Comm 140

Media materialities:

In our society today products, specifically in the technology industry is always changing forcing consumers to be very aware of these new products and old ones changing.

Consumers have to:

1. Consumers have the challenge of preserving old forms of technology, while being lured into new technology forms

Corporations have to:

1. The needs to support old designs faces the constant pressure of keeping up with cutting edge technologies.

Planned obsolescence: the intentional shortening of a products life time to increase sales of that particular product

Sustainable development: development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (development that manages people (human capital), profit(financial capital), planet (natural capital)

Sustainable design refers to the design of artifacts with the above three emphasis (human, profit, environment) in mind.

• Design for the environment (DFE) refers to the majority, focuses on a particular environment (social or environmental) within realm of sustainable designs.

How to achieve sustainable design?

• Focus on reducing energy, reducing weight of products, reducing waste or toxic from products, and limiting transportation are all ways to achieve sustainable design

Product lifetime: the number of hours a product will be used in its lifetime

Lengthening the lifetime of products will help reduce the environmental impacts of particular product, and it can slow down individual consumption, in turn lowering quantity of waste

“planned obsolescence may be a necessary condition for the achievement of technological progress and that a pattern of rapidly deteriorating products and fast innovation might be preferred to long-lasting products and slow innovation”

Planned obsolescene:

benefits:

• Means of promoting innovation,
• Allows manufactures to give consumers what they want

Consumer engineering: “shaping a product to fit more exactly consumers needs” (Sheldon and Arens 1932: 1)

“We can no longer take it for granted that because people buy a thing they are satisfied. A larger market may be obtained by some change in the product” (Sheldon and Arens 1932: 6)

Cons:

• Supporting the idea of planned obsolescence with the argument discarded goods of one groups can serve the needs of another is not true in all markets. Most second hand products end up in waste and taking years to deposit.
• The idea that the rich or the ones capable of purchasing the most relevant products can cause social stratification. While the middle and lower class are expected to buy second hand products.
• A society that is controlled and centered around the buying of material possessions can cause people to place a value on the act of possessing things. Causing people to become obsessed with such products.

Vance Packard The Wastemaker 1960, he criticized obsolescence and laid out 3 distinct types:

1. Obsolescence of function: when a new product is introduced and the old product no longer serves that same function. (CDs to MP3 or online steaming)
2. Obsolescence of quality: when a product is made to last a designated amount of time. Usually short lived, and low performing products. (getting new drivers license)
3. Obsolescence of desirability: when we have a product that is sound in terms of quality and performance becomes worn out becomes of fashion or some other reason.

He supported the first but warned against the last two types, saying they were dishonest