Hello again !
Most know I don't 'post' unless I have something to say......and this is no exception.
I don't expect most of you to 'understand' the 'electronic concept' of what I am about to 'expound' upon, however all of you are 'victims' being 'hijacked', 'bound and gagged' with a 'gun held to your head'. Now I know that sounds rather 'radical' but it's true! What's more astounding is that you, the 'public' readily accept it and consider it to be in our 'best interest' via the 'brainwashing' that has transpired over the past several decades and perpetuate it in some sort of way. This is a 'growing' problem that 'stretches' into many other areas of our 'way of life' and 'finacial health' (
another story for another time ) that most of 'us' as 'individuals' are 'facing' with no 'end' or 'changes for the 'better in sight ! Ok...enough of the 'foreboding' so hold on....the 'ride' has just begun !
For those of you that don't know, I am a qualified highly established technical person that has the ability to 'repair', 'maintain' and 'design' most 'electronic, electrical and mechanical' devices particularly associated to the 'consumer markets' and have seen the industry go the way of the 'dinosaurs' becoming nearly extinct ! Now that in itself is justification alone to say a few words, however that's not the issue at hand but related it is.
How many of you have 'purchased' at a 'reasonable or at a high price' (
$$$) products that you had 'expected' to 'last' at least a bit more than that product actually did ? For many products it's 'life expectancy' was 'shorter' than the time it took you to 'earn' the bucks you paid for it ! So ....what do you do ? Of course, you run right out and 'purchase' a similar item at usually a 'higher' price because of the 'socalled' 'upgrades' and 'better quality'....lol......:)...hmmmm ! Now that is really one of mankinds most 'ambiguous concepts'....lol....'better quality' and 'elusive to boot !!!! Sorry for chuckling, but I do think you might be getting a 'drift' of where I'm 'heading'....
The reasons why the products don't last is rather simple in explanation. 'Cheap' despite the cost to purchase is 'cheap' no matter what it's 'reputation' is 'boasted to be ! The manufacturers have managed to 'minaturize' thru 'socalled' better technology 'smaller in size' the functionality of the product. All that is well and good, however the 'price' we pay in the long run for 'circuitry' and 'component parts' that have been minaturized sacrificing 'quality and longevity' is ridiculous!
Circuit boards have become as thin as 'tissue paper', component items have such low 'power capabilites' that they 'self destruct' under normal and minimal usage. Plastics have infiltrated every aspect of every product line, eventho it enables the finish product to 'look' more appealing than past generations of gizmos, it deteriorates rapidly via the natural process of 'drying out'. Cracking and eventually 'fatique' makes the product 'crippled' in some aspect, one way or the other. The list goes on and on as to why but we the 'consumer' is 'stuck' into 'repurchasing' the same product over and over again many times in our life time when indeed 'once' should be a reasonable consideration or maybe 'twice' !
As I was writing this post, I looked around my home and realized just how many items that haven't lasted very long, a few years at best and have been 'replaced' often. My latest issue is my fairly 'new' network wireless router. Only being about 6 yrs old at the most, (
not really very long for an electronic device ) it no longer wants to function 'wirelessly'. Obviously, the 'RF' section has some issue to which I have addressed a few times in the past couple of months with little success for it to operate continuously and reliably. Parts are just nonexisting ! So, it looks like a new wireless router will be the only 'cure'. ..ugh !!!
Yes, the new router will be an 'upgrade' with the newest 'standard' for wireless networking, but I don't 'need' nor can the 'wireless pc' handle the newest standard. So does that mean I need to also 'replace' a perfectly performing pc to accomodate the new router? Most likely the answer is 'yes'. So a relatively low costing router (
$50+) will end up costing in reality hundreds ! Geesh....so much for 'progress' !
Now comes the sad part of this whole thing. Just look at 'us' ..the 'human race' ..aren't we in the same 'boat' ? As we age and live longer we too become 'replaceables' ! Ok, so we don't necessarily end up in the 'trash' as a 'product' might, however just look at our 'nursing homes, hospitals and of the such ! What is there ? Old, out dated, partially working individuals that have been 'deemed' by our 'society' as 'no longer a productive part of the whole scheme of things. So the concept remains. Either it's 'planned obsolescence' or just thru a 'natural' process, 'real estate' is a 'premium' at the 'cost' of every single one of us !
Minaturized electronics saves 'space' (
real estate) and reduces 'merchantablity of use' at a huge cost to its 'users'. Longevity of human life cost us dearly via the cost of sustaining 'life' beyond our 'socalled productive years'.(
real estate for housing and care ) So where is the 'balance' ?
Obviously human life shouldn't be compared to 'products'...but just look around.....it is !
Real Estate, real estate, real estate.....it brings back a point in the movie 'Graduate'...where Dustin Hoffman was told to 'invest' in 'plastics'.....
Like I said...."cheap is cheap"...no matter how it's applied. Yes, we have 'cheapened up' human life, either through products or via the 'value of life' itself ! It's just not 'right' no matter which aspect you want to examine. I just wish 'things' really were 'better' instead of being under a 'veil of some facade' of being so because we were told so!
So till next time.....I'm placing myself on 'auto pilot'...hoping to 'see you all soon' ...next time....right here ....providing my circuits don't fail me !
As always,
Smugs,
Steve
