As an update to our post from last week on Gary Hustwit’s newest documentary Objectified, the folks at Dwell Magazine directed us to an interview they conducted with the filmmaker for their latest issue. We thought the most telling exchanges centered around Hustwit’s relationship to thoughtful design and consumerism.
How has making this film changed the way you look at everyday objects?
I really think about what I buy now: (A) Do I really need this? (B) What if this is the last of this object that I ever buy? I don’t want to buy chairs I’ll be sick of in five to ten years.
What do you think is most in need of good design?
There aren’t things in need of good design, just things that shouldn’t be made in the first place. There’s a glut of cheap products that have no thought put into them and are manufactured for the sake of making money, not improving somebody’s life.
Given our disposable society and its mass-produced products – many with built-in obsolescence – there’s a certain level of carelessness surrounding our consumption. It’s easier to cave to the allure of cheap, fast and right now instead of taking the time to consider the full story behind the things we buy. Maybe the notion of getting what we pay for isn’t so antiquated when we stop to consider all of the factors around our purchasing habits. And though nothing may truly be forever, there’s a certain comfort in the thought that we may in fact be able to invest in singular objects that will last us a lifetime. Now if only we could figure out how to take them with us.
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