Sound And Fury Quote by Steven E. Landsburg
““When I find a pair of pants I like, I buy a lot of them. Really a lot. Perhaps there’s something genetic here; I collect pants like my Uncle Morris collected meat. I do this because pants wear out. Is this part of a plot by the clothing manufacturers to keep us buying more? Some people think so. In my Sound and Fury file, I find an old (September 20, 1982) Ann Landers column about pantyhose manufacturers who deliberately create products that self-destruct after a week instead of a year because “the no-run nylons, which they know how to make, would put a serious crimp in their sales.” Ann concludes that she and her readers are “at the mercy of a conspiracy of self-interest.” One wonders whose self-interest Ann has in mind. Surely it’s not the manufacturers’. If there were a cost-justified way to do it, any self-interested manufacturer would switch from selling one-week nylons at $1 to selling one-year nylons at $52. That pleases the customers (whose pantyhose budget doesn’t change but who make fewer trips to the store), maintains the manufacturer’s revenue, and—because he produces about 98 percent fewer nylons—cuts his costs considerably.””
About This Quote
Source Column: Ann Landers, September 20 1982 (reprinted)
The author satirically critiques planned obsolescence, noting how manufacturers may design products to wear out quickly to boost sales, while questioning the economic logic behind such practices.
In simple terms: Manufacturers may make products wear out fast to sell more, but the economics may not always support it.
Key Takeaway
Consider product durability versus profit motives.
Themes
consumerism
economics
planned obsolescence
marketing
ethics
Mood
skeptical
analytical
critical
Type
aphilosophical
satirical
commentary
When to use this quote
- shopping habits
- budget planning
- product design
- regulatory policy
Key Concepts
externalities
price elasticity
market failure
behavioral economics
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you prioritize durability over price?
- How could regulation affect product lifespan?
A Different Perspective
The argument assumes manufacturers always act rationally; real markets may have constraints or consumer backlash.
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