Convergence is, in some cases, a good idea. You can be pretty sure that a standard light bulb from Canadian Tire or Wal-Mart will fit your socket and work correctly.

However, if you own a tumble drier, convergence may have put you in this list:

• Whirlpool, who owns
• HotPoint, and
• Indesit, and
• Creada, and
• Swan, and
• Proline.

You can check me on this at this website.All of these driers are failing. That’s because Whirlpool bought them all out and sold their own c..p under these other brands.

How about dishwasher fires? You might want to check out this list:

• Whirlpool, who owns
• Kitchen Aid, and
• Whirlpool, and
• Sears Kenmore, and
• Maytag

Apparently these beauties are subject to dishwasher fires. And yes, they are all really made by one company and sold under these (and probably other) brands.

Well, you say, I could maybe die in a dryer fire and maybe even less likely in a dishwasher fire.

Well, consider automobile airbags. Takata airbags to be more precise.

Here you will find one of very many pages on this. I’ll content myself with a few limited quotes. Emphasis mine, as always.

In total, 15 automakers have recalled nearly 16.4 million vehicles in the United States since last week stemming from Takata’s decision in May to declare another 35 million to 40 million inflators defective by 2019.

And, that’s only in the USA and it’s only what we now know. Airbags are a commodity, like 120 volt 60 cycle light bulbs.
Convergence means, if one fails, they all are liable to failure.

Convergence means, interchangeability. This is good when you need a flashlight battery, home appliance, car tire valve.

Now for the activism question:

should not highly convergently-used technology be subject to much tighter testing and insurance than, say, a hot-dog bought on St. George street? I think that’s a bad example, eh?