Wait! - What?

Just had to buy a new refrigerator. The prices of these things are outrageous. Most of them are in the $2000 to $3000 range! When talking to the sales person he also wanted (and highly recommend) buying an extra service warranty for 3 or 5 years. He said that in the past refrigerators were expected to last for 20 years or more. In fact, our last 2 did survive that long. Now 8 years is the expected lifetime of a refrigerator. EIGHT YEARS! Really?

Is that the best we can do as we go forward into the future? Things should last longer not less. How wasteful. How disrespectful of the consumer and the environment. This way of thinking and doing business has to stop.