The documentary makes the classic mistake of blaming a conspiracy for the short lifespan of light bulbs while showing the firehouse light bulb and saying 'they don't build them like this any more'.  We know how to make ultra long life lightbulbs: don't power cycle them, and make them really dim and horribly inefficient.  That's pretty useless to almost all consumers.

In the 1960s it was common that a car that reached 100k miles needed thorough engine overhauls to keep going.  My car has just passed that mark without any engine repairs.  My parents bought a new car in the 1980s that had a 12 month, 20k km warranty.  That was considered standard  Now 5 year 100k km is standard.  They don't build them like they used to: they build them better.

As for the other anecdotes raised on this thread, consider that the old brand name washing machines, fridges and televisions my parents owned still needed regular repairs every few years.  Certainly none lasted decades like people like to claim when contrasting with the equipment sold in stores today.

It's true that there is some real cheap trash being sold today, but consumers need to look at themselves when trying to blame someone.  A manufacturer selling a quality LED light with the best components is almost always going to lose sales to the other guy who is using much cheaper components with dubious quality and shorter lifespan.  Consumers often drive that demand.