Mickey charts a course into the heart of darkness:

Mickey’s Assignment Desk–The Gillette Cycle of Despair: Here’s an evergreen story idea I’ve wanted someone to nail down for decades: Why do Gillette’s fancy razors seem to work so well when they are introduced, then gradually get worse and worse until a new, fancier razor is introduced? . . . The most recent example: When I first bought a Gillette Fusion five-blade razor, I thought it was absurd (and absurdly expensive). But it was fantastic. Best shave ever, etc. And the blades lasted for months. . . . A couple of years later, however–in an all-too-familiar development — I’ve noticed that the expensive replacement blades for this razor don’t seem to cut as smoothly, and they seen to wear out much faster. Experienced Gillette customers intuitively know what this means: the company is about to introduce a newer, more complex, and even more expensive shaving system. . . . And sure enough, here it is, the Fusion ProGlide! . . . Its blades will cost more than $4 apiece, according to the WSJ. And I’m sure they will be fabulous — at least for the first year or so. Then, if my experience is a guide, ProGlide consumers may notice a puzzling dropoff. . . . This cycle has held true with every Gillette product I’ve ever used, starting with the Techmatic in high school.