As I began to work on my Individual Assignment I-3 “The Next Great Aggie Innovention,” I began to think of the purpose of creating disposable technology. This was also a topic that was discussed in class prior to today. The disposable technology that was most specifically talked about was I pods and cameras. It is unbelievable how many companies such as Apple and Sony design and manufacture items that will be replaced in only a couple of months. The sad thing is that as consumers, we become guinea pigs and react exactly like their expectations. Every time we see a new “generation” of tangible technology we automatically desire to have one. And almost every time, we run to the nearest store and purchase it for a very expensive price.
This of course is music to the ears of every engineer that designs the product. The consumers’ devotion to purchasing the next technology allows all the employees of such companies to live and obtain a paycheck. Maybe this process is part of a capitalist economy, yet I refuse to be a robot that buys these appliances with no will.
The problem is that there is no simple solution to the problem because whatever you do, you will be at a disadvantage. If you choose to purchase it, you will waste vast amounts of money. Yet if you refrain from purchasing it, then you will not be technologically up to date and co-workers will have an advantage over you. This could easily stagnate your career.
And so you may ask yourself “what do I do?” To be honest, there is no right answer that will avoid both consequences. But what one can do as a consumer, is to refrain from buying every generation. Purchasing disposable technology and replacing old technology every five years or so could greatly help your wallet and prevent you from becoming technologically ignorant.
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