Planned Obsolescence
Tiffany M. Rodgers Philosophy
4.26.2012
Doomed Design
Although the revolutionary system of planned obsolescence is meant to stimulate demand and sales, its wasteful modern-day results damage the intellectual progress of the society by misleading consumers, manipulating the population’s view of real modern advancements and the reality of the production process, allowing industrial designers to become progressively unproductive and uneconomical. Planned obsolescence, present in industrial design, is a policy of deliberately planning and manufacturing a product with a limited useful life so that after a certain period of time or wear it becomes obsolete or nonfunctional. Planned obsolescence is applied globally in every area of design and production. It is a tool used by companies to meet objectives and increase profit. Deriving from an economy depressed America, planned obsolescence has undoubtedly become the traditional norm of society.
Over the course of the twentieth century planned obsolescence has become an essential factor of production. Industrial design as a profession began in America during the 1930s which became possible as a result of applied styling and planned obsolescence. Associated originally with advertising and the development of consumer culture in America, the movement’s purpose was directed towards America buying its own way out of a deepening depression. Automotive company General Motors led the way by initiating annual design styles that included slight technical updates. As the trend spread to all means of production in the 1950s the ever present mode of built-in obsolescence became clearly known. Perhaps firstly recognized by its current label, a 1955 Business Weekly edition referenced to the movement as a permanent edition to America’s culture; “planned obsolescence is here to stay in the auto industry and it is moving into more and more fields”(Harmer). Fashion, music, décor, architecture, educational tools and techniques,
4.26.2012
Doomed Design
Although the revolutionary system of planned obsolescence is meant to stimulate demand and sales, its wasteful modern-day results damage the intellectual progress of the society by misleading consumers, manipulating the population’s view of real modern advancements and the reality of the production process, allowing industrial designers to become progressively unproductive and uneconomical. Planned obsolescence, present in industrial design, is a policy of deliberately planning and manufacturing a product with a limited useful life so that after a certain period of time or wear it becomes obsolete or nonfunctional. Planned obsolescence is applied globally in every area of design and production. It is a tool used by companies to meet objectives and increase profit. Deriving from an economy depressed America, planned obsolescence has undoubtedly become the traditional norm of society.
Over the course of the twentieth century planned obsolescence has become an essential factor of production. Industrial design as a profession began in America during the 1930s which became possible as a result of applied styling and planned obsolescence. Associated originally with advertising and the development of consumer culture in America, the movement’s purpose was directed towards America buying its own way out of a deepening depression. Automotive company General Motors led the way by initiating annual design styles that included slight technical updates. As the trend spread to all means of production in the 1950s the ever present mode of built-in obsolescence became clearly known. Perhaps firstly recognized by its current label, a 1955 Business Weekly edition referenced to the movement as a permanent edition to America’s culture; “planned obsolescence is here to stay in the auto industry and it is moving into more and more fields”(Harmer). Fashion, music, décor, architecture, educational tools and techniques,
Cited: Harmer, K. A. "ORGANIZED WASTE - THE HISTORY OF PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE FROM THE 1930 's TO THE PRESENT DAY." Waste: The Social Context (2005): pg. 257-60 Kettles, Nick and Irwin Terry. "Designing for Destruction." Ecologist 38.6 (2008): 47-51. Slade, Giles. "Made to Break: Technology and Obsolescence in America." Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press (2006): 336. Markoff, Kohn. "Ideas & Trends; Is Planned Obsolescence Obsolete?" New York Times (2010)