[lit-ideas] Stevens' Planned Obsolescence

From: Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Thu, 1 Dec 2011 16:23:07 -0500 (EST)
I'm changing the header slightly. Perhaps other may contribute  further.
 
In a message dated 12/1/2011 1:06:28 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
lawrencehelm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx quotes his message in another  forum:

"According to Wikipedia "Planned obsolescence or built-in  obsolescence in 
industrial design is a policy of deliberately planning or  designing a 
product with a limited useful life, so it will become obsolete or  
nonfunctional 
after a certain period of time." The argument was recently made  that all 
E-System cameras except for the E-5 (which is still in production) are  
obsolete. Does that term apply in this sense? I don't think so. I see no  
evidence 
of E-System cameras failing in an abnormal manner. They are all still  in 
use and performing as they were designed to perform as far as I know. "In  
looking for the origin of the term, the writer of the Wikipedia article says,  
"From that point on, 'planned obsolescence' became Stevens' catchphrase. By 
his  definition, planned obsolescence was 'Instilling in the buyer the 
desire to own  something a little newer, a little better, a little sooner than 
is  necessary.'"
 
---- That is interesting, and I wouldn't be surprised if the OED picks this 
 up. It's technical enough. Planned obsolescence.

"The term obsolete is  far too harsh a word to apply to all the differences 
or "improvements" that  appear in cameras later than the early E-system 
cameras." "I'm not really  looking for Helsinki to respond to this note.  I 
would be more interested  in responses from the people justifying their moves 
to different or "better"  cameras."
 
---- Good.
 
I wouldn't know.
 
There seems to be the wrong implicature when it applies to 'obsolete'. Note 
 that the etymology is never certain. There is this idea of 'solent' (as in 
 INsolent), so if it's obsolete, it's no longer 'practiced' (or 
'produced'!).  This is different from 'extinct' (as in the auk, an extinct 
bird).
 
----- The idea of 'planned obsolescence' is a good one. Not in the sense of 
 Locke -- as per what the idea _represents_, but as 'idea' per se. Very  
tricky.
 
---- And so on.
 
Cheers,
 
Speranza


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[lit-ideas] Stevens' Planned Obsolescence

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