Do you remember when you first heard the phrase “planned obsolescence”? Was it in some sort of classroom, or used by your local repairman, or by a parent frustrated with a broken toaster, lawn mower, phone?
In the last few months, I’ve learned that my understanding of planned obsolescence has, over the last several decades, created in me a knee-jerk reaction. It is now built into my belief system of how the world works. It goes like this: “Oh, my fridge is broken. Well, it IS 10 years old. Must be time for a new one.” Or maybe it’s that “my blow-dryer is on the fritz. It IS [_] years old.” I’m sure you understand. “My [_] bit the dust. It’s [_] years old. Time for a new one.” And so the landfills grow larger. And the consumer economy rolls on and on. After all, that’s what “planned obsolescence” means. Look it up. You’ll find definitions like:
- A policy of producing consumer goods that rapidly become obsolete and so require replacing, achieved by frequent changes in design, termination of the supply of spare parts, and the use of nondurable materials
- The business practice of intentionally designing products to have a limited lifespan, forcing consumers to replace them sooner than they naturally would. This can occur by making products functionally limited or outdated, encouraging the purchase of new versions and generating more sales for companies
And then there’s:
- Functional Obsolescence: Products are designed to fail after a specific time or use, such as a non-replaceable battery in a smartphone or ink cartridges with smart chips that stop working prematurely.
- Perceived Obsolescence: Products are still functional but are made to seem outdated or unfashionable through marketing and trend cycles. A new, more appealing model with a better design may be released, making the previous version less desirable.
But stop. What if I don’t want to grow the landfills? What happens to all that stuff anyway – it can’t be good for the environment. What if I first wonder if something can be fixed, can have an extended life span, despite the manufacturer’s plans? Then what if I poke around the internet a little – see what I can find out about how to fix something?
That’s worked very well for me recently, surprisingly well.
Exhibit A: Blender
An approximately 15-year-old Cuisinart blender. The part that failed – I learned this on a website – is called a “motor drive clutch.” I was able to order it online and received the replacement parts, two clutches and a metal tool, for about $12. Installation, for a non-handy person like me, took about 10 minutes. Voila! My old blender now, literally, has a new lease on life.
Exhibit B: Dishwasher
My 15+ year old dishwasher. Again, I looked up, mostly on YouTube, what might be causing my dishwasher to leak. And I learned that it was likely a simple part that I could get it in a city nearby. According to the videos I saw, it was just about the very easiest part to replace– a rubber gasket. No tools needed. Now, admittedly, I didn’t solve the leaking problem completely, but when my friendly neighborhood repairman showed up, he said my gasket installation was perfect. He also had to replace a couple of other items that took more time and effort. Fortunately, I have a repairman who shares my interest in fixing rather than replacing, so I now have a fully functioning dishwasher that the manufacturer hadn’t planned for me to keep so long. Plus, I saved the cost of a replacement. Love these little victories.
Exhibit C: Panties
Now that my awareness of obsolescence is heightened, the challenge continues—with underwear. Did you know that clothes dryers can be hard on elastic because the high heat and agitation can break down and weaken elastic fibers, leading to a loss of stretch, shape, and a shorter garment lifespan? Well, perhaps you too have clothes that are in great shape, except for worn-out elastic. I have several pairs of panties in perfect condition, except for a tendency to collapse at inopportune times. I am a very basic seamstress, but YouTube is a fabulous resource for learning how to do nearly anything. It was a fairly easy project to find replacement elastic and repair my undies. Check out available videos if this sparks your interest.
PS: To preserve elastic, it’s best to avoid high heat by using a no-heat setting, low-heat setting, or by air-drying items like athletic wear, bras, and other garments with elastic bands.
My point in telling you all of this is only to say: the world has changed over time; our understanding of the market economy, and our place in it as consumers, has changed as well. As we continue to be bombarded with the message that to buy, to have more stuff, is the key to happiness, I am learning to step back, rethink how I want to react to this barrage of advertising and build a better understanding for myself of what enriches my life.