Planned Obsolescence

UNSAFE HAIR DRYER

Jack Bragen

Today’s mass production deliberately makes items of low quality that must be replaced frequently, so that they can sell you the same thing over again every couple of years. The computer, cell phone and television industry have failed to standardize their products, and create “upgrades” on a continuous basis in order to keep the consumer buying more stuff, to keep up with the latest advances. In the case of computers, older operating systems are constantly being phased out, which means that the consumer has no choice but to participate in these “upgrades” even if the older technology worked just fine. For example, if you have an older computer running on Windows ME, which is the last operating system that you can install for free, you will find it difficult to locate a printer or antivirus software that will support that OS.
The hair dryer in the picture is an example of selling junk that’s designed to break down quickly so that they can sell you another one sooner. This particular hair dryer arced and flamed out, causing my wife to go into a panic, until I unplugged the unit.
Building it right the first time is no longer the motto of American industry. And in fact, almost none of what we are buying is still manufactured here. It would help the environment and our infrastructure if we got back to building quality.
The stores that once sold electronic components for the repair of home electronics are all gone. I tried to buy a new battery for an old laptop computer that I still wanted to use, and the best I could get was a used and defective unit that was shipped to me from China. I’m certain that our landfills are brimming with this defunct junk.