Though often cited as inventing the concept of planned obsolescence, American industrial designer Brooks Stevens actually only popularized the term. The expression is generally understood to mean the practice of artificially shortening product lifecycle with the intention of getting people to buy new replacement products sooner. A product with a limited useful life soon becomes … Read more
by Roark Mitzell. I find a certain reckless spirit inside our modern economy in which it seems everyone wants to throw off legitimate restraints and gratify disordered passions – and do so quickly. I am not alone in my assessment. In his book, Return to Order: From a Frenzied Economy to an Organic Christian Society—Where … Read more
By Robert Stacy McCain. America has been on a “never-ending party cruise” for decades, according to John Horvat II, and the economic crash of 2008 was evidence that the hedonistic pursuit of consumer thrills cannot continue indefinitely. In this sense, our $17 trillion-dollar national debt stands as an indictment not merely of our federal government, … Read more
There are many who judge the health of the economy on the basis of the stock market. With markets reaching record highs, some see this as a sign of an ever-illusive “economic recovery.” However, such criteria can be deceptive. There are a host of other indicators that reveal that things are getting worse – and … Read more
Before entering into the Obamacare debate, I should probably mention that I am among those who suffer from a major pre-existing medical condition. It is not pretty but I have to deal with it. This condition has no cure. I know it can strike me at any time and leaves behind enormous hospital bills. There … Read more
It is difficult to get a handle on what exactly is happening in our troubled economy. Everyone feels the malaise but few know how to explain it. Some say the economy is getting slightly better; others say it is getting much worse. There is debt, unemployment and stagnation which some say is caused by too … Read more
It is ironic that a company that specializes in medieval reenactments would fail to consider imitating the period in its celebration of Christmas. However, that is what happens at the popular restaurant chain Medieval Times. Employees are working on Christmas. Sign Petition In fact, workers in the Middle Ages only worked 120-150 days in the … Read more
Throughout the history of modern economy from the late eighteenth century onward, we find the mad rush to throw off legitimate restraints and gratify passions which we call frenetic intemperance. This frenetic intemperance is so prevalent that a whole literature arose which describes this “irrational exuberance” in all sorts of dramatic words and expressions. Charles … Read more
If there is any common experience where one feels the inhuman aspect of modern economy, it is the ubiquitous phone messaging systems. There is nothing more frustrating than having a concrete problem that need resolving only to have a mechanical voice list the options that do not correspond to your needs. I had this happen … Read more
The present day economic crisis is nothing new. In fact, since the dawn of modern economy in the late eighteenth century, crisis is a permanent fixture. As the book, Return to Order states, this is in part due to the frenetic intemperance found in sectors of modern economy that are constantly throwing things out of … Read more
