The 21st century brought with it the vice of addictive dependence on electronic products. We are so dependent on them that we cannot think of living without them even for a moment hence appears the concept of repair and reuse.
Can we fathom to survive even for a single day without our cell phone or iphone or laptop? The unequivocal answer is no. each one of us is a social media addict and these electronic devices are the medium to connect with these platforms.
So, we are ever willing to dole out hefty sums from our bank accounts to grab on to the next product that is on sale to be able to survive.
This addiction has made us susceptible to the machinations of tech companies who manufacture these products. The tech companies exploit this temptation of ours to make windfall profits and in the process have brought about a cultural change in us too.
A whole new culture of disposing and replacing rather than repairing and reusing has been thrust on us. Frugality was always an integral part of our tradition. There was a time when a repair toolbox was always present in every household.
But things have changed. But now we are slowly succumbing to the throw-away era. An use-and-throw culture has gripped us. We have junked more things in our lives than we can remember.
Why do not the modern-day electronic devices last long? Why do we junk them instead of repairing them? Why is it that products made with 21st century technology wear out so quickly while older generation products last longer? We can blame ourselves for not valuing old things like our parents did.
They believed in mending and re-using. In today’s world, driven by consumerism, mending something makes you the odd man out. It is looked upon as an act of defiance. You defy an entire system that wants you to keep buying more and more. It is a sinister conspiracy masquerading as a business model to force you to keep buying.
It is called planned obsolescence—a policy of producing consumer goods that rapidly become obsolete and require replacing. When something is obsolete it is no longer relevant. It is no longer used and simply becomes out of date. Planned obsolescence means it is planned to become obsolete and outdated very soon.
It is a mix of business strategy that is aimed at making a product undesirable, useless and unwanted. The ultimate goal is to make one replace the product so that there is a need to buy a new one.
This goal is achieved by installing parts that are bound to fail. One way of doing this is to make the electronic product incompatible with other products in the same category like an exclusive operating system. Launching new models of the same product makes the previous one unwanted and undesirable.
This has become so commonplace these days that an average consumer buys a gadget knowing that it will wear out very soon. It is accepted that what is being bought today will soon become outdated by a better looking version of the same device. Some of us are tempted to buy a new version while others are not. Yet, most of us end up buying the new version because we do not have a choice.
Once a new model is introduced in the market, a familiar pattern is observed. The present model automatically slows down to a point where it is almost unusable. The gaming consoles require too many resets.
The laptop screens start flickering. But we cannot repair them. It is inconvenient, difficult and almost impossible. Most of them cannot be fixed at the local repair store. The companies own the right to their own design and software.
They decide who can fix the device and who cannot. Even basic repair becomes a very expensive affair. Replacing a shattered mobile screen or a depleted battery entail hefty expenditure and with no other choice we end up buying a new product.
The cost-benefit analysis of repairing shows that purchasing a new one would be more cost effective as there is no guarantee that the repaired model would work for a very long time. This has been proved by multiple studies that when things begin to fail, people are more inclined to buy new ones rather than fix the old ones. It was not always this way.
Consumers have realized the ploy behind this albeit a bit too late. This has led to a major global campaign for “right to repair.” Finally, the corporates seem to be listening to this demand of their consumers.
A good beginning has been made by tech giant Apple in this regard. Apple has announced a self-repair program which basically means that customers can fix their own device. Under this program, customers can go to a Apple store, online or offline, and purchase parts that have become defective and fix their device themselves.
The most common things that need fixing like camera, screen and battery can now be repaired by your own self. People do not have to replace their old models for these defects anymore. But if one is not an Apple user, then whatever product he or she is using, he or she needs to push for right to repair with that company.
The Right to Repair allows consumers the right to repair or service their own device without any legal or technical restrictions. This will make electronic goods easier to fix and subsequently increase their life cycle. This applies to cars, cell phones and laptops. One can ask manufacturers to provide parts that are used to repair products and manuals and guides to help.
This concept first emerged in the American auto industry in the year 2012. The state of Massachusetts was the first state to pass this act which was followed by many other American states.
Following this in the year 2013, a digital right to repair emerged. In the year 2017, iphone users came across evidence that Apple was purposely slowing down the speed of older models so that consumers would buy new ones. So consumers pushed for legal action and finally Apple has given the right to repair.
Following this, other tech giants like Microsoft have also embraced the right to repair. Starting next year, Microsoft will give consumers the right to fix their own device. The European Union has accepted this in principle and all member countries are complying by passing the right to repair. British manufacturers have been asked to provide customers with simple and safe repairs. France has introduced a repairing score system. Because of this, many companies are providing their customers with repair manuals that was not available previously, like Samsung.
This would keep big companies in check. They can be held accountable for their products. The cost of repairs will be significantly reduced for consumers. This would also help the environment as repair will prevent speedy disposal of electronic goods thereby reducing the total quantity of electronic waste meant for disposal which is a hazardous process.
The manufacturing process of electronic goods is very polluting and carbon intensive. So a prolonged use of electronic products will lessen the carbon foot print of these goods. This will give a fillip to the local economy by creating employment in small repair shops. If one big company has monopoly over repairs, the smaller ones will have to shut shop. The right to repair will also kindle the repairman within us.
At some point in time almost all of us have been moved by the desire to repair and fix a cherished item by ourselves. With right to repair that desire can be fulfilled and a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment would fill our minds. In the process, we would have preserved our old way of life. The concept of repairing is picking pace globally. India too should consider and force in the right to repair.
edited and proofread by nikita sharma
