--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Perhaps it is this specter that most…" description: "\"Perhaps it is this specter that most haunts working men and women: the planned obsolescence of people that is of a piece with the planned obsolescence ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f7/studs-terkel-3020_men_perhaps-it-is-this-specter-that-most-hau_3083212.jpg" --- # Perhaps it is this specter that most haunts working men… ![“Perhaps it is this specter that most haunts working men and women: the planned obsolescence of people that is of a piece with the planned obsolescence of the things they make. Or sell.” quote by Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f7/studs-terkel-3020_men_perhaps-it-is-this-specter-that-most-hau_3083212.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f7/studs-terkel-3020_men_perhaps-it-is-this-specter-that-most-hau_3083212.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f7/studs-terkel-3020_men_perhaps-it-is-this-specter-that-most-hau_3083212.jpg) > “Perhaps it is this specter that most haunts working men and women: the planned obsolescence of people that is of a piece with the planned obsolescence of the things they make. Or sell.” [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People are increasingly treated as disposable, mirroring the planned obsolescence of consumer goods. **In simple terms:** People become replaceable like products. Key Takeaway Recognize and resist being treated as expendable. Themes labor economy human value obsolescence Mood concerned critical Type sociopolitical reflective When to use this quote - corporate layoffs - gig economy - automation - career planning Key Concepts capitalism alienation existential risk Questions to Reflect On - How do you protect your sense of worth at work? - What systems can honor human dignity? A Different Perspective The quote may overgeneralize; not all work environments devalue people. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men and women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-and-women/) [Obsolescence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obsolescence/) [Obsolescence People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obsolescence-people-5268545/) [Obsolescence Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obsolescence-things-5268546/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Piece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-piece-3341192/) [Pieces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pieces/) [Planned obsolescence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planned-obsolescence/) [Working man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-man/) ## Related quotes > [Planned obsolescence is another word for progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-jeffrey-roche/planned-obsolescence-is-another-word-for-progress/) [James Jeffrey Roche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-jeffrey-roche/) > [ Only one rational path is open to us - simultaneous de-development of the \[overdeveloped countries\] and semi-development of the underdeveloped countries (UDCs), in order… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holdren/only-one-rational-path-is-open-to-us-simultaneous-de-development-of/) [John Holdren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holdren/) > [Armaments, universal debt and planned obsolescence - those are the three pillars of Western prosperity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/armaments-universal-debt-and-planned-obsolescence-those-are-the-three/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [I have this old '57 Porsche Speedster, and the way the door closes, I'll just sit there and listen to the sound of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/i-have-this-old-57-porsche-speedster-and-the-way-the-door-closes-i-ll/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [It drives me crazy to throw something out. 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It's the planned obsolescence we've all agreed to...'Nothing says you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/rant-said-that-view-of-time-was-set-up-so-folks-won-t-live-forever-it/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [Armaments, universal debt, and planned obsolescence - those are the three pillars of Western prosperity. If war, waste, and moneylenders were abolished, you'd collapse.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/armaments-universal-debt-and-planned-obsolescence-those-are-the-three-2/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) ## More by Studs Terkel > [My epitaph? My epitaph will be, 'Curiosity did not kill this cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/my-epitaph-my-epitaph-will-be-curiosity-did-not-kill-this-cat/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [“It was in ’35—we had this campaign to raise a million tax dollars. 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