The Anti Planned Obsolescence Thread

[Zé Ferreira]

I've meant to post this thought here a few times, but to me, the best way to fight planned obsolescence is to buy used stuff.

Musical instruments name-of-the-game. Nothing can be produced from here on out that hasn't already been produced better by someone before.

Used guitars for example; only way to go is used. Suspect build quality and ridiculous retail/msrp markup for brands across the board. There is literally no need to every buy a new instrument, ever.

 

[OfficePants]

Musical instruments name-of-the-game. Nothing can be produced from here on out that hasn't already been produced better by someone before.

Used guitars for example; only way to go is used. Suspect build quality and ridiculous retail/msrp markup for brands across the board. There is literally no need to every buy a new instrument, ever.

Not to mention that most wood instruments sound better with age.

 

[Russell Street]

Wiper blades.

At the bottom, we have the traditional style that has been around for decades. About halfway through the life of the car, the linkages would start binding up, but for the most part a blade cost like $7 or $8 and you could buy a pair of replacement rubber squeegee pieces for half that.

Then, for some inexplicable reason, they decided to make these big leaf springs encapsulated in rubber like the top two. They cost $20 a pop and have no replaceable parts. Totally disposable and costlier too! Fuck you, consumer!

 

[OfficePants]

Wiper blades.

At the bottom, we have the traditional style that has been around for decades. About halfway through the life of the car, the linkages would start binding up, but for the most part a blade cost like $7 or $8 and you could buy a pair of replacement rubber squeegee pieces for half that.

Then, for some inexplicable reason, they decided to make these big leaf springs encapsulated in rubber like the top two. They cost $20 a pop and have no replaceable parts. Totally disposable and costlier too! Fuck you, consumer!

I replaced mine last year for 50$

 

[Russell Street]

I probably new wiper blades once a year. Don't pay more than a sawbuck tops.

For how many? I think even the generic stuff at NAPA is six bucks a pop.

 

[OfficePants]

I'm an Advance Auto Parts premium member, I get a 10% discount.

Bet you didn't expect to mention that today.

I have yet to be a premium member of anything, proudly. Marriott shoved it down my throat, but I always make them look my number up when I make a reservation.

 

[OfficePants]

I command this thread to gang up on a post in this other thread:

http://www.dressedwell.net/forum/threads/why-are-you-pissed-off-today.11/page-57#post-61099

 

[Allen Smithee]

Reusable trumps disposable in the very short term.

 

[Russell Street]

I command this thread to gang up on a post in this other thread:

http://www.dressedwell.net/forum/threads/why-are-you-pissed-off-today.11/page-57#post-61099

It looks like Fwiffo realized that things worth keeping are worth owning and abandoned the temptation of throwaway crap.:applause:

 

[Fwiffo]

Huh? People here remember me? I think the last time I was compelled to accumulate material things was during the HD disc wars; and now I look like an idiot with NetFlix. I have a tiny flat so most of my storage is at my parent's house. They have been doing some massive renovations the past few years so that meant going through what I had in storage. I just realized things I thought were so important (media player with a hard drive!, Palm Pilot!, textbooks from uni days, etc.) from ten years ago are useless to me now. More than 10 years - why do I have a CD of Mariah Carey? Five years ago - did I really need that Wifi gadget? Why was I so interested in creating VCDs of Dark Angel or Sopranos? I don't know why people pick up furniture catalogues or Best Buy flyers and feel compelled to accumulate things anymore. This new world of subscriptions to rent instead of own, "cloud" solutions, etc. works out good for me.

After my accident in 2009, I just gave up on acquiring material goods. What's truly timeless? What endures forever? Is it worth buying six pairs of made in India shoes or one really good pair? I have a netbook (Windows XP!) that helps me do the few tasks I need a PC for. I have an iPad for most everything else. I use BlackBerry for my mobile - really don't do much other than use Uber, look at the weather and messaging.

I've stopped buying baubles for other people as well. Most of my gifts for family and friends are now about experiences; tickets to shows, tasting menu dinners, contributions to vacations, spa day, proper shave and haircut at a barber.

The only thing I still buy is clothing but I haven't added a new jacket in a year and a new suit in at least two. I toned down on the crazy shirts, trendy lapels, and fabrics. I manage to look like I have a massive wardrobe just mixing and matching basic whites, blues with dark ties and solid coloured suits.

So yeah about my lighters - I have a bunch of Zippos. When they stop working, I accumulate about three or four defective ones and mail it to the Zippo factory. They post back refurbished ones for free and I just continue using them.

