The Story of Stuff is an excellent fundamentals crash course in materials manufacturing and "consumerism" as our national past time. Clearly articulating the cycles churning around "planned obsolescence" which basically heralds the notion of making stuff to break as fast as possible while still maintaining some sense of "consumer confidence". From a design point of view this little documentary also illustrates the power of design and how it can be used for the dark side all to well. Help us Obi-Wan!
Here is a telling quote featured in the film from retailing analyst Victor Lebow, "Our enormously productive economy . . . demands that we make consumption our way of life, that we convert the buying and use of goods into rituals, that we seek our spiritual satisfaction, our ego satisfaction, in consumption . . . we need things consumed, burned up, replaced and discarded at an ever-accelerating rate."
It sounds like someone is on the design team for SATAN! (church lady face and voice added for emphasis).
On a brighter note this film also offers us a laundry list of ways to get involved and bring about the means to change this mess. So this is far from yet another doomsday docu-drama.
Watch the trailer below and then go check out the 20 minute film at www.TheStoryofStuff.com with Annie Leonard.
