Part 5/10:
The discussion naturally extends beyond clothing; it touches on how planned obsolescence and consumer engineering have evolved. The concept of consumer engineering, which originated nearly a century ago, relies on convincing consumers that their possessions are out of fashion. This leads to a compulsive need to replace items frequently, even when they are still functional.
With consumer habits swaying towards instant gratification and transient trends, people tend to dispose of perfectly good items for the latest model, be it furniture or electronics. This constant cycle demands companies optimize for high volume sales rather than quality, leaving consumers with an excess of lower-quality choices — epitomized by fast fashion retailers.