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Sue Cauhape's avatar

Oh Alvaro, this is the most profound essay you've ever written. How often do I throw stuff in the can because I can't fix it, it's gone moldy, or it's beyond my ability to repair. What's really frustrating is that attitude you mentioned: throw it away and buy another one. Built-in obsolescence has been a marketing tool for decades and it's only gotten more ridiculous. Last July, I bought a new kindle because the ancient battery on my old one finally died. Three months later, my $90 kindle died as well. Reviews on Amazon testified that this was a common problem. Only lasting a few months. I took it to a battery store who referred me to a specialist in batter replacement for e-readers. He told me, "It costs most to replace the battery in this one than to buy a new one. And that's what they want you to do." FEH! This is a product structure for our technocracy. So, I not only lost a kindle. I lost over 30 books. Mindblowing! I'm not going to succumb to their scheme. I lost, but I tell myself I won.

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Álvaro García's avatar

Hi Sue! :)

I've seen this with the Kindle in many other products, it's ridiculous. I try as much as possible to buy products that I know will last me a long time and I avoid at all costs anything that looks like a “bargain”, because they are usually the worst of all.

I hate the phrase that was also said to you: “It's cheaper to throw it away than to change the battery”.

Making products that last a lifetime is not a profitable business, it seems that it can only be made profitable by having permanent consumers...

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David W. Zoll's avatar

Wonderful. Yes I feel

This as well. What Sue Said!

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Álvaro García's avatar

Hello David! :)

I think we've all experienced that feeling of being ripped off when we are forced to buy something new because a product we bought went bad very quickly. It is really sad.

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