Planned obsolescence is an industrial designconcept used by manufactures to ensure that a product will become outdated, obsolete, unusable or out of fashion within a short period of time.
The idea behind planned obsolescence is to increase sales by forcing consumers to make repeat purchases of the same or similar products.The most obvious example is Apple’s regularreleases of an eagerlyawaited new version ofan I-phone or I-pad. You can be sure that a marketing plan has already been setto bring outthe nextversion, with additional features, whichwill also be much in demand.
- Origins of Planned Obsolescence
Ideasfor planning obsolescence first started when mass production mechanisation processes became established in the 1920s and 30s. During those decades manufacturing plants began operating at a much greater capacity than ever before, and productivity was likely to outperform the demand for mechanized products.
Manufacturers needed some way to make customers “permanently discontented”. How they did this was revealed in 1960 by Vance Packard, in his book The Waste Makers. Big businesses created a more wasteful society,making everyone feel that they really needed to keep up with the latest products. As consumer spending increased, many people went further into debt.
Since then many big corporations have been successful with their planned obsolescence, and this has hada significant impact on the economy.
- Getting Sucked Into Planned Obsolescence
While it is generally accepted that new applications and gadgets are designed to helpus,thetruth is that they are designed to take our money. Technology companies are well aware thatanyone who wants to be cool has to keep up with the latest trends.
A growingnumber of consumersbelieve that the latest gadget is going to change their life, andthink they will not want to live without it. Actually they are being conned by companies that keep introducing new accessories and regular upgrades, which areoften notso different from the previous one.
- The Impact of Technology on Social Values
Cell phone technology means thatmost people nowexpect an instant response and complainabout anydelay inresponding to amessage or failure to return a call.
Technology is not makingus more organized, because we are unable to stay focused. A cell phone user isconstantly distracted by a stream of calls, messages, alerts and other interruptions. It is simply not possible tostay in controlwhenwe are expected to change plans at the last minute and make instant decisions.
Communicating through modern technology is costing us much more than using a traditional phone at home. A big part ofpersonal expenditure now goes into monthly phone plans, annual contracts andbroadband fees.
- Advancement in Technology Enslaves Us
Fans of new technology don’t even seem to be aware of how much impact high-tech companies make on societyand never consider the consequences ofadvancement in technology.
Technology designed to liberate us is actually enslaving us as we become ever more dependent on technical devices and equipment. Technology has made us dispensable in many industries, as more factoriesoperate almost entirely with the use of technology and human labor is no longer required.
- Reasons to Reject Technical Advances
Instead of spending most of your time on a phone or Internet gadget, you could be spending more quality time with the people who matter to you. By rejecting planned obsolescence you can learn, or relearn, how to live in the present and get the most out of every moment in life.
It is possible tohave a life without owning the latest I-gadget, update or newest version of something youare alreadyusing. There is no need to reject technology completely, but there are plenty of valid reasons not to get sucked into planned obsolescence.
Source: Collective Evolution
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