Right, “conspire” was the wrong word (as others have noted, information asymmetry is enough, and I don’t think that manufacturers literally gather in smoke-filled rooms to adjust the lifespan of their products). But I still think Moloch to be a valid metaphor for a situation where:
customers are forced to buy short-lived products
manufacturers could unilaterally prolong the lifespan of their products at a small cost (or even a small gain), but they choose not to because they want to sell more now
long-lived products could be sold at higher prices
Right, “conspire” was the wrong word (as others have noted, information asymmetry is enough, and I don’t think that manufacturers literally gather in smoke-filled rooms to adjust the lifespan of their products). But I still think Moloch to be a valid metaphor for a situation where:
customers are forced to buy short-lived products
manufacturers could unilaterally prolong the lifespan of their products at a small cost (or even a small gain), but they choose not to because they want to sell more now
long-lived products could be sold at higher prices