The Waste Makers by Vance Packard Bill McKibben

Author:Vance Packard, Bill McKibben
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ig Publishing
Published: 2011-09-21T00:00:00+00:00

16. PROGRESS THROUGH PROLIFERATION OF PEOPLE

“A Bonanza for Industry-Babies. Sixty Million More U.S. Consumers in Next Nineteen Years.”

—U.S. News & World Report, January 4, 1957.

IN THE LOBBY OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT of Commerce building a giant “clock” is running which brings joy to the American marketers who watch it ticking. It is one Washington frill they heartily endorse. Every seven and a half seconds a blue light flashes, as on a pinball machine, to indicate that a new baby has been born somewhere in the United States. Much more slowly, a purple light flashes—every twenty seconds—to indicate that some unfortunate American citizen has died. Another flashing light indicates the occasional arrival of an immigrant.

The key light is the white one, which shows the net results of all these changes. It flashes every eleven seconds to indicate that in that period one more human being has been added to the total United States population. Thus every eleven seconds marketers have gained one new prospect who will need food, clothing, shelter, and later on toy pistols, motorcars, hi-fi sets, powerboats, mixers, and casket. A large sign beside this clock during the late fifties read:MORE PEOPLE

mean

MORE MARKETS

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