repetitive consumption" (214).  With this quote we can see one of Slade's main points; that since technology was advancing so quickly our society was growing to accept obsolescence because without it we could not advance.  Ultimately I agree with Slade's point here.  I think this because I personally accept the fact that things go obsolete because I know in the future I will get another version of the product.  A perfect example is the Ipod.  When a new one comes out everyone either gets it or decides to wait for the next one.  This type of behavior is exemplified by many in our culture.

Slade also talks about how the industry of video games was advancing quickly as well.  As someone who enjoys video games a lot I can see effects of this still today.  For example, every year there are new versions of the best games and because of that unless you buy a new one you lose out on many of the features.  The premise is the same in that in all aspects of life we expect to have to buy new versions of things when they come out because our culture has conditioned us to.

Another thing that Slade talks about is e-waste.  He says that in terms of cell phones, "The number of these discarded miniaturized devices now threatens to "exceed that of wired, brown goods [in landfills]" (276).  Because with new technology people buy new things very often there is a lot of e-waste.  I know for me I get a new cell phone every six months and so every six months I'm also throwing one away.  All of this trash including cell phones, computers, lap tops, etc. it has to go somewhere and we are filling up our landfills with it.

Overall I thought Slade's book was very informative but I did not find it to be very interesting.  I feel like I definitely learned from it, but it is not a book I would recommend to others.  One thing that I will point out though is that I really never thought of the idea that things are "made to break" before.  But now that seems like a feasible option.  In fact it seems like a profitable option so I don't know why they wouldn't do that.  Giles Slade provides a very strong argument for this and his other claims.