As we head into the Christmas season I am struck with so many thoughts and ideas to write about, but one thought keeps coming back to me; What ever happened to buying something that actually lasted more than it's warranty period?
It seems our economy has become based on the ideal of "Designed Obsolescence". Things you buy today are made so that you'll have to replace them much sooner than you'd like to. There was a time one could purchased a TV set and it lasted generations. Today, you pay a pile of money for a TV that is touted as "the latest and greatest in modern technology" and you're lucky if it gets you through 2 football seasons before you need to replace it with "newer" technology at twice the price.
I was lucky as a kid to have quite a collection of metal Tonka trucks, including a dump truck, bulldozer, and firetruck. I certainly wish I had those toys today .... I mean have you seen what they are getting for those on eBay these days??? Those were built to last forever! I have no doubt that a good number of those toys are still in decent playing-condition today and in some toy collector's horde.
In contrast, I was in Target the other day and saw row after row of toys that all looked like they MIGHT last through the Christmas break and not much longer (at least not if played with the same vigor I played with my toys as a youngster.)
Don't get me wrong, I see the benefit of Designed Obsolescence. Even back in high school I wrote a paper for my Economics class on the "Perfect Economy", where I came up with an economic system based on perpetual war. I my scenario, the war would be fought my man-made, un-manned machines, creating a constant stream of supply and demand. As the machines were destroyed, more would be manufactured .... a vicious circle of build-consume-replace.
I know that Designed Obsolescence ensures jobs and all that, I just wish I could buy a TV that would last more than a couple years.
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