- Watch The Story of Stuff on its website HERE or on YouTube HERE, taking notes as you watch.
- Write Blog 17: The Story of Stuff, a 250+ word response to ONE of the topics below.
In The Story of Stuff, Annie Leonard argues that
According to those exploiting the planet's resources to make stuff, the people living in the countries with the resources do not have value because they don’t own the resources even if they’ve been living there for generations, they don’t own the means of production, and they’re not buying a lot of stuff.Who/What is responsible for this reality? Who/What benefits from it? Who/What suffers because of it? Is this reality necessary? Is it right? Provide evidence from your own experience or from what you have read and discussed in class.
2. Planned Obsolescence/Perceived Obsolescence
Define "planned obsolescence" and "perceived obsolescence" in your own words. Who/What is responsible for these marketing strategies? Who/What benefits from them? Who/What suffers because of them? Are these strategies necessary? Are they right? Provide evidence from your own experience or from what you have read and discussed in class.
3. Expendable Workers
In The Story of Stuff, Annie Leonard argues that
The erosion of local environments and economies ensures a constant supply of people with no other option. Globally 200,000 people a day are moving from environments that have sustained them for generations, into cities, many to live in slums, looking for work, no matter how toxic that work may be.Who/What is responsible for this reality? Who/What benefits from it? Who/What suffers because of it? Is this reality necessary? Is it right? Provide evidence of this reality from your own experience or from what you have read and discussed in class.
4. The Purpose of the American Economy
According to Annie Leonard, President Eisenhower’s Council of Economic Advisors Chairman said that “The American economy’s ultimate purpose is to produce more consumer goods.” Do you agree with this statement? Why? Why not? If not, what do you think should be the ultimate purpose of the American economy? Why?
If you are writing on this last subject, you may want to watch the related video, The Story of Broke HERE.
