The Junkmakers

"The Junkmakers" by Albert Teichner is a science fiction story picturing a future where getting rid of old tech is a celebrated event, showing the book's themes of waste, worth, and how people treat machines. Set in a gloomy but mocking world, the story questions excessive shopping and the need to always be working. We follow Wendell Hart, an engineer, who starts to feel unhappy with how his society throws away technology during special events called the High Holy Day. While studying the effects of planning for products to become outdated quickly and buying things just to show off, Wendell joins a secret group that wants to fight against these destructive habits. After a major accident during a ceremony, where the machines react in unexpected ways, Wendell thinks hard about whether it's better to have free time or to work all the time. The story ends with a big change as people start to wonder if they should just blindly follow the rituals that control their lives, showing they want something more meaningful than just working.