Pyramids of Waste: The Light Bulb Conspiracy

“The light bulb conspiracy” is a documentary about the negative effects of consumerism and planned obsolescence. The light bulb conspiracy is a theory that the leading manufacturers of incandescent light bulbs have conspired to keep the lifetime of their bulbs far below their real technological capabilities. This way, they ensure the continuous demand for more bulbs and hence, long-term profit for themselves.

Came across this fantastic documentary about consumerism and planned obsolescence. As if we needed more evidence that western society and its obsession with disposable consumption has been engineered since the start of the industrial revolution. Basically the documentary explains how before the great depression products were made and sold based on its longevity. In other words Stuff was made to last for decades not just a couple of years. The concept that as we get more advanced scientifically the quicker our tools break is retarded. But as factories started producing goods faster than consumers were buying them and those goods lasted for decades without breaking. A problem arose of supply and demand. too much supply and not enough demand.

To counter this the manufactures started making substandard products that would break down and would subsequently needed to be replaced and thus ensuring the continuation of "the Great American Dream"

I cannot emphasize enough how many people need to see this. even if you know about planned obsolescence this will shock you. The evidence is all there in black and white. This cannot be debunked, because there is nothing to debunk. IT IS A FACT! Anyway enjoy, i did.

I saw this a while back, is a very good documentary

You just have to look around you to know your being scammed left right and centre by everyone you buy goods from lol....if you didnt laugh you would cry haha

Originally posted by tim3lord
To counter this the manufactures started making substandard products that would break down and would subsequently needed to be replaced and thus ensuring the continuation of "the Great American Dream"

That could apply to so many things these days, especially high tech gadgetry and automobiles.

Originally posted by loves a conspiricy
I saw this a while back, is a very good documentary

You just have to look around you to know your being scammed left right and centre by everyone you buy goods from lol....if you didnt laugh you would cry haha

Oh man we are getting scammed left right and center. Everything is about consumption.

Now incorporate this mentality in the Medical institution and Big Pharmacology. I will bet the every red cent i have on the fact that certain viruses are released into the air periodically in order to infect the populace so they have to purchase drugs like paracetamol and Asprin. And thst just the bottom of the barrel. There is no limit to what this kind of mentality extends to. And when you try to wake people up to the truth, they spit in your face and call you names.

WTF is wrong with the world?? Why are people so dumb?

Originally posted by nerbot

Originally posted by tim3lord
To counter this the manufactures started making substandard products that would break down and would subsequently needed to be replaced and thus ensuring the continuation of "the Great American Dream"

That could apply to so many things these days, especially high tech gadgetry and automobiles.

Your dam right it can. Look at apple's iPhone. That piece of mass produced zombie bling crap is a perfect example of planned obsolescence. They even mention a class action law suite against the ipod and its defective battery, which they found was DESIGNED to fail after 18 months. and when the consumer called apple to get a replacement battery they were told to just buy a new one. WHAT? can you believe that sh!t?

reply to post by tim3lord


That is why I want to usher in the abundance paradigm. Such wasteful practices as planned obsolescence will vanish. Light bulbs will last decades, furniture will last lifetimes... And on and on.

For more see my threads (for any who may not yet have seen...):

The End of Entropy - the foundation - read first

www.abovetopsecret.com...

The Ethical Planetarian Party Platform - the structure

www.abovetopsecret.com...

When I was a kid and your tv or radio went out you could go buy new tubes at the grocery store and fix them yourself. Just about anything was fixable and was made to be so. At my work we use punch presses that are over 60 years old and they work fine. I could go on and on. Today every thing is made to be thrown away. That way we just keep consuming making the PTB richer. Let me hear how we are going to break this cycle.

Originally posted by Quantazero
When I was a kid and your tv or radio went out you could go buy new tubes at the grocery store and fix them yourself. Just about anything was fixable and was made to be so. At my work we use punch presses that are over 60 years old and they work fine. I could go on and on. Today every thing is made to be thrown away. That way we just keep consuming making the PTB richer. Let me hear how we are going to break this cycle.

it boils down to resources and psychology.

once the basic needs of humanity are met they can focus more on higher brain functions such as self actualization

as per Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

This looks like an interesting documentary, thanks for sharing it! I was a little miffed about it not having English subs though, so I did a little digging and found this:
dotsub.com...

reply to post by Astrithr


thats awesome thanks buddy. i was trying to find a version with English subs too. well done.

This video is remarkable.
In fact, I recommend everyone to look.

That french guy, Latouche
quoted Ghandi " Earth is big enough for all of us. But too small for a few greedy one."
He also talk about us being, somehow, close to a dangerous cliff.
and, that, made me think about the documentary, Corporation.
Someone was making a comparison between our "capitalist" economy and the beginning of flying.
Its like you pretend you are flying or gliding along a cliff with a rubbish deltaplane.
during the fall, every feet you pass along that cliff is related to a natural resources.
You fall and fall n fall always pretending you fly until you hit rock bottom / no more resource.
The end

reply to post by eagleeye2


Well if we keep going like this, we will hit rock bottom by the middle of next year I think. Just a guess but I'm pretty sure this cycles has run this course before.

reply to post by tim3lord


hello. i will look at this later.