There are some academics who study functional fixedness in literature under the name "Thing Theory". In particular, Raymond Malewitz has a book of examples of "creative misuse" in recent American lit.[1] Some of his examples (Fight Club, No Country for Old Men) are noted for their anti-capitalist or anti-consumerist slant, while others (Apollo 13, McGuyver) have more of a quasi-military aspect to them.

I'm also reminded of British architecture critic Reyner Banham's essay "The Great Gizmo" about examples of American technology that are meant for retrofitting and composition more than entirely new things.[2] The outboard motor, for example, as opposed to designing a new boat.

And also Olia Lialina has an essay "Turing-Complete User" about very similar themes in today's software.[3]

1 http://www.amazon.com/The-Practice-Misuse-Consumerism-Contem...

2 http://mashupstudio.pbworks.com/f/Banham_The%2BGreat%2BGizmo...

3 http://contemporary-home-computing.org/turing-complete-user/