Unfortunately, I have also too readily jumped on the
bandwagon of consumerism and, at times, have been enticed by the allure of
newer things, but not taking into account the true costs of conversion. More
bells and whistles does not necessarily always equate to a better product.
Newer trends and every current cause célèbre that dominate the front pages of
the news at any given time should be viewed with skepticism and trepidation,
rather than leaping in blindly. There are many inventions, methods and
materials that we still rely on that have been used for hundreds… even
thousands of years. Though some of these things that are currently in use are
controversial and perhaps even dangerous or potentially harmful to our
environment, it is nonetheless unwise to turn our backs on these invaluable
resources in favor of something simply because it is new or because the current
asset has inherent flaws. Remember this: all technology, resources, methods and
forms of energy have inherent drawbacks. There are multi-billion dollar
campaigns in effect that coax, encourage or even force us to “upgrade” to that
which is often inferior, costly or inefficient. Consumerism, corporatism and
“Political Correctness” cost us – big time. Rather than keeping the good things
and improving on their strengths, we have been subject to losses because we
have little or no control over the new products and resources that we have
available to us to use.
The only viable recourse is to cling to and preserve our
legacy assets and to never let them die. For some things, we have experienced
somewhat of a revival of that which was considered obsolete. There are many
examples, but one clear example that most of us are aware of is the return of
vinyl records. When digital audio hit the market in the form of CDs and
subsequently digital downloads, there were still holdouts that kept their vinyl
and refused to succumb to consumerism. In the past decade or so, there has been
an increasing market for vinyl recordings. Manufacturers have even started
producing new turntables and pressing new albums, however their prices are
exponentially higher than other media. All the classic vinyl has all but
disappeared from the shelves at thrift stores due to increased demand.
Though I am not vinyl connoisseur or audiophile who needs
vinyl, I appreciate the reasoning behind the revival. Over the years, I have
found several specific items that have disappeared from the store shelves and
are only available (for a high price) online – if at all. One of these things
is an Ecko Flint Arrowhead potato masher. Anything that even resembles this
cooking utensil is cheap and breaks down under normal use. The vintage one is
sturdy and lasts many years. I still have one that I picked up at a garage sale
decades ago. The cheap ones I have bought in the meantime are long gone.
A couple years ago as I was preparing to go to school, I
sold a bunch of my musical equipment. There were several items I really should have
hung onto because now I have found that since I am repurchasing them at a much
higher price. Apparently, I am not the only one who has recognized their worth.
In many respects, this value is in the simplicity and durability – disappearing
attributes in modern devices. Many people view these purchases as “going retro”
and don’t really understand the purpose of why I have been doing this. In a
consumerist world, these are difficult things to try to explain. In simpler
terms, though, many people were upset because the iPhone 7 was missing a very
important item – the headphone jack. Apple has disappointed many professional
users as well by not including necessary features o their “professional”
computer line.
In light of all of this, what can we do? As mentioned
before, never let go of that which is important. If you value your vehicle that
burns gasoline, keep it maintained and in use. If you value your headphone
jack, refuse to purchase the iPhone 7 and keep using your older model. If you
aren’t ready to give up on your older technology (even though what you have is
not technically obsolete), refuse to buy anything new. Let your manufacturers
know your displeasure. Blog and vlog your opinions. Even though it may take a
few cycles for corporations to get the message, corporatism will adapt to the
desires of consumers and perhaps we will see revivals and preservation of that
which is important to us. We can also, as innovators, inventors and engineers, refuse to give up on that which has a proven history of success and we can continue a legacy of success, not to give in to flighty trends and consumerism - to improve on that which is already good. To add to the good and make it better.
Here's to a successful and prosperous 2017!
