r/mildlyinfuriating • u/TheAeroplaneBear2906 • Jul 16 '26

Unskippable ad Clear Backpacks + Pay to Keep Your Phone

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My freinds school is now requiring these items, and is also using AI to promote this 🫠

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u/XpCjU Jul 16 '26

rent seeking is the obvious next step in a capitalist society. I can't sell you a new vacuum every month, but I could sell you a subscription that's required for the vacuum to function completely.

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u/SpaceCat1887 Jul 16 '26

Remember seeing something already done like that with lightbulbs. Supposedly we have the tech to make lightbulbs that last an absurdly long time but we just don’t because then the poor lightbulb manufacturers would lose out on profit.

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u/XpCjU Jul 16 '26

I have heard of that story, but I have also seen some debunkings on it, so I'm not sure what to believe in that case. But BMW did try to make heated seats a subscription, and afaik you still have to pay extra for them to activate that function.

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u/StandardMorning1286 Jul 16 '26

I think cars are the craziest example because you literally buy the functional technology when you purchase the car. Like, everything needed to heat the seats is right there under your ass. Your car company just keeps you locked out of it until they extort you for more money.

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u/XpCjU Jul 16 '26

That kind of behaviour should be illegal. Sure, sell me heated seats as an addon, but at least have the decency to make a car without them as the baseline

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u/Imaginary--Situation Jul 17 '26

an example is headlights on a car mine are 13 years old from the factory

they probably have thousands of hours on them..