Video Reflection #3: 'The Light Bulb Conspiracy' (2010)

The documentary presents an interesting case of study and thinking for me and I think anybody would find the stories told in this film to be well worth knowing, if the viewer is concerned with society issues, consumerism, use of resource, disposal of waste, environmental issues, and/or, the health of our planet.

Planned obsolescence in man-made things to induce consumer demands, to keep production lines of manufacturing companies running the ‘’eternal marathon’’ to maintain the existence and promote growth of the company, and to gear the economic growth of a society or country.

The main focus in the documentary is that the life-span of a product is purposely designed in which the purchased good will served its function and then it will [as designed to] reach its end-of-life leading it to be disposed of, and so the consumer will have [a choice] to replace with a new product.

The film does very well in delivering its message, of a growing concern in how an idea, (like planned obsolescence), to promote development and growth may have detrimental effect on a society, such as an example shown in the film, the dumping of [Western] electronic wastes that caused land and river pollution in the African-country of Ghana.

I feel that I can agree that to have a continuing market and the company to continue making profit, they will depend on the consumers to keep buying the company’s products.

And the purchasing is what helps the economy running, as tax and GST are injected into the government’s finances.  And the available fund allows government to establish infrastructure and facilities, military defence, influence, and diplomatic relation, to benefit their own society.

Humongous spending and massive-production is what maintaining the powerhouse economy of USA, and other advanced nations.

And I also agree with the imbalance of our [increasing] consumption and the availability of environmental resource.

The ‘’Cradle-to-cradle” concept is a good idea to adopt in designing and making products, because it follows the principle of the death or end-of-life of a natural element that bring-forth a new life, like decay of leaf provide nutrients in the soil to allow new growth of plants and trees.

I think designers should watch this documentary, and it would be great interests for designers who are environmentally aware and socially concerned with societal and cultural issues with the life-cycle of products. The film is worth to watch because it forwards a message for all of individuals about our social responsibility for our living and the environment.