Why the right to repair movement is fucking stupid.

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ian
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Why the right to repair movement is fucking stupid.

Post by ian »

Let me start by saying that I love the ideology, That I should be able to get my 9 year old iPhone fixed wherever I want. And as a hoarder who ABSOLUTELY ADORES all my old shit. I get what the argument is about.
So people can spare me the rigmarole of all the counter points they think they may have.

It's cheaper! It's better for the environment! It's a happy world where we all hold hands and get along!

But what I don't get, A. Why are you paying many thousands of dollars for a device you KNOW is disposable and B. Do you really want to be using said device in 5, 10, 20, 30 years?

I have a 65 year old tape player sitting 5 feet from me. Crack that bad boy open and you've got a full block diagram showing every single electronic component and it's full list of specs.
And sure I could spend $40 and 2 hours on a new belt and get it working as good as new again.
But, outside of doing it for a nostalgic hit or to maintain some wanker hipster image, WHY WOULD I DO THAT?
There's only 29 million easier, cheaper and better ways to listen to music...

And my right to repair is not going to make my Nokia 5110 work in the modern world is it?

But but but... MY TRACTOR!!!
If you don't like the way Homme leere makes their products... don't fucking buy one?
work your farm by hand if it's so bad. Buy an 80 year old tractor if it's so bad.

But but but... I just broke my brand new 2 grand iPhone!!!
Well Maybe you should have taken better fucking care of it or purchased a product at a price you were happy to pay for your lack of care.
I understand that accidents happen, but the right to repair movement seems to conveniently forget personal accountability and financial responsibility in all of their arguments.

I BROKE MY SHIT through sheer negligence or flat out incompetence and now should be able to get it fixed for $99 anywhere.
Yes, you should... But why would you want to?
Buy a better, and newer one.

And no I'm not saying things should be forgotten and discarded for no reason. Humanity has had MANY hundreds of thousands of incredible achievements, and what right to repair supporters tend to think is that we should all just stop as a species.

I love the Wright Flyer. And in 1903 it was simply amazing, and the inventors had a right to maintain and display it as they saw fit.
Would I take a flight on it in 2021?
Fuck no! Are you fucking high?
Should we forget about this absolute triumph of human ingenuity? Under absolutely no circumstances.
Should people who purchased a Wright brothers plane in 1911 be bitching about their right to repair their 110 year old plane?
Also, under absolutely no circumstances.

It's very easy to get stuck in this mindset of the technology we buy remaining important and valuable.
But it just fucking isn't. Sorry about that.
If I should Die Hard Arcade before I Alan Wake.
PREY the Lords of Lore my Soul Calibur to Take
-Two Interactive.

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pixel
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Re: Why the right to repair movement is fucking stupid.

Post by pixel »

The only part of the movement I really care about is the farm equipment sector.

Forced obsolescence is a bigger problem with phones than right to repair, in my opinion. And if I did need a laptop, I'd seriously consider one from Framework.

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Calavera
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Re: Why the right to repair movement is fucking stupid.

Post by Calavera »

You have a tape player from 1956?
Image

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ian
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Re: Why the right to repair movement is fucking stupid.

Post by ian »

Calavera wrote: Thu Oct 28, 2021 7:37 pm You have a tape player from 1956?
I did when I made the post. It was too much a pain in the ass to be fucked with.
Now the oldest tape player in the house is a mere 50 years old... Also broken because of a belt.
So rubber has been the weak point of electronics since at least the 50's, and I have a 90's walkman here which also has a fucked belt... It's not like humans ever learn, just buy the newest format and be done with it.

Fuck cassettes and vinyl and CDs and MP3's and streaming... Reel to reel is the only format for any REEL music lover!

I had the right to repair it, and even me, who loves hoarding and restoring things simply couldn't see the point in repairing it.

Cassette players are next on the list, with 4 out of 5 broken, they'll most likely become ewaste when I can be fucked throwing them out.

Will probably put the music on my phone or something..
If I should Die Hard Arcade before I Alan Wake.
PREY the Lords of Lore my Soul Calibur to Take
-Two Interactive.

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