The bane of built-in obsolescence
Corporations are making huge profits whereas the middle class is suffering a serious decline in savings rate due to this, probably.
Things have lost intrinsic value. The only way we associate with our products is based on their extrinsic value. We dump them as soon as they are outdated and longevity is not even a virtue any more. High-end customers want exclusivity and low-end customers want features. Exclusivity is breached by the updated version of the product hitting the market even with nominal upgrades. Features are hampered by the way things are designed. The height of commodity fetishism is that some people are closer to the market than they are to the people around them.
They say that change is the law of nature but this change is nominal and not real. I call it 'treadmill motion' when we run a lot but reach nowhere. Everything is changing yet nothing is changing. Humans have advanced so far yet the suffering remains intact. Poverty, health issues, social tensions, sorrow, still exist. We solve one problem and in the process, we create new ones. In the words of Thomas Sowell, 'Sometimes it seems as if there are more solutions than problems. On closer scrutiny, it turns out that many of today's problems are a result of yesterday's solutions.'
Linear economy takes a toll on the environment in which we manufacture a product and discard it. Consumerism ensures that the manufactured product becomes waste soon. Therefore, a circular economy cannot be achieved until we put an end to consumerism. Sustainable Development Goal 12 talks about responsible consumption and production, which requires waste management and waste reduction as well. The European Union has come up with policies to increase the longevity of the products within the ambit of the 'right to repair'. These measures include providing parts and servicing to the customers at reasonable prices even after the warranty period. India also needs to chalk out a National Action Plan for sustainable consumption and production just like many countries have done. This would help in reducing the overall ecological footprint.
We need to adopt behavioural changes in our lifestyles. We must actively appreciate people who try to use a product for a longer period. Companies indulging in marketing strategies to promote mindless consumption need to introspect how they can build sustainable supply chains with a lesser ecological footprint. A lot of research must be conducted to achieve such product designs that last longer. Business models must adapt to the ways of providing maximum value to the stakeholders with minimum resources.
The initiative starts with us not defining our lifestyles in terms of ephemeral products. We must learn to satisfy our wants with optimum resources at hand. This requires active engagement with the market trends and awareness about sustainability issues. Our consciousness will also lead to a larger change in the ways corporations and governments operate.
emailtoaakashbajpai@gmail.com
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