PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE
This is the Centennial Bulb which has shone non-stop for 115 years.
Our current age of information has changed the game of media and information dissemination somewhat, but is a double edged sword. On the one hand, information is so abundant that it can become daunting and almost impossible to discern fact from fiction. Leading to a natural inclination towards skepticism. Then on the other hand, information that is rooted in fact-based, reproducible scientific scrutiny can be circulated so quickly far and wide that it is almost impossible to stop and can become immune to suppression attempts.
Before scrolling on, let me tell you a quick story you may not have heard before about the amazing little piece of technology that literally lights up our world. Did you know that, prior to the current LED light bulbs that have relatively long life spans, those years and years of us having to dispose of burned out traditional light bulbs and spending money to replace them over and over again was actually not necessary and was very much an intentional act? The photo above shows how light bulbs could easily have lasted for decades or longer, this one in particular lighting a firehouse for over 115 years and counting. This longevity of a product was not in the best interest of the corporations that produced them. And so, according to a BBC article from June 2016, “Greater sums of money could be reaped, companies figured, by making bulbs disposable and putting replacement costs onto customers. Thus was born the infamous “Phoebus cartel” in the 1920s, wherein representatives from top light bulb manufacturers worldwide, such as Germany’s Osram, the United Kingdom’s Associated Electrical Industries, and General Electric (GE) in the United States (via a British subsidiary), colluded to artificially reduce bulbs’ lifetimes to 1,000 hours. The details of the scam emerged decades later in governmental and journalistic investigations.”*
Such is a real world example of the term, planned obsolescence, wherein corporations who provide a particular good or necessity decide to intentionally manufacture sub-par products in order to keep us patronizing the malls and marketplaces, forking over our hard-earned money to buy a newer version at predictable rates. I know I almost lose sleep worrying about those corporate budgets so I’m just so glad to be able to be a part of their success. I mean, what would I do with that extra money anyway? Actually enjoy a vacation somewhere? How selfish of me!
Anyway, I digress. If such a thing can be true about light bulbs, imagine what a threat to elite lifestyles discoveries are that reduce or eliminate our dependence on oil and gas or other heavy polluting energy sources that for some odd reason we just have not been “smart enough” all these decades to reach any solutions for, doggone it. You might be a tad upset upon learning that viable and significantly more efficient energy alternatives have been around for a very long time. But of course how could we not sacrifice the world and well being of the bulk of society when we had to work to ensure that we kept those billionaires supported and who in turn, created this utopia we have now where the two finest examples of sound leadership keep us all wondering how we ever got so lucky to have as choices to lead the greatest nation ever to grace the world?
Heavy sarcasm aside, we must admit that we do in fact have better quality of lives in general than even 100 years ago. But that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be even more advanced at this point and the truth is that extreme wealth disparities are evidence of strangleholds on our societal progress. It’s more naive to refuse to believe that those who benefit the most from the current structure and who also wield significant power and control would not take significant measures to protect their status. And let’s all be honest, those who actually have the ability to do something about the greatest problems facing the world, would have already done so. While I may feel good about switching to laundry detergent sheets rather than using the giant heavy plastic detergent bottles that wind up in landfills or donating to habitat for humanity, these individual actions just don’t make enough of a difference. Those in positions of privilege who can make a real difference, simply don’t. Therefore their lack of concern is our evidence of the threats they pose to us all as well as the absence of empathy. So when you begin to hear spin on the coat tails of exciting new; sound and scientifically tested new ideas, remember the light bulb. When you have got a lot to lose along with a history of ruthlessly stomping out competition that is actually beneficial to everyone all in the name of self-preservation, there’s not much you wouldn’t try in order to hold on to that spot on the top of the mountain.
*Here's the truth about the 'Planned Obsolesence' of tech, by Adam Hadhazy, 12 June 2016, BBC news
