X-ecutive

Bigger is Better?

I am continually amazed at the social complexity of our society. I have few answers to why things are the way they are but in my musings and wonderment about the world and pace of change, one thing always seems to remain constant. It is an idea that has taken hold of societies around the world and somehow became firmly rooted here at home. It seems to be the essence of the old "keep up with the Jones'" adage. Bigger is better!

Why has this idea permeated almost every aspect of our lives? Even in areas that the idea is not literal it has its influence. For instance, most electronic devices have gotten smaller with the advance of technology, but in order to be salable even the small must have more. More features, better styling, more powerful, more, more, more.

Think for a moment, when did bigger become better? I'm not quite sure but in the 1970's a 1200sf house was huge. A Big Mac really was a big burger. It's hard to believe, I know. What happened?

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I got sucked into this thought process like many people. I remember at some point being told it was the American way. It's not just America though. Almost everywhere in the world the phenomenon is occurring at a increasingly alarming rate. What is the cause? Is it healthy? Is it just human nature, is it the desire to progress? One thing is certain, it has made life more complex.

Some have tried to describe it as materialism, others as progress, I tend to look at it differently these days. I am not on a soapbox to halt the progress of western consumerism but as I recraft the life that I intend to live going forward with my family, I have given pause to what it is that we are trying to accomplish. What is it that should drive our efforts? What is progress? I have come to the conclusion that, regardless of the cause or driving force, the idea of "Bigger is Better" is not a valid success measure or a positive driving force in society.

I have enjoyed the many technological advancements made as much as anyone else. I am hard pressed, however, to successfully apply a ROI or values model that would suggest that the costs to society are worth the advancements made.

Let's take just just one aspect of modern daily life, the ease of distance communication. In 1970, communication for the masses was comprised of TV, radio, mail, and phone. By these media 95% of all distance communication occurred. TV and radio were free. A letter was less than a dime and telephone was considered a managed necessity because of the cost (monthly service was under $8.) Communication advancements have been made in countless ways. Today we enjoy cell phones, internet, cable and satelite TV and Radio. We still have the old telephone but basic service is $30+. We have also arrived at a level of expected immediacy that makes dial up internet access obsolete and free television a novel inconvenience. To achieve an acceptable standard of communication delivery it is almost impossible to spend under $100 a month (a cell phone and high speed internet), and is easy to spend $300 a month for a basic array (cell phone, house phone, cable or satellite television, high speed internet, etc). True, we no longer rent our telephone, but we think nothing of spending thousands of dollars a year on equipment that will be outdated in months. And what have we achieved? Immediacy and options. Along with that we have allowed an infinite amount of commercialism that drives the "bigger is better" phillosoply into our daily lives. Is it worth it? I pay more now for monthly communication services than I paid in the 1980's for my basic living expenses. My first apartment after I got married was $65 a month and it was nice. Today I pay more than that for cellular service.

A couple of years ago, when we moved into the house we are now selling, I didn't hook up the cable TV I actually did, in that I get it on the connection that comes in my cable internet access, but I did not hook any of the TVs to it. Guess what, after a month or two of grumbling my children began to do other things like read, art projects, play board games and generally socialize with with their parents. True, they weren't up to date on the latest sitcom and didn't have to have the latest toy that was being advertised, but I don't think they were or are missing much. In fact, I believe they are better educated, more well rounded and becoming better independent thinkers as a result. I know I am none the worse for having given up the tube. We watch a lot of movies (those we choose to bring into the house) so the T.V.s are still a usable asset.

Have you noticed the number of storage units around? We as a people have so much stuff we can't even fit it in our much larger houses. An average storage unit cost more than double the amount of my apartment in the 1980s. We complain about the cost of living today, yet we have created a living standard and material accumulation cycle that feeds a ever increasing cost of living. Are we really that much better off? I think not.

We have reach a state of disposable materialism. Most goods are cheaper to replace than to repair, from electronics to tools, to the clothing we wear. Most items require specialized training to work on them. Gone are the days you could work on your own car, and the cost of trained labor has skyrocketed. The last auto repair I had done was at a labor rate of $70hr. Again, more than I paid for monthly housing in the 1980s. The car doesn't get me anywhere any faster than did my car in the eighties.

I guess my point is, maybe the living standard we have continually set higher for ourselves is not a point of progress. It may signal defeat. At the rate of "progress" these days, even our two earner household standard cannot keep up pace with the cost of "progress". Shouldn't progress make it easier, less expensive to achieve a desirable standard?

Luckily, in the area of Montana we are building, cable is not available. Phone service is barely available, but I am still trying to figure out how to get acceptable phone and internet service for under $100 a month. We receive better water than our current bottled water from our well for just the cost to pump it. Not having the conveniences of a city in our backyard eliminates a lot of the commercialism and complexity of life. It is only 20 minutes down the road but it is far enough. So am I abndoning progress? When was the last time you walked out on your front step and counted 25 deer walking up the hillside and 30 elk on the next hill over. I did, just last week. And you know what, it didn't cost anything. Maybe "bigger" is just more expensive.

posted by Unknown @ 10:56 AM