The Lightbulb Conspiracy: The Untold Story of Planned Obsolescence is a documentary about how our economic system based on consumerism is really breaking our planet down.
It uses investigative research and rare archive footage to trace the untold story of Planned Obsolescence, from its beginnings in the 1920s with a secret cartel, set up expressly to limit the life span of light bulbs, to present-day stories involving cutting edge electronics (such as the iPod) and the growing spirit of resistance amongst ordinary consumers.
Planned Obsolescence is the deliberate shortening of product life spans to guarantee consumer demand. As a magazine for advertisers succinctly puts it: “The article that refuses to wear out is a tragedy of business “ – and a tragedy for the modern growth society which relies on an ever-accelerating cycle of production, consumption and throwing away.
Despite the annoying subtitles, this is a must-watch documentary.
Can anyone locate the tutorial video of the Russian appearing at minute 43? I would love to see it, but can’t find it anywhere on ssclg.com.
Great guy with a great mission.
Thanks
This is just an absolutely incredible documentary!! There is historical footage, and actual proof of industry planning obsolescence.
I think there is something morally wrong when you have people in the world becoming billionaires on the backs of other people and the environment. People like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak.
I have always found it difficult to accept that in any corporation, the most important part of that corporation is the shareholder, who does really nothing to add value to the world, other than investing their money in the first place.
There is nothing wrong with making money, but there is a disproportionate amount of money and emphasis placed on the shareholder’s earnings. Couldn’t they live with less??
What is also really tragic is when companies are allowed to ship electronic waste to Africa, and government allows it by their lack of will to enforce it. We need to pressure government to force business to be responsible for the product from cradle to grave.
These companies force obsolescence on the consumer. We either buy a new one, or do without. They are making the choice more narrow for us as a consumer. They then should have a responsibility to be sure there are recycling programs in place and you should be able to get a refund like you do when you take a drink bottle to the bottle depot.
Oil companies Power companies are also at fault, but in a different way. They create energy, but also create environmental hazards at the same time. Government needs to make these companies responsible for proper clean up when they exit a site. There should have to be a fund set up before the company enters the site, to ensure that money is there when the company leaves. There needs to be more accountability by companies and government. When government is actually for the people and representing the people, then maybe we will see change. Unfortunately, the government gets a cut from companies that charge us, whether it be oil companies, banks, credit cards, etc.
This documentary was very interesting and something many of us are already aware of.
However I have to question whether we really live in this type of a consumer society. Let me explain.
In 2008 at the peak of the world recession, I wrote to the executives at Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Apple, Microsoft, Adobe, Intel, AMD and forth with an idea idea to encourage a new use for the sale of their computers, printers and scanners on a new industry in the United States and around the world that would have pumped billions of dollars into Silcion Valley with the purchase of new computer technology and computer software. (Sales of 4 million a year)
The answer from every single CEO was no. “We are not interested in your idea and we are not interested in selling our products.”
In February 2009 after President Barack Obama was sworn into office he and his staff were then contacted with the idea and the goal to create 200,000 new jobs in the United States with the goal of pumping billions of dollars of technology sales into Silcion Valley California.
The response (and I have the letter from the White House) is that we are not interested. We do not want to create any new jobs nor do we want to make any changes to the way we are doing things.
In March 2009 Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his staff were then contacted with the idea and the goal to create 20,000 new jobs in Canada with the goal of pumping billions of dollars into Canada’s technology sector and other related industries.
The response (and I have the letter from the Canadian parliament) is that we are not interested. We do not want to create any new jobs nor do we want to make any changes to the way we are doing things.
In April 2009 Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his staff were then contacted with the idea and the goal to create 66,000 new jobs in Russia with the goal of pumping billions of dollars into their technology hardware, software sales, and related industries.
The response from the Russian ambassador to the United States was “not interested”.
So if we live in this need to consume society, someone needs to tell the high technology company CEO’s about it. This should also include the President of the United States, the Prime Minister of Canada and the President of Russia.
This comment is not to make fun of this documentary which is well done, but in my own personal experience over the past 4 years I have experienced just the opposite. A complete lack of desire to sell sell new products, support a new industry to buy these products and create new jobs.
The amount of money lost to the computer industry in the United States alone in the past four years has to be on the order of 4 trillion dollars, based on the sale of 4 million computer systems a year at $1,000.
Arnold Vinette
Ottawa, Canada
I heard that term used back in the 70s. Didn’t like it then, don’t like it now.
Would of been a better documentary if it presented more ways of maintaining industry, jobs and economy rather than just the protect dear old mother earth factor.
Extensive coverage of that Cosima Dannoritzer’s Light Bulb Conspiracy film see Dunday com