What’s with Sony’s Fast Fashion Technology?
They’re pumping out consoles too fast while the world is fighting for civil rights; especially in places like Congo where the world gets the materials to make the technology
PlayStation and Xbox have been a bit more aggressive about their console releases. The CFO of Microsoft says she expects the console’s sales to continue to decline in Q3 2024. Sony is also ready to move on to the next-gen.
Speaking of declining console sales, Sony is done with the PlayStation 5. They said it just didn’t cut it so they’re releasing the PS6. It feels like the PS% just came out. I know the pandemic has a lot to do with that. Remember, it was also a while before PS5 came back in stock due to bots and scalpers. Consoles usually have three versions of their console before we go to the next-gen. It feels a bit unnecessary now. What if they start releasing them like phones? If we look at them releasing the same version of the console with a small change to the specs — it’s a version of the mobile device industry.
This rapid production is getting out of hand. Not to mention the ethics behind making electronics right now — it’s so wasteful. Congo has been fighting to not be a slave to America/ the world’s technology fast fashion lifestyle. We talk a lot about fast fashion, but what about fast technology? Materials are stolen from a land that falls into poverty trying to provide first-world consumers with their monthly fix.
This is something I’ve been thinking about a lot since arriving in Finland. I looked at the surrounding countries and Norway is so expensive. I watched a documentary about Norway. It showed why it’s so rich, flourishing, and expensive. Norway is the largest energy provider to Europe and ranks as the 4th largest exporter of natural gas globally. Their merchant shipping fleet is one of the most modern among maritime nations. Do you know what they do for America? Norway’s exports to United States are Refined Petroleum ($737M), Fish Fillets ($651M), and Raw Nickel ($174M).
Norway is doing well and not impoverished because the world pays Norway what they’re worth. They don’t enslave their people with promises of little money. Congo gives the US diamonds, gold, copper, cobalt, tin, tantalum and lithium. Things the US uses daily. Congo workers make $2-$3 a day as a miner. The average pay a day is $1 and why so many are involved with mining. The lowest paying job in Norway is supposedly a farmer or agriculture sector about 352,000 Norwegian kroner which equals $33K USD.
I’m not mad at Norway for getting their kroner. It’s gut-wrenching when people know what’s right and do it. The people who do the right thing aren’t in power. We’re at the bottom yelling at the top to do better. It’s intriguing to think about if these places were never colonized and stripped, would they be able to exist in their own country? Not only for African countries — everywhere. If the Great British Pound wasn’t queen. If every country could asses its wealth and its economy on its own. Would people be catching black lung to feed their family?
The only thing I’m inferring from this piece is the world knows who it can take advantage of and we as gamers i.e. consumers need to be mindful of this. We can’t keep supporting rapid consumption. Just like we’re trying to bully devs and triple-A companies into doing better when releasing half-finished games. Or the same game remastered but presenting it as a new game. Let’s bully them into not selling us a console every 6 months. The same thing goes for the phone industry, shoes, and laptops.
While I’m at it. Let’s stop selling fruits that aren’t in season! I will not pay $4 for strawberries in February! Stop it, immediately.
Anywhoo, whatchall think?
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