The difference between my own lifestyle and that of my great-grandmother is largely a result of mass production. If she wanted to make a little extra money, she would take in washing and do it by hand; I switch on the computer and download an article to one of the online paying sites. Her washing would take a whole day; mine is shoved in the machine and forgotten about. There is no real argument that my life is far more varied, better resourced and more free from drudgery than her's was.
Mass production means that people who do not earn large amounts of money can still go out and find things they need at a reasonable price.
The Problems of Mass Production
The problem with mass production is that the person who makes an item is not the same person who eventually buys it. This can cause a large number of problems:
- Individual items may never be sold
While this is unlikely, it has happened too frequently to be discounted. Cars have stood in fields rotting when there has been a slump in the car market. Unpopular styles in clothing have been thrown away. Popular children's toys suddenly lose their appeal - Items are seldom designed for the person who needs them This means that there is often a compromise. The table you get will not exactly fit the alcove in your house, so you buy one that is rather too small and put up with less area to work. You would have loved a deep-blue evening dress cut to suit your figure, but all the flattering ones are gold and you settle for a dress and jacket which looks OK.
- Buyer Beware! These items may be made of inferior or dangerous materials; food may contain dangerous additive and residues. Unfortunately, since the person who makes the products is never the same person who takes the risks, there is not so much personal incentive to make items well.
Things you can do
While there is little you can do to prevent the waste involved when things are not sold....(No I will not recommend a shopping spree. How is that ecological?)...there are some things you can do about the other two problems.
Items not designed for you:
There are two things you can do to tailor things to your requirements.
- Make it yourself
This will ensure that you get the perfect item provided that you have the correct skills and materials. For instance, if you want that deep-blue evening dress, you need some deep blue material, matching cotton, probably a matching zipper, the pattern for a dress which will suit your figure and good dress making skills. The use of an electric sewing machine would also be handy.
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