In the olden days things were made to last almost forever, like a corduroy suit, or love. But it seems that nowadays every product has a pre-programmed expiry date.
Recently, a documentary which describes why objects become obsolete before we expect has reached great popularity amongst audiences here and there: "Comprar, tirar, comprar".
Apparently, lightbulbs manufactured after 1924 started to die after only 1000 hours of use, instead of the 2500 hours announced for bulbs produced 10 years before. Was this coincidence? Find more after the link (Spanish audio only): http://www.rtve.es/television/documentales/comprar-tirar-comprar/
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| Photo by E.G. |
And to prove that things can last longer than we are used to, just have a look at this little webcam showing the longest burning bulb in the world, it has been working non-stop since 1901, and counting!: http://www.centennialbulb.org/index.htm
Imagine your iPod lasting until you reach your retirement age? Not sure if that would be a good idea though...
