Join the conversation & let us know your thoughts.
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I think I speak for many of us when I say that I like things that last. Many of you also know, I still have my 11 year old BlackBerry Q10, which I still use daily.
We all know about planned obsolescence, the a business strategy where a product is deliberately designed to have a limited useful life or to become outdated quickly.
While it can be beneficial for manufacturers in the short term, it poses significant environmental, economic, and ethical challenges that can have long-term negative impacts on society and the planet.
Once of the reasons why I like Mudita products, because the aim is to produce long-lasting products which are made for years.
What are some of your favorite products which you’ve had for years? What brands do you know of that make durable, long-lasting products?
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I believe there is also “Innovation Obsolescence” – in which innovation occurs at a faster rate than how quickly an original product becomes useless. I do not know how much innovation obsolescence occurs relative to planned obsolescence, but I am certain that innovation, not planning, is responsible for at least some obsolescence.
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Had for many years (brand):
- Paper cutter
- Multi-function printer (Brother)
- Hand tools (Craftsman)
- Power tools (Milwaukee)
- AM/FM Radio (Sangean)
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Hand wood carving tools made by an Indonesian craftsman. Bought there while on a backpacking trip 20 years ago. He even taught me to carve one on one and was very encouraging.They are sitting on my handmade wood carving table, waiting patiently for this afternoons carving session. I LOVE these simple, steel tools as they’re so tactile and I can really USE them without damaging them! So well made - I’m grateful to that craftsman for all of his teaching and his hand forged tools, as now that I’m experienced with carving, I understand these are the best tools available for my style of work, my physicality and my aesthetic joy. What fun they are to use!
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Cellphone Examples of Planned Obsolescence
Apple’s, Google’s, and others’ cellphones with batteries that cannot be replaced!
All rechargeable batteries eventually fail to hold a charge.
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This post effectively highlights the hypocrisy of big tech companies and their annual product releases. They claim environmental considerations as a reason to remove the chargers, yet do not reduce prices accordingly. Additionally, the cost of official repairs is nearly as high as purchasing new equipment, among other issues.
I plan to maintain my current Macbook M1 2020 for as long as it remains functional, potentially with a battery replacement and an internal cleaning. I intend to use it as a sole “technological standing hub.” Depending on the features of the upcoming Mudita, I may retain it as my unique portable device…
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@roberto I use a 11 year old HP laptop (17in) as my desktop replacement that’s been refurbished and runs beautifully.
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Almost the same here! I use a 7-year-old HP laptop (17in) as my desktop replacement. I refurbished it, for about US$115, with a new battery, a new hard drive, and Pop!_OS in place of Windows, and it serves me quite well now.
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I’m sitting in a wooden rocking chair my great-grandparents brought on a ship from Pakistan to Poland. It’s part of a set now divided among the family. Still functional, still beautiful, more comfortable than whatever IKEA offers and waaaaay more durable. It survived several renovations, moving houses. Oy, it survived the fall of socialism and the crazy Polish 90s.
All that to say that – in my opinion – the ready-to-buy furniture is not much more than trash in the making.
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