In my own household, for example, an electric refrigerator has been in service for nineteen years, with only a single minor repair: an admirable job. Both automatic refrigerators for daily use and deepfreeze preservation are inventions of permanent value. Though one cannot bestow any such unqualified upon the design of the contemporary motor car, one can hardly doubt that if biotechnic criteria were heeded, rather than those of market analysts and fashion experts, an equally good product might come forth from Detroit, with an equally long prospect of continued use.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Mumford praises the longevity of household appliances like refrigerators but criticizes cars for lacking durability, suggesting design should prioritize long-term utility over market trends.
- In plain terms
- Appliances last long; cars do not. Design should focus on lasting value, not fashion.
- What can you take from it?
- Prioritize durable design over market-driven fashion in manufacturing.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What makes a product truly valuable?
- Should durability override style in design?
Another view
Modern cars have other benefits beyond longevity.
More from Lewis Mumford
The physical lot of surviving workers had notably improved, with unemployment insurance, social security, and the new health services, while their children's s…
Permalink to quote #31 But what would become of mass production and its system of financial expansion if technical perfection, durability, social efficiency, and human satisfaction. …
Permalink to quote #33 In the elemental emotions of fear and rage associated with the most primitive parts of the brain, this swift response without conscious intervention or directi…
Permalink to quote #30
Related quotes
If the automobile had followed the same development cycle as the computer, a Rolls-Royce would today cost $100, get a million miles per gallon, and explode onc…
Robert X. CringelyRobert X. Cringely quote #2 Differential equations won't help you much in the design of aeroplanes - not yet, anyhow.
Nevil ShuteNevil Shute quote #1 'I want the program to be very open and develop in style as time goes on. But I am also interested in the positive aspects of Asian family life and other Asian…
Vernon CoreaVernon Corea quote #1