Numb and Dumb

The topic I'd like to discuss next is based around the question of whether or not technology lowers our expectation of quality. We live in a day where good business thrives on finding new ways to advance and cut cost. Ultimately, it is the customer who benefits (so we think) from more options at lower prices. (think Wal-Mart) But I am open for debate on whether that is a good thing or not.

I think it boils down to the principle that we don't expect much from what we buy today. We view most items as 'things' that fill a temporary need. When they malfunction, we just replace them with an even newer, better, and somehow cheaper model. And to top it off, we expect so much MORE from that newer model than we did before...(even though we paid less for it)

This new way of thinking has drastically shifted consumer spending so much that companies have had to adapt...and quickly. Would you buy a new vehicle today without a warranty? Heck, most companies have to promise ten years/100,000 miles to even get you in the door!

When I worked for Bose, aside from cost, people wanted to know two things....Watts and Warranty. Both of which, in fact, tell you nothing of how a speaker will sound. (It's like asking a car salesman how the car drives...just get in the dang thing you pinhead!) I heard a lot "so when it breaks..." As if their expectations of the product were such that it was going to last 6 months and they'd be back out looking for a new one. They'd be the first to say "Bose is the Best!" but then they'd want to know what the warranty was just in case it wasn't the best afterall.

Some would argue that through technology we've been able to create materials (plastics) that are cheaper and more durable in the long run. I disagree. I have a dresser in my room that has got to be 100 years old. At one point, this dresser was made in a small factory, by a human, with raw materials. Materials that have lasted this long and I could restore this piece in a days work. Have you ever tried to restore anything plastic? No silly, you just throw it out and buy a new one.

It's not that all the stuff made today is junk; it's just for some reason we have no incentive to spend more for something of quality. We rationalize the savings being worth more than the craftsmanship or longevity.

On a side note; if this mentality continues we will lose two of my favorite things:

-enthusiasts (without anything to get excited for, we'll all just become numb and dumb consumers)

-estate sales/antiques (without things that last 6 months, let alone six generations...)


...now post some comments!