Technology improves exponentially the more sophisticated we become as a human civilization. Materials become readily available for manipulation making almost anything imaginable a reality. Plastics, as it turns out, were first introduced in the late 1800s, however not made commercially viable for mass consumption until the 1930s. Of course we now have all sorts of plastics for just about anything the heart desires. Even hearts. And cars, and homes, and car homes. You name it. We can mold it. Since the inception of plastics, our world has become shaped, formed and distorted in extraordinarily disposable ways.
There is a theory that we make the world in our own image, just as some believe God created mankind. It's a strong theory.
Long gone are manufacturing practices that provided long lasting products, immortality is no longer an option for our possessions. Humans have an expiration date, so why not create an environment that reflects this inevitability?
A heightened level of developed thought and awareness through millions of years of refinement should have resulted in creating higher quality things, instead our "advanced" technology has merely provided an opportunity to exploit any type of material for the purposes of greed. The more we consume and discard the more we purchase. It's a fairly sustainable business model as we have adequately proven.
Sophisticated minds translate proportionately to cunning manipulation and exploitation.
Plastics were developed long before my arrival, which was literally the dawn of disposability (the development of plastics was the dawn of disposability, not my arrival) and I fully embrace this convenient way of life as well, yet I can't help but feel we've taken the concept a tad too far.
Everything in our lives is disposable, just look around. Women have disposable lips and boobs and hair. Yards are now filling up with disposable holiday decor on their disposable lawns. I had never seen a synthetic front yard until I moved to to the coastal region of the south, nor have I seen so many fake parts on people.
As a kid our family had one phone for years and years. It was attached to a wall in the dining room and had a long spiral cord that allowed my sister to stretch it all the way to the bathroom so that she could speak in relative privacy. In my adult existence, I have had many phones, most of which have been discarded for more exciting models with even better technology. I'm certain that the smart phone that I'm typing this very entry on right now will be thrown away in the relatively near future once it's deemed obsolete.
Use. Upgrade. Discard. Repeat. Most likely, but not necessarily in that particular order.
Convenience seems to be the only real progress we've made over time. Almost nothing is made of iron or steel by the hands of a true craftsman. Although one could argue that some of the fake boobs around town are relatively well crafted (I've been told), but that's neither here nor there.
To be clear, this is not a political rant about a shallow, narcissistic society or recycling goods for the betterment of our natural environment. This is about how temporary everything has become...or maybe we've just stopped pretending that forever exists, and have ceased to hide behind reusable, long lasting products.
Relics are spooky things anyhow...much more so than floating islands of plastic in the middle of the ocean where we don't have to look at the waste every day. Antique furniture, for example, makes us think of the lives that have come and gone throughout its existence. Continually discarding the products we buy is just our way of throwing away constant reminders of our own mortality.
That's why disposable furniture from stores like Ikea is so appealing. We don't have to sit on an old chair contemplating death.
Today's Jazz Hands are out of sight, out of mind.
There is a theory that we make the world in our own image, just as some believe God created mankind. It's a strong theory.
Long gone are manufacturing practices that provided long lasting products, immortality is no longer an option for our possessions. Humans have an expiration date, so why not create an environment that reflects this inevitability?
A heightened level of developed thought and awareness through millions of years of refinement should have resulted in creating higher quality things, instead our "advanced" technology has merely provided an opportunity to exploit any type of material for the purposes of greed. The more we consume and discard the more we purchase. It's a fairly sustainable business model as we have adequately proven.
Sophisticated minds translate proportionately to cunning manipulation and exploitation.
Plastics were developed long before my arrival, which was literally the dawn of disposability (the development of plastics was the dawn of disposability, not my arrival) and I fully embrace this convenient way of life as well, yet I can't help but feel we've taken the concept a tad too far.
Everything in our lives is disposable, just look around. Women have disposable lips and boobs and hair. Yards are now filling up with disposable holiday decor on their disposable lawns. I had never seen a synthetic front yard until I moved to to the coastal region of the south, nor have I seen so many fake parts on people.
As a kid our family had one phone for years and years. It was attached to a wall in the dining room and had a long spiral cord that allowed my sister to stretch it all the way to the bathroom so that she could speak in relative privacy. In my adult existence, I have had many phones, most of which have been discarded for more exciting models with even better technology. I'm certain that the smart phone that I'm typing this very entry on right now will be thrown away in the relatively near future once it's deemed obsolete.
Use. Upgrade. Discard. Repeat. Most likely, but not necessarily in that particular order.
Convenience seems to be the only real progress we've made over time. Almost nothing is made of iron or steel by the hands of a true craftsman. Although one could argue that some of the fake boobs around town are relatively well crafted (I've been told), but that's neither here nor there.
To be clear, this is not a political rant about a shallow, narcissistic society or recycling goods for the betterment of our natural environment. This is about how temporary everything has become...or maybe we've just stopped pretending that forever exists, and have ceased to hide behind reusable, long lasting products.
Relics are spooky things anyhow...much more so than floating islands of plastic in the middle of the ocean where we don't have to look at the waste every day. Antique furniture, for example, makes us think of the lives that have come and gone throughout its existence. Continually discarding the products we buy is just our way of throwing away constant reminders of our own mortality.
That's why disposable furniture from stores like Ikea is so appealing. We don't have to sit on an old chair contemplating death.
Today's Jazz Hands are out of sight, out of mind.
Day three-hundred and eleven disposed.
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