Case Study: Planned Obsolescence - Coincidences, Conveniences, Contrivances, Collusion, and Conspiracies

We’ve been exploring thinking frameworks like root cause analysis, inversion, systems thinking, and more in recent posts.

Now, let’s pull it all together and apply these tools to something bigger:
The strange patterns happening around us that affect what we buy, how we live, and what we’re allowed to do.

Let me start with a personal note:

I don’t believe in conspiracy theories.
But I do believe that when coincidences pile up, and outcomes seem designed to favor everyone except the consumer…
It’s worth asking some serious questions.

What I’ve Been Thinking About…

Take a look around:

• Appliances that used to last decades now die after 7–10 years
• Vehicles that once ran for 250,000 miles now fail at 100,000—with complex electronics that are nearly impossible to fix
• Software-locked features in things you thought you owned
• Smart devices that feed your data back to someone else
• Repair restrictions that force replacement over restoration

None of this is an accident.
It's not a conspiracy—but it is a set of aligned incentives across industries and agencies.

And you—the consumer—are not the winner.

The Five C’s: A Thinking Lens

Here’s the mental model I use when patterns emerge:

1. Coincidence – Strange timing or frequency? Don’t dismiss it.
2. Convenience – Who benefits from making this “easier”?
3. Contrivance – Was this outcome designed to look unplanned?
4. Collusion – Do multiple players gain by working together (even silently)?
5. Conspiracy – When all else points to an agenda, don’t shout, but do dig deeper.

Ask yourself:

“Is this a coincidence, or does it serve someone else more than me?”

Let’s Talk Appliances

Your grandmother’s washer lasted 30 years.
Today’s might fail in 8.

Why?

Because we’ve allowed a system where:

• Parts are proprietary
• Repairs are expensive
• Electronics are complex and fragile
• “Smart” features push updates but add failure points
• Aesthetics go out of style in 3–5 years

Ask: Who benefits?
Answer: Manufacturers, retailers, and energy compliance enforcers—not you.

Now apply systems thinking:

• Regulations → More electronics
• More electronics → More failure
• More failure → More sales
• More sales → More profit
  Everyone wins—except you.

Now Cars

The shift to electric vehicles (EVs) is being pushed hard. Why?

Because EVs:

• Are rolling software platforms
• Collect and transmit data
• Require fewer parts but more proprietary systems
• Shorten personal mobility range
• Fit urban planning and energy agendas
• Are harder to repair without OEM approval

What’s happening isn’t just technical. It’s strategic.

Ask:

“What if I wanted to reduce gas car usage without banning them outright?”
Then do the inversion:

• Make repairs costly
• Limit part availability
• Add complex electronics
• Nudge policies toward EV incentives
• Let the market eliminate the rest

It’s not a conspiracy—it’s just well-aligned contrivance.

So What Do You Do?

You learn to think like this:

Use root cause analysis — Ask “Why?” 5 times
Use inversion — Flip problems on their heads
Use systems thinking — Map the connections
Use strategic thinking — Look for incentives
Use creative thinking — Connect unrelated dots

Don’t accept assumptions. Suspect them.
Don’t jump to conclusions. Methodically determine them.
Don’t panic—analyze.

Final Thought

This world is becoming optimized for:

• Recurring revenue
• Obsolescence
• Compliance
• Control
• Data harvesting

And the consumer is being nudged into cycles of perpetual dependency.

But you’re not helpless.
You have a brain. You have tools. You have frameworks.

Use them.

The Five C’s aren’t just patterns—they’re warning signs.
Train yourself to spot them. And once you do, don’t look away.

You’ll never see the world the same again.

Want to readthe full article? Find it here.