4 ms·

What are these totalitarian measures you speak of?

nlqp 6y ago
Forbidding incandescent light bulbs while forcing inferior expensive replacements on consumers to prop up the light bulb cartel. All while you can burn 100l of petrol per day, no questions asked. Forbidding new construction sites lest the yellow speckled violet frog's breeding habits are disturbed in order to prop up the rental extraction by oligarchs.
- rozab 6y ago
  Why are incandescent light bulbs inferior, exactly?
  - nlqp 6y ago
    The comment says no such thing.
    - rozab 6y ago
      Ah, I meant to type the opposite
  - Narishma 6y ago
    They said the opposite.
- yladiz 6y ago
  Light bulb cartel lol. But seriously: it's not like it's a zero-sum game and it's disingenuous to pretend it is as it justifies inaction and not having small wins that can add up over time. Specifically about lightbulbs, reducing the energy use of lightbulbs across the board is a win, just like reducing the amount of petrol burned.
  - jand 6y ago
    @light bulb cartel: see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoebus_cartel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoebus_cartel
    - ramphastidae 6y ago
      > The cartel ceased operations in 1939 owing to the outbreak of World War II.
      - Aerroon 6y ago
        But Planned Obsolescence didn't go anywhere. Nowadays it's all around us.
- qart 6y ago
  The cartels were for incandescent light bulbs [1], rather than other kinds of lighting. It's harder for cartels to exist now, given that we can buy alternatives from other countries on Ebay and AliExpress. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5v8D-alAKE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5v8D-alAKE
  - nlqp 6y ago
    In Europe most bulbs in the stores are expensive Philips, Osram, etc. products. Ikea bulbs are rebranded and also expensive. You can buy on Ebay of course, but that is not what most consumers do. I don't consider it competition if all brick and mortar stores do the same.
    - TeMPOraL 6y ago
      Who buys bulbs in the stores when there's a hundred thousand small vendors on local e-commerce sites, selling super cheap LED bulbs imported straight from Shenzhen? (The race to the bottom in LED lighting is another environmental issue, though. The cheap bulbs I see people buy are mostly garbage that's barely fit for purpose, and in a sane world would not be allowed to leave the assembly floor.)
      - tap10 6y ago
        The average cost of buying something online, especially from China directly, is: - At least 1 hour of searching, market research, vetting the vendor (insofar that is possible at all). - Staying at home for multiple days when the delivery is expected, while frantically checking incorrect package trackers. - Alternatively, having the package delivered to the post office. Going there and waiting with 50 other people takes 2 hours. - If the vendor is dishonest or the package delivery fails, add another 4 hours at least. So the answer to your question is: Everyone who does not want to jump through these hoops or values their time.
        TeMPOraL 6y ago
        I talked about local vendors reselling things from China. Pretty much their entire value is in shielding the buyer from the inconveniences you listed. The real experience of a typical person I know is: - Go to your local eBay equivalent, look for LED lightbulbs, sort by price. - Pick the cheapest offer that doesn't look super-sketchy, place an order for half a dozen and pay for it, all with a few clicks. - Wait 2-5 days, depending on seasons and phase of the moon. - Depending on the delivery method you picked in step 2, a courier comes and brings you a package, or you visit the parcel locker 2-5 minutes from your home at a time that's convenient for you. - Repeat the process when the cheapass bulbs invariably all burn out within a year. At least in Europe, shopping on-line is a solved problem.

nlqp 6y ago

Forbidding incandescent light bulbs while forcing inferior expensive replacements on consumers to prop up the light bulb cartel. All while you can burn 100l of petrol per day, no questions asked. Forbidding new construction sites lest the yellow speckled violet frog's breeding habits are disturbed in order to prop up the rental extraction by oligarchs.

rozab 6y ago
Why are incandescent light bulbs inferior, exactly?
- nlqp 6y ago
  The comment says no such thing.
  - rozab 6y ago
    Ah, I meant to type the opposite
- Narishma 6y ago
  They said the opposite.
yladiz 6y ago
Light bulb cartel lol. But seriously: it's not like it's a zero-sum game and it's disingenuous to pretend it is as it justifies inaction and not having small wins that can add up over time. Specifically about lightbulbs, reducing the energy use of lightbulbs across the board is a win, just like reducing the amount of petrol burned.
- jand 6y ago
  @light bulb cartel: see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoebus_cartel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoebus_cartel
  - ramphastidae 6y ago
    > The cartel ceased operations in 1939 owing to the outbreak of World War II.
    - Aerroon 6y ago
      But Planned Obsolescence didn't go anywhere. Nowadays it's all around us.
qart 6y ago
The cartels were for incandescent light bulbs [1], rather than other kinds of lighting. It's harder for cartels to exist now, given that we can buy alternatives from other countries on Ebay and AliExpress. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5v8D-alAKE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5v8D-alAKE
- nlqp 6y ago
  In Europe most bulbs in the stores are expensive Philips, Osram, etc. products. Ikea bulbs are rebranded and also expensive. You can buy on Ebay of course, but that is not what most consumers do. I don't consider it competition if all brick and mortar stores do the same.
  - TeMPOraL 6y ago
    Who buys bulbs in the stores when there's a hundred thousand small vendors on local e-commerce sites, selling super cheap LED bulbs imported straight from Shenzhen? (The race to the bottom in LED lighting is another environmental issue, though. The cheap bulbs I see people buy are mostly garbage that's barely fit for purpose, and in a sane world would not be allowed to leave the assembly floor.)
    - tap10 6y ago
      The average cost of buying something online, especially from China directly, is: - At least 1 hour of searching, market research, vetting the vendor (insofar that is possible at all). - Staying at home for multiple days when the delivery is expected, while frantically checking incorrect package trackers. - Alternatively, having the package delivered to the post office. Going there and waiting with 50 other people takes 2 hours. - If the vendor is dishonest or the package delivery fails, add another 4 hours at least. So the answer to your question is: Everyone who does not want to jump through these hoops or values their time.
      - TeMPOraL 6y ago
        I talked about local vendors reselling things from China. Pretty much their entire value is in shielding the buyer from the inconveniences you listed. The real experience of a typical person I know is: - Go to your local eBay equivalent, look for LED lightbulbs, sort by price. - Pick the cheapest offer that doesn't look super-sketchy, place an order for half a dozen and pay for it, all with a few clicks. - Wait 2-5 days, depending on seasons and phase of the moon. - Depending on the delivery method you picked in step 2, a courier comes and brings you a package, or you visit the parcel locker 2-5 minutes from your home at a time that's convenient for you. - Repeat the process when the cheapass bulbs invariably all burn out within a year. At least in Europe, shopping on-line is a solved problem.