I am awed by the number of products which are made each year simply to save people a little time and effort, I refer to it as the remote control syndrom. It seems to me that this has been going on as long as man has been inventing things, and it's getting worse by the day.
Before I get into details, I guess my main question is, why is it so important to people to save a few seconds by using some of these things? What do they gain by it?
Some examples:
Electric Can Opener - What is so hard about getting out a normal can opener and twisting the knob and opening the can?
Drive Through windows - Why are people so against getting out of their car and going in to get their fattening food? I see lines inside with maybe 2 people in them and an entire slew of cars around the building waiting for their food. Why!?
Please answer my questions and also, if you have the time, give some more examples of things that are made to save smoeone a few precious seconds that aren't needed! Thx
2006-09-29 13:08:19 · 8 answers · asked by iswd1 5 in Social Science ➔ Other - Social Science
Please answer how you like, but if you can, avoid simple answers like "Because they're lazy"... that's just obvious... thanks!
2006-09-29 13:09:19 · update #1
Dude! Why are you so sour? I imagine you think yourself smart, insightful and totally above everybody. Your grammer skills are on par - no ebonics and horrible i.m. abbreviations. So I'd say you could formulate interesting ideas, but who could suffer through all that negativity?
Why don't you use your powers for good instead of evil?
Love,
Pollyanna
2006-09-29 18:32:49 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
iswd1, I believe that western society is degrading progressively. Unfortunately it seems that we can find a good excuse to be truly lazy - we are tired, stressed and exhausted... And yet - all of it is because we have run down our bodies and need constant pleasure.
Goal number one in our world of consumerism - higher, faster profit! I want more and I want it now!
I think that people need to leave all automation behind and do everything manually to appreciate life as God gave it to us... I believe that simplicity is the fix for stress and not adding tools to make our life emptier of frivolous actions. It is the little things in life that make us happy - so why get rid of them? Instead of getting a remote control - let's throw away the TV. If Starbucks is going to build drive-throughs - we might as well stop drinking coffee (it was meant to be more of a social stimulant, then a drug)
It is such a steep downhill I am not sure if we will ever stop and turn around.
Kind of a Ecclesiastic picture, isn't it?
2006-09-29 13:25:50 · answer #2 · answered by linen 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My first impression was "because we're lazy" but you requested something more in depth. I really think a lot of it is because people have this inherent need to impress other people. Having the latest and greatest gadget, no matter how ridiculous, makes people feel superior and important. If your neighbor gets something new, don't you want to be cool like them and get the same thing? Also, people seem to have a lot of issues with stress because of trying to keep up and provide in a sometimes uncertain financial climate, so they think they need to make things easier. They get these gadgets to try and simplify, when in reality technology can sometimes be just more stress when it doesn't work. Vicous cycle! We view these convieniences as superior things and we all want to be superior, right? Ok, now I'm just rambling. So examples; those toilet seats that raise and lower by themselves, escalators next to a staircase (we're all getting fat...take the stairs once in a while!), your computer allowing you to access all your personal info on sites without typing in a password and just doing it for you.
2006-09-29 13:21:26 · answer #3 · answered by Danerz 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it is because we are a society that is expected to do a million things at one time - constantly juggling multiple priorities. So, people waiting in their cars at the drive up window are also conducting business on their cell phones...or they're thinking of all of the things they need to accomplish in the next hour and don't even realize they're sitting in line.
Technology has made expections of productivity disproportionate to the number of hours in a day. People seek convenience in food, in can openers, in technology to make life easier and faster - contributing to further and increased expectations for even more productivity...and there is no end in sight!
2006-09-29 13:31:53 · answer #4 · answered by KLo 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We're an immidiate satisfaction society....if it takes to long it's outdated and an inconvienence.
My daughter uses frozen waffles....I make them from scratch.
2006-09-29 13:20:47 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
because we are americans you f*g, stop complaining
2006-09-29 19:46:17 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because they are convenient. :-)
2006-09-29 14:05:23 · answer #7 · answered by Grev 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i have no idea............ mostly because of buisness
2006-09-29 13:16:52 · answer #8 · answered by Drake ☮ 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