The Light Bulb Conspiracy
Planned obsolescence is the deliberate shortening of product life to meet consumer demand.
As one advertiser’s magazine put it: Timeless items are the tragedy of business, and of modern growth societies that depend on ever-accelerating cycles of production, consumption, and disposal.
Combining investigative research and rare archival footage, The Lightbulb Conspiracy traces the untold story of planned obsolescence, starting in the 1920s with a secretive cartel formed specifically to limit the lifespan of light bulbs, to today’s tale of cutting-edge high-end electronics Products (such as the iPod) and the growing adaptability of ordinary consumers.
The film travels to France, Germany, Spain and the United States in search of testimony to the business practices that have become the foundation of the modern economy, and brings back disturbing images of Africa, where discarded electronics pile up in vast e-waste graveyards.
Directed by: Cosima Dannoritzer
