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We’ve overwhelmingly used our wealth to make the world cheaper instead of more beautiful, more functional instead of more meaningful.
As Mumford observed almost a century ago, the world loses its soul when we place too much weight on the ideal of total quantification. By doing so, we stop valuing what we know to be true, but can’t articulate. Rituals lose their significance, possessions lose their meaning, and things are valued only for their apparent utility.
One study found that in the past 50 years, musicians have restricted their pitch sequences and reduced the variety in pitch progressions.
The pernicious thing about the Microwave Economy is that even after writing this essay, I will still fall prey to it. Knowing about it won’t make me immune to it. But only once I’m aware of it can I develop a plan to escape it. For too long, I was trapped in an intellectual slumber that only the nightmare of my Brooklyn bathroom and the soullessness of my friend’s McMansion could wake me up from. Until then, I didn’t see how the relentless grain of culture was pushing me towards such a microwave aesthetic.
Until now, convenience has won the battle. That said, I should probably start looking for a more stylish table.
As Mumford observed almost a century ago, the world loses its soul when we place too much weight on the ideal of total quantification. By doing so, we stop valuing what we know to be true, but can’t articulate. Rituals lose their significance, possessions lose their meaning, and things are valued only for their apparent utility.
One study found that in the past 50 years, musicians have restricted their pitch sequences and reduced the variety in pitch progressions.
The pernicious thing about the Microwave Economy is that even after writing this essay, I will still fall prey to it. Knowing about it won’t make me immune to it. But only once I’m aware of it can I develop a plan to escape it. For too long, I was trapped in an intellectual slumber that only the nightmare of my Brooklyn bathroom and the soullessness of my friend’s McMansion could wake me up from. Until then, I didn’t see how the relentless grain of culture was pushing me towards such a microwave aesthetic.
Until now, convenience has won the battle. That said, I should probably start looking for a more stylish table.
The Microwave Economy - David Perell
Posted from perell.com
Enjoying Life
Technology
Standards
Posted 3 y ago
Responses: 2
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I too am falling in this trap. After reading the article the end said something that does resonate with me. I liked the way he had the 2x2 block format for the critical thinking buying technique. Simple yet profound. Think I will try this with my next purchase.
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SFC (Join to see)
The article was pretty long, it blended the thinking between cheap, expensive, quality, tradition, and in general “why we do things the way we do”. I take it as the reason why we take some of the actions we do. I guess this article covers enough information where everyone can read something into it. :)
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I disagree with the inherent premise of the article.
Function DOES trump form, every single time. The obvious goal is to get BOTH. But something that is pretty and doesn't work... doesn't work. Something that is ugly but DOES work... works.
By making the world more convenient, we have ALSO made it more accessible. Even the pretty parts. ESPECIALLY the pretty parts.
Looking at the Mona Lisa online is obviously not as moving as seeing it in person. But how many people can get an up close inch-by-inch view of the Mona Lisa thanks to the internet? How many can view it in person? How many of those who can view it in person are inherently and disproportionately privileged? (Please note, this is not an attack on "privilege" or intended to start a "class debate.")
We have access to great works of art, literature, drama, music, ballet, even modern dance or artistic commentary like Banksy that only a select few would have access to if not for making things convenient.
And it goes beyond the arts.
How many people have simple, cheap roofs over their heads who cannot afford a mansion, a Frank Lloyd Wright house, or even a 1950s Craftsman home?
How many people have greater and better access to medicine - and BETTER medicine (like vaccines)?
How many people have greater and better access to knowledge? Think about what Google, Wikipedia, and even dictionary.com have done for the democratization of information.
And as for the microwave meal itself, which the author uses as a basis for his metaphor, I happen to like them. If the author finds himself feeling "a twinge in my soul whenever I prepare a microwave meal. It’s as if I’m trading away my humanity for hollow convenience" or if he "feel[s] worse about myself after [he] eat[s] one," then that is maybe because he is focusing on the wrong things in life. That's his personal problem, an not the fault of the meal, or the microwave that cooked it.
Function DOES trump form, every single time. The obvious goal is to get BOTH. But something that is pretty and doesn't work... doesn't work. Something that is ugly but DOES work... works.
By making the world more convenient, we have ALSO made it more accessible. Even the pretty parts. ESPECIALLY the pretty parts.
Looking at the Mona Lisa online is obviously not as moving as seeing it in person. But how many people can get an up close inch-by-inch view of the Mona Lisa thanks to the internet? How many can view it in person? How many of those who can view it in person are inherently and disproportionately privileged? (Please note, this is not an attack on "privilege" or intended to start a "class debate.")
We have access to great works of art, literature, drama, music, ballet, even modern dance or artistic commentary like Banksy that only a select few would have access to if not for making things convenient.
And it goes beyond the arts.
How many people have simple, cheap roofs over their heads who cannot afford a mansion, a Frank Lloyd Wright house, or even a 1950s Craftsman home?
How many people have greater and better access to medicine - and BETTER medicine (like vaccines)?
How many people have greater and better access to knowledge? Think about what Google, Wikipedia, and even dictionary.com have done for the democratization of information.
And as for the microwave meal itself, which the author uses as a basis for his metaphor, I happen to like them. If the author finds himself feeling "a twinge in my soul whenever I prepare a microwave meal. It’s as if I’m trading away my humanity for hollow convenience" or if he "feel[s] worse about myself after [he] eat[s] one," then that is maybe because he is focusing on the wrong things in life. That's his personal problem, an not the fault of the meal, or the microwave that cooked it.
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SFC (Join to see)
Very interesting. After reading the article again and thinking a bit more I see it as a long way of saying the author misses the "good old days" when life had more meaning and everything was better. The only problem with reminiscing like that is not everything in the old times were better. :)
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