Waste

As a function of profit, the best product will minimize cost and maximize revenue. This means that an average product to appeal to the masses will be designed with cheap materials to be manufactured at a low cost, with a throw away attitude. The process of designing product that will ultimately fail and need repair or become replaced is called planned obsolescence.

Products like Swiffer from Proctor and Gamble that have disposable sheets to throw out after one use, or the market for disposable ‘anythings’ are perfect examples. More broadly, the products today have all kinds of sub markets tied to them for replacement parts and service, because the products aren’t built to last. Think of your cars, computers, clothes, and appliances of all sorts. The necessity for these sub markets is job creation, and the planned obsolescence, a by-product of the profit function, enables the so-called growth in the economy.

Waste through planned obsolescence enables the consumption cycle, which drives the economy.

The attitudes of consumers in boom periods become attune to spending more and driving the markets. We see this clearly as National debts in free market nations rise respective to their GDP’s in periods of economic growth. In fact, the average ratio of National Personal debt to National GDP, has historically been between 30% and 50%. In 2008, that ratio hit 100%, the only other time in history doing so was just before the great depression. The monetary system creates waste through the profit motive, it creates waste in financial markets, and it creates waste in virtually all aspects of industry.

There is no need for ownership over many of things we desire today. Once basic needs are satisfied, and the basic amenities and furnishings one desires for their home are acquired, why would anyone want to own and store a set of golf clubs for instance, when they could go to the course, select a set that they like and return them at the end of the game? In a resource-based economy (RBE), one might decide, “Well I like them so much, I’m going to keep them”. One would of course not be restricted from making such a decision, but attitudes in an RBE will evolve towards a new way of thinking.

In this example, the golf course computer system would order a new pair of those clubs to be sent to the club house to replace them, and the golfer would have to transport their clubs home, store them, and bring them back to the course when he/she wants to use them again. Consider parking lots and residential driveways full of parked cars, basements full of sports equipment, collections of books and other media, and musical instruments. If you have the desire to use a research facility or play a guitar or throw a frisbee at the beach, the ability to do so will be provided. Whether you choose to take ownership over such products afterwards is up to the individual previously known as the consumer. The attitude, or phenomenon of the consumer will dissipate over time, and we will become individuals, not restricted from obtaining our desires, while refraining from wasteful behavior. We might not see the value in keeping a lush front lawn of grass for the amount of water it wastes, or perhaps find ways to reuse water effectively so that you can keep your front lawn. Advances in agriculture would allow fruits and vegetables to be grown and harvested anywhere through hydroponic systems, which would decentralize food production and eliminate waste in travel and distribution.

The cybernetic network of human knowledge would manage the earth’s resources to eliminate waste, our efforts focused on new materials and recycling methods. Our attitudes will adapt towards becoming more efficient, our designs will be built to last and function with maximized effectiveness. The products will have no hierarchy of cheap to luxury; everything will be the best it could possibly be. The cybernetic system would be open to the design suggestions from anyone willing or interested, with the combined input of the entire world, emergent solutions to our goals will be made possible. The key is to replace the inherently wasteful monetary economic system with a scientific method, resource based approach where the question is not, “How much does it cost?” but, “Do we have the resources?”.