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Why everything you buy is worse now [video]

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Re: Why everything you buy is worse now [video]

#51

Post by Gud »

searealist wrote: post #20
bigbinary wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There’s definitely a point of diminishing returns, but boots from Ross can cost about $45, while a $300 pair of red wings would last a lifetime, if maintained properly. A pair of $1000 boots are definitely beyond that line and will also last a lifetime, while costing 3.3x more

$300/3.3 is $90. Do you think those boots will last 5x longer than $90 boots?

I can't speak for his boots, but my Loake Sedbergh still look brand new after 2 years continuous use and with minimal care.

I give them a 10 second clean before use and 30 second clean + some polish after.

https://www.loake.com/product/sedbergh-black-grain/

Re: Why everything you buy is worse now [video]

#52

Post by herbst »

st-keller wrote: post #3

Interesting - didn‘t notice that. I‘m only buying quality stuff and stick to it as long a possible. Most of my cloth are years old. I’m buying a new iPhone if the one i have doesn’t get any updates anymore, and furniture has to outlive me. I always thought this is reasonable and that everyone would do it that way: Always having high quality stuff, saving money instead of wasting it by continuously buying cheap things…

I do this since I can afford doing that. In the past when I needed anything I had to calculate what I could afford, now I can look at everything with a long term aspect. I also have the time to invest in extensive product research.

I also spend like half on food since I buy in bulk and mostly directly from farmers. But realistically who can afford paying hundreds of dollars for a pack of meat today? Like in right now without missing the money elsewhere. I am sure the majority can't. (Maybe different on here)

Re: Why everything you buy is worse now [video]

#53

Post by otikik »

ashbee wrote: post #33
otikik wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, you are doing the rich man thing; the rich man can afford to buy a $20 pair of boots which lasts 5 years. The poor man can only afford the low-quality $6 pair which lasts a year.

I like the way Terry Pratchett put this in Men At Arms: The reason that the rich were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money. Take boots, for example. He earned thirty-eight dollars a month plus allowances. A really good pair of leather boots cost fifty dollars. But an affordable pair of boots, which were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave o…

Oh so that’s where I remember that from. Thanks! Mr Pratchett was a gift to humanity.

Re: Why everything you buy is worse now [video]

#54

Post by pyinstallwoes »

I think the solution is more DIY, build your stuff. Somewhat similar to the boom/boon of Modular eurorack. There’s tons of people creating things, even open-source, and selling the circuits fully assembled or packaged for DIY at lower costs.

I fundamentally believe that the human being requires designing their environment. This is also why cities in their current configuration may be such an anti-pattern with the trajectory of dystopian qualities; it is absurdly difficult for any human in a city to modify their environment in such a way it is the product of their inspiration and function.

Tl:dr I think people value things less when they don’t directly build it.

Re: Why everything you buy is worse now [video]

#55

Post by otikik »

searealist wrote: post #14
otikik wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, you are doing the rich man thing; the rich man can afford to buy a $20 pair of boots which lasts 5 years. The poor man can only afford the low-quality $6 pair which lasts a year.

Show me the boots that are 3.3x more expensive but last 5x as long. When buying new, it's very rare that buying expensive actually saves you money.

Don’t fixate on the boots. You will probably not find boots for $6 neither. The point is about availability of options, not about how much a boot costs or lasts. See Pratchett quote above.

Re: Why everything you buy is worse now [video]

#56

Post by otikik »

mvdtnz wrote: post #45
otikik wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, you are doing the rich man thing; the rich man can afford to buy a $20 pair of boots which lasts 5 years. The poor man can only afford the low-quality $6 pair which lasts a year.

Do you expect people who have the means to flagellate themselves with cheap stuff to satisfy you? Or simply waste money buying the best of everything first time?

I don’t understand this comment. Flagellation is not my thing, I’m good, thank you.

