Memorandum+19


 * Historicizing a Project**

Mid 1700’s – Late 1800’s – Rise of the Industrial Revolution. Steam power and the development of various machining tools and manufacturing processes brought about change as work moved from the home to factories and factories moved to cities and the people followed.

Late 1800’s – Interchangeable parts became a commonplace starting first with Eli Whitney and interchangeable firearm parts in 1801. A tolerance system for manufactured parts was developed.

1913- The assembly line developed by Ford Motor Company for the Model T begins operating. Throughout the early part of the century. Mass production lead to lower costs of goods and consumers started to buy at ever increasing rates. Eventually, many started shopping for fun rather than need. The economy boomed. Goods were being produced very cheaply but there was overproduction and consumption couldn’t match the rate of production they were now capable of. This is one of the causes of the great depression and one of the reasons why planned obsolescence was proposed.

1924 – On Christmas Eve in Geneva, a group of business leaders gathered to create the first world-wide cartel called Phoebus with the goal of complete control of light bulb production. Primary light bulb manufacturers agreed that it was better for these companies if bulbs were changed more often. Lasting lights are an economic disadvantage. By 1881, Edison’s first commercial bulb lasted 1500 hours. Standard bulbs lasted for up to 2500 hours by 1924 and companies had parsed market the longevity of their bulbs. The cartel decided to limit light bulb lifespan to 1000 hours as a new rule to enforce on manufacturers. Experiments were conducted and bulb production was heavily monitored. By the 1940’s, 1000 hour was standard.

1928- Printers’ Ink, a journal for advertisers, “Any manufacturer of a quality product will tell you that the article which refuses to war out is a tragedy of business.”

1929 - Stock market crash and start of the Great depression- The emerging consumer society came to a halt. People lined up for work and food and not goods. They had no money to spend and developed a frugal mindset. Consumers became savers and did what they could to get the most life out of the products they owned.

1932- Bernard London writes a pamphlet entitled “Ending the Depression Though Planned Obsolescence” – all products would have a set expiration date and consumers would hand products back to government to be destroyed. In doing this, he hoped the US would achieve a balance between the need for labor and the reward for capital so that there would always be a market for new consumer goods. It was the first time the practice was put into writing, but the proposal was largely ignored and never put into practice.

1940- Dupont introduces Nylon stockings but they were too durable and lasted too long so the company wouldn’t be able to sell many so Dupont made their chemist deliberately decrease the life of the product by weakening the nylon threads. They were deliberately designing an inferior product. An ethical dilemma arose where an old school of engineering believed in designing product that would never break where a new school of engineers sought to make more disposable products, driven by market and profit. The new school took over in the end.

1950 - Planned obsolescence resurfaced through design and marketing and was seduced into popularity rather than enforced. This was the rise of perceived obsolescence. “ The desire on the part of the consumer to own something, a little newer, a little better, and a little sooner than is necessary.” – Brook Sevens, industrial designer and post war planned obsolescence advocate. His designs conveyed speed and modernity, streamline design. Designed products that made a statement and created desire in the consumer to purchase based on appearance. Making people unhappy with the products that they have been using for a period and passing it on to a second hand market to obtain the newest products with the newest possible look.

1980’s – early 1900’s - Communist economy like East Germany and the Soviet Union were ruled by the state and had shortages of resources. Planned obsolescence didn’t make sense for this system. Products were built to last as long as possible. Consumerism would eventually spread to be just as prevalent in the east as in the west with the decline of communism.

2003 – Class action case against apple and their lithium battery life resulting in an extended warranty and a replacement service.