Is Less Really More?

Virilio’s Part II of Open Sky takes on more manageable topics for the everyday audience.  One of his major points reads: “If the recent evolution of post-industrial machinery is anything to go by: less is more” (54). 

Virilio is commenting on our industrialization as a society and how more is not always better.  For example, iPhones, televisions, radios, all of this new technology…is it beneficial to our society? Or detrimental to our livelihood?    

Ultimately, “The burning question is: if less is more, to what extent?” (54).  What justifies as enough?  If people really were happy with less, as opposed to more, why do inventors continue to expand their horizons and improve technology?

I can assure you that Apple isn’t planning to discontinue innovations anytime soon and Toyota is going to continue to continue to make more efficient hybrid cars for consumers.  What Virilio is overlooking is the consumer.  If there is a market for products that are bigger and better and more high tech, I would presume there will be an audience that wants such a product.

The last ever MacBook?

If we all have “enough,” what more is there to strive for?  Without aspirations of achieving greatness, I would argue that society, as a whole would become unproductive and complacent.  Our relentless attitudes and determined spirit is what we, as a society, utilize in order to keep moving forward.