Imagine buying something you truly love—a phone, a fancy new microwave, or a pair of glasses—only to find out a few years later that it’s useless because it can’t be repaired. Maybe the parts are no longer available, the cost to fix it is nearly as much as buying a new one, or the company simply doesn’t care to support it anymore. That’s not an accident—it’s by design. This concept, known as planned obsolescence, is a strategy used by many corporations to keep you buying, upgrading, and replacing. It’s a cycle that maximizes profits for big companies while leaving consumers—like you—stuck with broken products and no real options. The Profit-Driven Cycle Big brands have mastered the art of making things...

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