Obsolescence

Planned obsolescence – capitalism’s most elegant con. Why sell someone a product that lasts when you can sell them the same product repeatedly? It all began in the 1920s, when a group of German industrialists, presumably while twirling their moustaches, formed the Phoebus cartel and decided light bulbs were too reliable. From then on, bulbs would dutifully expire after 1,000 hours, like clockwork. And thus, the great tradition of engineering things to fail was born. ...