Aaaah, the thrill of new technology and its flashy new designed gadgets. Every pair of new earphones, a gifted memory stick, your latest take-a-lot.com delivery with another better pair of some technological item makes you feel like a kid on Christmas morning. What do we do with old-school phones, cables, plugs and chargers etc.? They end up in a drawer…
Do You Remember When Things Were Made To Last?
That first television set you got or washing machine acquired in the 50’s, 60’s or 70’s was passed down for years and kept on working. You also had only one of them for 30 – 50 years.
Now they are made to last (not last) – it seems, less than the 1-year guarantee you thought would protect your purchase, after which you would rather dispose of it and get a new one as it costs less than having it fixed. These days when you are lucky enough to find a corporation that makes something last we discard them anyway because a new model launched.
Why are they designing some technological items to last but be replaced with the next better, slicker model and clever marketing ploys!?
So, technology has become the same and is being super disposed of on a continuous basis, or chucked into a cupboard or drawer. The only difference is there is nothing wrong with your 40” LED Television set as you replace it with the latest 4K/UHD curved screen TV – but it gets disposed of and replaced anyway because that new more exciting version became available and you just have to have it because it makes you feel more immersed in what you’re watching, or you feel like the pictures have more depth. We all love the 3D movies in a cinema, and a more cinematic, immersive experience is what we seek. Poor cinemas!
I laughed so much when I read this article on how the roles have changed in families. It used to be Dad who collected gadgets. I never understood my Hubby’s obsession with goodies but I do now! I have to practice serious restraint on a daily basis to not press the purchase button on Zando, OneDayOnly, Spree and so many other wonderful e-commerce sites.
How Many Cell Phone’s, Cables And Chargers In Your Drawer?
We have drawers and boxes in special places throughout the house containing cords, connectors and chargers we had since the day the first smartphone or tablet came out. These are either broken and accompanying all the cords or it is working but simply not used as the latest, and latest and …… you get my drift, versions are launched, but the adapter size is not the same, so you can not re-use your previous phone’s charger cable.
What Is Technological Gluttony?
Is the word gluttony even the right term? Gluttony means the excessive consumption of food and drink. It also means “greed”. So I guess even though we are not eating or drinking technology … yet … you never know .. yes it could be called gluttony as we have become accustomed to getting more and more of something that should just be enough. It is best to eat to live and not live to eat. So isn’t is better to have one communication device rather than 20 different items, apps or platforms for just the one thing we need, which is communication. #designingforfuture
Technonoligal Gluttony Can Also Be Called Technological Hoarding
What if I need this cable one day or that phone can be fixed someday… and so it just piles up. Every new device comes out with a different size port for charging, so all those old ones you kept are actually useless, yet, stays in the drawer which becomes a box one day.
Without noticing we’ve all become hoarders. Tech-hoarding – now there’s a new word of substance!
How can corporate manufacturers change this trend and do they want to?
“Technology is Becoming Disposable – Should we Build it to Last?”
The question is, are corporate manufacturers building flashier and more appealingly designed technology, non-lasting things to save money, or just to make sure they make more and more money as the toaster can only last so long and then they sell you another and next year another…
Yes, they need to keep creating smarter and better products, had we as a human race stopped at the first attempt at the race to the moon because of product and material failure we would never have reached outer-space. So, go for it, research, develop, replace but be responsible, recycle!
Technology Gluttony Curse Or Blessing?
The future of our kid’s careers does lie in them being tech savvy. The world has become digital. We do cool things like track our health and fitness. We get entertained by YouTube, Netflix, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest etc. With a punch of some buttons, we can do instant banking – at about the same speed and effort as our previous tablet or phone…
The curse is that we stare into screens, get detached sometimes and use of newer technology, just because it’s fresh of the rack. The key is a balance. Our kids need to sleep, use their ipads and tablets for longer than it takes manufacturers to release a new model. It is our responsibility to teach them how to keep this balance whilst we ourselves are still learning how to do that ourselves. Restraint people, restraint!
Technology Brings Us Together – In An Amazing Way!
As much as technology divides us sometimes it also brings us together. Grandparents in other parts of the country, or in other countries even, can feel part of their kids’ lives via Facebook, Skype and Facetime. Instant communication and photo sharing is the thing now … compared to years ago when a postcard and a pic or two would have sufficed.
When Mom or Dad travels for business or pleasure you can say goodnight to the little one’s or to each other instantly, almost face to face.
Technology And Safety
Don’t you just love your GPS function on your phone? I found “Waze” to be fantastic. Safe travels. We can also track our kids whereabouts these days, wearable tech tracking them on our phones, they can even launch an emergency call to us from a small device strapped to their wrists.
You can ask for instant police assistance with an App called Namola.
Technology Brings You Dinner!
You can order Uber or UberEats at the press of a few buttons. The list is endless.
I am all for technology gluttony as long as I can start my day with a cup of “coffee luv” and a hula session where I stare into the sky and be mindful before diving into the day filled with delicious technological possibilities.
Where Will it End?
That’s a question we all need to ask ourselves, where will this all end? Hard to say, design and integrated tech is moving forward so fast that it’s not even worth getting the latest iPhone7, after all, “iPhone8 will be out in a couple of months” some say and besides, it basically has exactly the same design… Will we see consumers flock to the new and “improved” phone, just because you don’t want to be seen with the old one any more. Time will tell…
Article by Lalage RouxMarais
