Made to Break: Technology and Obsolescence in America.MADE TO BREAK: Technology and Obsolescence ob·so·les·cent adj. 1. Being in the process of passing out of use or usefulness; becoming obsolete. 2. Biology Gradually disappearing; imperfectly or only slightly developed. in America GILES SLADE Giles Slade is an American freelance writer and author of Made to Break: Technology and Obsolescence in America. He was educated at the University of Southern California and later worked for Harlequin Enterprises, writing adventure novels. Each year, consumers replace old but still-functioning cell phones, televisions, computers, and other electronics items with newer, sleeker models. The discarded items end up in landfills, where they slowly leach their toxic components. Slade examines how obsolescence became a way of life in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . He describes the various forms of obsolescence--technological, psychological, and planned--and how businesses [paragraph] have exploited them to increase profits. Early in the 20th century, manufacturers discovered that consumers value convenience, such as battery-powered car ignitions in place of hand cranks, and that people would purchase new products solely on the basis of style and packaging changes. Slade examines the era of planned obsolescence Planned obsolescence (also built-in obsolescence [UK]) is the decision on the part of a manufacturer to produce a consumer product that will become obsolete and/or non-functional in a defined time frame. , which developed during the Great Depression as a way for companies to increase sales and revenues. The practice became common during the 1950s and 1960s, writes Slade, as a competitive tactic between Ford and General Motors. Finally, the book details the current era of "e-waste"--short-lived components in now-ubiquitous handheld gadgets. This latest phase of planned obsolescence is creating overwhelming mounds of waste that cry out for environmentally friendly Environmentally friendly, also referred to as nature friendly, is a term used to refer to goods and services considered to inflict minimal harm on the environment.[1] products. Harvard, 2006, 336 p., hardcover, $27.95. |
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