At the end of
the 19th century, after the second industrial revolution, mass
production became the standard way to produce goods. Back then this
transformation was seen by many (including the modernists) with idealist eyes. The
possibilities provided by increasing efficiency of production inspired a positivist
discourse regarding the benefits that “the modern way” would bring to humanity,
including democratization of consumption due to lower costs, comfort, etc. Although
many of these expectations where actually met, today we know that the model of
mass production brought other problems that at the moment were not considered.
The social, environmental and economic issues that abundance brought along lead
us to see mass production today as a system that “doesn’t work anymore”.
According
to many analysts a new model of production and consumption is currently emerging;
a model that can, once again, revolutionize the way we get and make things. This
new model involves flexible infrastructure of production to manufacture
products on demand in order to respond to personalized needs and desires. Once again
technology promises to solve many of the current problems of humanity generated by the
“old system”; and if this time we want to see the actual results
that this “revolution” may bring, we should approach it with as much
objectivity as we can, critically and employing multidisciplinary
resources.
This time
we should ask ourselves how can emerging models of flexible production and
personalized products have a positive impact on sustainability without assuming
that they are inherent to technology and will come along. If we look forward to
improve our world the focus should be in finding the way to do it, building it
based on knowledge, on trial and error, critical analysis and assessment, with
the right goal in mind. No digitalization only for the sake of
de-materializing, not flexibilization only for the sake of freedom of choice,
no participation only for the sake of involving more people. The question
should be: when do de-materialization, freedom of choice and involvement lead
to a better reality for humanity and the planet? I certainly don’t know the
answer, but I do suspect it is not “always”.
