The Waste Makers (1960) by Vance Packard is one of the first major critiques of America’s culture of consumerism. Packard takes aim at “planned obsolescence,” showing how corporations deliberately design products to break down, go out of style, or otherwise lose their appeal—forcing people to buy again and again. He argues that this wastefulness isn’t just bad for wallets, but corrosive to society, fostering shallow values and endless dissatisfaction.
Drawing on research, case studies, and sharp social commentary, Packard exposes how advertising and marketing manipulate desires, turning citizens into compulsive consumers. His tone is urgent but accessible, warning that the pursuit of profit through disposability creates a throwaway culture with real consequences—economic, environmental, and psychological.
