Blog 18: The Story of Stuff

2. Planned Obsolescence/Perceived Obsolescence
Define "planned obsolescence" and "perceived obsolescence" in your own words. Who/What is responsible for these marketing strategies? Who/What benefits from them? Who/What suffers because of them? Are these strategies necessary? Are they right? Provide evidence from your own experience or from what you have read and discussed in class.

           In my opinion, "planned obsolescence" means the industrial design have a policy of planning or design a product with a limited useful life, therefor it will become as trash and can't use it anymore. "perceived obsolescence" means in some way in our mind, we think it is unfashionable or no longer functional after a certain period of time and It is human nature to get attracted to new inventions and new objects. 
           Industrialists and businessmen knows that this human nature to their advantage and release old products with small changes.  They claim the modified products to have new qualities and features when they are released in the market. 
           Industrialists and businessmen get profits with the modified products.  Because people discard their old products to buy the new mobile phones or cameras that have special and unique features.  They discard their clothes, bags that they were using till now to buy new fashion products.  This not only leads to money wastage but also is harmful for the environment as waster materials increase.
           Nowadays, the technology is always change their versions very quick, especially in the software industry. That's why you have to follow their step to buy the new stuff just because they have tiny change and you can't use the old version anymore. As for me, i have an apple iPod, you can't use it over 2 years because it has limit battery life. The mac also change the version very quick like once a year. For an industry, planned obsolescence stimulates demand by encouraging purchasers to buy sooner if they still want a functioning product.
           It is not a good idea to discard the objects that are being used unless it is necessary.  If anybody is not using the objects it is better to give it to somebody who will use them.