#11: Efficiency can cost too much
Here’s a question for you: “Can efficiency cost too much?” Most people think that the point of efficiency is to reduce cost, so how can it ‘cost’ too much? Efficiency costs too much when society pays the price.
For example, efficiency gives us canned mall music instead of soaring symphonies. Efficiency gives us bland warehouses instead of grand cathedrals. Efficiency gives us me-too MP3 players instead of cool iPods. You get the picture.
Inefficiency can be a bit wasteful, but it’s a small price to pay for beauty. And for honest jobs. Don’t forget that the mad scramble for efficiency has given us downsizing, rightsizing and outsourcing, all meaning the same thing - your fired.
If we allow ‘relentless efficiency’ to continue unchecked, our society will become inane, uninteresting and uninspiring. As consumers, we have the power to prevent that. It’s called choice.
I’m james@nonsenseatwork.com
Copyright: 2006 James Henry McIntosh
For example, efficiency gives us canned mall music instead of soaring symphonies. Efficiency gives us bland warehouses instead of grand cathedrals. Efficiency gives us me-too MP3 players instead of cool iPods. You get the picture.
Inefficiency can be a bit wasteful, but it’s a small price to pay for beauty. And for honest jobs. Don’t forget that the mad scramble for efficiency has given us downsizing, rightsizing and outsourcing, all meaning the same thing - your fired.
If we allow ‘relentless efficiency’ to continue unchecked, our society will become inane, uninteresting and uninspiring. As consumers, we have the power to prevent that. It’s called choice.
I’m james@nonsenseatwork.com
Copyright: 2006 James Henry McIntosh
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