Re: Why everything you buy is worse now [video]

#57

Post by rcarr »

jaredezz wrote: post #25
st-keller wrote: post #3

Interesting - didn‘t notice that. I‘m only buying quality stuff and stick to it as long a possible. Most of my cloth are years old. I’m buying a new iPhone if the one i have doesn’t get any updates anymore, and furniture has to outlive me. I always thought this is reasonable and that everyone would do it that way: Always having high quality stuff, saving money instead of wasting it by continuously buying cheap things…

I tend to follow what I call the "toolbox rule," mostly because I've used it the most with tools. If I find I need something, I'll buy a cheap version of it, even if the cheap version is noticeably lower quality (which it almost always is). Then, if I use said cheap version enough that it either breaks or is no longer useful to me anymore, I'll buy a nicer one. It helps me justify the greater expense and demonstrates…

The counter approach to this is buying the branded version, and then if you're not using it as often as you thought you would, to sell it. It depends on a lot of factors such as age, condition, the product type etc but you can often sell branded products for 2/3 of what you paid for them on eBay, whereas unbranded or cheap products are very difficult to resell.

Re: Why everything you buy is worse now [video]

#58

Post by vijayr02 »

otikik wrote: post #53
ashbee wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I like the way Terry Pratchett put this in Men At Arms: The reason that the rich were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money. Take boots, for example. He earned thirty-eight dollars a month plus allowances. A really good pair of leather boots cost fifty dollars. But an affordable pair of boots, which were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave o…

Oh so that’s where I remember that from. Thanks! Mr Pratchett was a gift to humanity.

DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT A MAN IS NOT DEAD WHILE HIS NAME IS STILL SPOKEN?

(I know this wasn't spoken by DEATH but it seemed appropriate)

For a true DEATH quote:

‘DON’T THINK OF IT AS DYING,’ said Death. ‘JUST THINK OF IT AS LEAVING EARLY TO AVOID THE RUSH.’

Re: Why everything you buy is worse now [video]

#59

Post by Clubber »

dartos wrote: post #6
st-keller wrote: post #3

Interesting - didn‘t notice that. I‘m only buying quality stuff and stick to it as long a possible. Most of my cloth are years old. I’m buying a new iPhone if the one i have doesn’t get any updates anymore, and furniture has to outlive me. I always thought this is reasonable and that everyone would do it that way: Always having high quality stuff, saving money instead of wasting it by continuously buying cheap things…

Most people don’t have the option to buy quality goods in the first place, so they end up in the money sink trap. Constantly buying replacements for cheaply produced goods. It only takes buying the same thing 2 or 3 times before it’s more expensive than the quality options anyway.

I think that's true. I also think that many people don't know the difference. I also think people have bought the expensive stuff and it end's up being just as cheap, but had fancy marketing. I also think executives chasing a bonus will take a quality brand and cheapen it for higher profits.

An example, I bought a DeWalt electric pole trimmer. It was expensive, but I bought it because I wanted something that lasted. It broke after a couple of weeks and sits collecting dust. DeWalt used to be known for top quality stuff that contractors use. The brand is now diluted and probably crap.

It really makes me hesitant to buy much anything I don't absolutely need.

Re: Why everything you buy is worse now [video]

#60

Post by thelastparadise »

Spivak wrote: post #42
thelastgallon wrote: post #27

Another reason why things are worse and they will keep getting worse. About a toaster company: "If you are passionate about toast, you will not work at a company that does not build toasters, that only does marketing. So my central thesis here is that if as an organization, you outsource too much with the idea that we will still retain the designers and our own power to innovate, it will not actually work. The smart…

And honestly this doesn't even have to be an allegory to something else, this is literally true about the toaster market right now. There are so few companies that actually design and manufacture toasters themselves. I ended up buying vintage because it turns out technological advancement has been directed to finding and building an ever more minimal viable toaster to keep prices sorrrrta constant under inflation. So…

> So that 80's-90's toaster is delivering value right now.

This is such a nice (and accurate) way to look at it.

Imputed value.

I'm interested to hear about the rest of your setup: espresso machine, clothes washer, car?

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