Disposable Society
Heather McCoy
SOC 247
Professor Eck
Research Proposal
Our Disposable Society
As Americans, we are privileged to many luxuries. Not every country allows its citizens to start their own businesses or provides the education it takes to run a company. Our free market system allows for many different goods and services to compete fairly for people's dollars. The freedom given to us by our forefathers grants the opportunity to choose between these goods and services. Put all these realities together and it's no wonder we have so many different forms of products. A relatively recent phenomenon that has subsequently emerged in our society is the prevalence of disposable products. Because of their convenience, efficiency, and relatively low cost, disposable products have become the choice over their reusable forms for many consumers. Everyday activities such as grooming, cleaning, eating, and child care are where most disposable products enter our lives. It is possible for one individual to use dozens of disposable products daily, from blowing noses to changing a child's diaper. Considering the amount of disposable goods being bought and discarded after one use, problems have inevitably arisen. The most obvious and tangible problem is environmental damage. Other consequences include declining values of family, relationships, and human life. Thus, the disposable phenomenon is worth studying and researching not only because it plays a large part in nearly everyone's life but because the problems that arise from it could be pinpointed and possibly solved. The popularity and prevalence of disposable products can be attributed to several sociological factors. First, disposables fall in line with Ritzer's "McDonaldization of society." The values of efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control are all espoused in disposable products. Take disposable contacts, for example. They are more efficient than regular contacts because the user doesn't have to
SOC 247
Professor Eck
Research Proposal
Our Disposable Society
As Americans, we are privileged to many luxuries. Not every country allows its citizens to start their own businesses or provides the education it takes to run a company. Our free market system allows for many different goods and services to compete fairly for people's dollars. The freedom given to us by our forefathers grants the opportunity to choose between these goods and services. Put all these realities together and it's no wonder we have so many different forms of products. A relatively recent phenomenon that has subsequently emerged in our society is the prevalence of disposable products. Because of their convenience, efficiency, and relatively low cost, disposable products have become the choice over their reusable forms for many consumers. Everyday activities such as grooming, cleaning, eating, and child care are where most disposable products enter our lives. It is possible for one individual to use dozens of disposable products daily, from blowing noses to changing a child's diaper. Considering the amount of disposable goods being bought and discarded after one use, problems have inevitably arisen. The most obvious and tangible problem is environmental damage. Other consequences include declining values of family, relationships, and human life. Thus, the disposable phenomenon is worth studying and researching not only because it plays a large part in nearly everyone's life but because the problems that arise from it could be pinpointed and possibly solved. The popularity and prevalence of disposable products can be attributed to several sociological factors. First, disposables fall in line with Ritzer's "McDonaldization of society." The values of efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control are all espoused in disposable products. Take disposable contacts, for example. They are more efficient than regular contacts because the user doesn't have to
Bibliography: Bormann, Herbert F. and Kellert, Stephen R. Ecology, Economics, Ethics: The Broken Circle. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1991. Campbell, Neil. American Youth Cultures. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2004. University of Colorado Law Review. Boulder, University of Colorado Law Review, Inc., 1992.