[throw20102010]

I can't help you with the why some SD cards are short lived, but if you want a longer lasting SD card, try the "endurance" versions. Most of the big brands have a version. They are a bit more expensive, but promise 25x the write life of a standard SD.

They are typically marketed toward video surveillance systems and dash cams. I'm not sure how the rest of a Raspberry Pi's performance would be effective.