 

[Russell Street]

You know, here is some damned planned obsolescence right here.

That's totally disposable, oops recyclable. The bottle is worth more that the product presumably being sold. Only the daftest imbecile actually believes that the water inside is any better than what is coming out of the local plumbing.

This is what the brighter idea, the durable portable hydration solution looks like.

heck, I still have one the plastic ones from like two decades back and it's in fine shape.

 

[OfficePants]

You know, here is some damned planned obsolescence right here.

That's totally disposable, oops recyclable. The bottle is worth more that the product presumably being sold. Only the daftest imbecile actually believes that the water inside is any better than what is coming out of the local plumbing.

This is what the brighter idea, the durable portable hydration solution looks like.

heck, I still have one the plastic ones from like two decades back and it's in fine shape.

You better believe it. Bottled water is more expensive than gasoline. And it's just tap water in most cases, run thru a few filters. And there is hardly any regulation of it's quality.

Just watch this documentary, you'll see:

 

[Zé Ferreira]

I'm going to take this bottled water stuff to my wife. Bugs me all the time.

 

[Journeyman]

I'm going to take this bottled water stuff to my wife. Bugs me all the time.

Back when I was at university, there were cold water drinking fountains everywhere, both inside and outside buildings. It amazed me that despite having so many places to drink clean, chilled, fresh water, some students would still buy a bottle of "spring water" each day.

At the risk of stereotyping, I noticed that it was predominantly women buying the water, rather than drinking from the drinking fountains.

 

[OfficePants]

Back when I was at university, there were cold water drinking fountains everywhere, both inside and outside buildings. It amazed me that despite having so many places to drink clean, chilled, fresh water, some students would still buy a bottle of "spring water" each day.

At the risk of stereotyping, I noticed that it was predominantly women buying the water, rather than drinking from the drinking fountains.

Oh ya... the same women that have no money but wouldn't clean a toilet if their lives depended on it.

 

[Zé Ferreira]

I can't stand it. Then it also has to be electrolyte-balanced and carbon filtered.

 

[OfficePants]

Better yet, we should all drink smart water. It's magic.

 

[Russell Street]

Can I add a word of hatred for the cheapo deskjet printers where a new ink cartridge costs like $2 less than a new printer, if you can even get one?
Also, I totally don't buy this line about non-OEM cartridges being bad for the units. If it voided a warranty, you'd have to supply it for free. I know my Magnuson-Moss.

 

[OfficePants]

Can I add a word of hatred for the cheapo deskjet printers where a new ink cartridge costs like $2 less than a new printer, if you can even get one?
Also, I totally don't buy this line about non-OEM cartridges being bad for the units. If it voided a warranty, you'd have to supply it for free. I know my Magnuson-Moss.

There is no problem with non-oem units. It's bullshit. It voids a warranty because they don't want you to buy them.

In addition, these crap cartridges are intentionally impossible to refill.

 

[Russell Street]

gotta watch those vids

Bond used the Ronson Premiere Varaflame.

Only kids and cheap fucks use tossaway lighters

Those electric ignition lighters, no matter how nice, seem to have a finite life span and be irreparable unless you get lucky with cannibalization of parts. The flint wheel is seemingly unkillable.

 

[John Lee Pettimore III]

Last one for the night.
Cast iron skillets. These will last generations on end. Find one from a century or two ago, sand the rust off, cure it with a little shortening and it will offer greasy cooking that rarely sticks and is utterly indestructible.

On my wife and I's second date, I invited her over and cooked for her. She said that when she walked into my kitchen and saw a cast-iron skillet on the stove and a jar of tupelo honey on the counter that she then knew without a doubt that she'd eventually have sex with me.

 

[Grand Potentate]

On my wife and I's second date, I invited her over and cooked for her. She said that when she walked into my kitchen and saw a cast-iron skillet on the stove and a jar of tupelo honey on the counter that she then knew without a doubt that she'd eventually have sex with me.

thats a good southern woman right there

 

[OfficePants]

On my wife and I's second date, I invited her over and cooked for her. She said that when she walked into my kitchen and saw a cast-iron skillet on the stove and a jar of tupelo honey on the counter that she then knew without a doubt that she'd eventually have sex with me.

I wish I knew that's all it takes. I've spent 10s of thousands in restaurants.

 

[fxh]

I've got two cast iron pans and 3 cast iron oven casserole dishes. But no Tupelo Honey.

 

[Leitmotif]

 

[Leitmotif]

 

[OfficePants]

Yeah but George Washington didn't wear a lapel pin.