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Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

johnwhiles.com

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Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

#721

Post by this_is_eline »

hackernewds wrote: post #647
this_is_eline wrote: post #462

While I believe that many things stated in this post are correct, this still has that hard 'old man yelling at the internet' odor. If you are to compare stuff, stuff like modern razor cartridges and double-edged razors, you ought to mention the convenience side of the things. I hate being the devil's advocate, but shaving with 4-blade cartridge designed for easy shaving is still 'miles' ahead compared to shaving with…

Why do you then use a double-edged razor? something doesn't add up

Everything adds up, but I can't really sum up everything in one comment (or maybe I could, but I haven't), and you are not reading all the other comments (at least I don't expect you to). There are factors other than convenience and price, and lately those factors add up so that a double-edged razor is my choice. There are times I use cartridges and there are times I don't. My main critique is that saying "Shaving is too expensive and is a demonstrative example of how most consumer products are designed to extract more money from you rather than to improve your life, or the world, or to be in any way remotely good." is _just_ incorrect.

Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

#722

Post by can16358p »

The opposite could be argued in other markets too:

Spotify/Apple Music is super convenient and relatively cheap, if you listen to music even at moderate levels. Yeah you don't own the albums, but you get all the value-added features like music discovery, playlist, sharing etc.

Netflix also the same: have access to many movies and series at a very low cost (if you watch even moderately), also comes with the same: you don't own the content (but how many times were you planning to watch the same movie/episode in average anyway when there are thousands to pick from? And even if you do, it's still cheaper if that episode is not literally the only thing you watch), and recommendations.

Tinder/Bumble also the same: you don't go out to places (which would cost MUCH more than the app subscription) and try to find a mate: you match and have sex. You might or might not have a partner in the end, but that's not the promise anyway.

Same for iPhone subscriptions in US (the one you pay a monthly cheap fee and always have the latest iPhone).

Pretty much sure there are many examples out there too.

They are all convenient, and are actually cheaper than the "old way", giving access on demand to whatever you like from a big catalog.

Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

#723

Post by zgiber »

mgraczyk wrote: post #680

I appreciate the writing style, but this article is shockingly naive to me. Convenient consumer products tend to sell better than less convenient ones, even if the product is worse. That's the entire story. People have finite time, so when they receive more income they will tend to spend it to reduce the time they spend doing things that they don't care about. I for one hate spending time doing all the things that th…

I get the convenience part but the waste reduction itself is already worth the switch. Yeah your shaving cartridge or flaking teflon pan might be a drop in the ocean (perhaps literally) but when there are billions of humans around we should think about what inconvenience does it worth to keep our environment lovable.

Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

#724

Post by josteink »

mordymoop wrote: post #708
nzealand wrote: post #596

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Shaving. It's not a religion. It's easy to experiment. 1. Don't shave. Grow a wild and wooly beard. 2. Electric clippers. For that permanent five o'clock shadow look. 3. Electric shaver. Easy. 4. Cartridge + foam. Smooth. 5. Double edge safety razor. Very smooth. Requires some skill. 6. Straight edge razor. Super smooth? No idea personally. 7. Laser. Also no idea personally. What this article completely misses, is th…

I wonder if people know that electric razors last like … ten years. I’ve owned, I think, two electric razors in my life, and I’m in my late thirties. I never have to replace any part of it.

My biggest issue with electric razors is that they never gave me as smooth a shave as using a razor-blade (or cartridge). That annoyed me enough to stop using it.

But sure, they do last forever.

Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

#725

Post by melony »

throwaway787544 wrote: post #717

I use a double headed razor, and this article is ridiculous. I don't use it because it's cheaper or works better, I use it because I rarely shave and one pack of blades has lasted me years . But it's so problematic. It does not shave nearly as well as a modern multi-razor disposable, it's prone to cutting me if I'm not careful, and takes more time. You can't bring the blades on airplanes. It's clear that you actually…

But...but...the economists (some schools at least) claim that the market is perfectly efficient and prices everything in!

Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

#726

Post by neal_jones »

mtalantikite wrote: post #705
mgraczyk wrote: post #696

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thinner pans heat up faster

Carbon steel pans are my current favorite, after having used primarily cast iron for a long time. They are thin, so they heat up extremely fast. They season as good or better than cast iron. They weigh a lot less, so are easy to maneuver. And they clean up as easy as cast iron. De Buyers are more expensive than your regular cast iron, but they’ll last a lifetime.

Been thinking about these for a good minute. Seem like the best of all worlds and no carcinogens (I think)

Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

#727

Post by jokethrowaway »

mgraczyk wrote: post #690
jimmaswell wrote: post #684

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cast iron becomes very low maintenance after the seasoning is started. I don't even usually wash mine. Everything slides right off at the end. Just let it heat up before using it, use a moderately high heat but not too high, and it's a nonstick pan without the carcinogens.

> Just let it heat up before using it No lol that's the whole point > without the carcinogens. I'll take that trade, I'm not going to spend my 30s sitting around waiting for pans to heat up because there's some very small probability a pan will harm me.

I don't know what you're talking about.

I use cast iron pan because everything I cook comes out 10 times better on a cast iron pan. You can properly sear meat on them. Things don't get cooked on the outside and stay raw on the inside.

I thought I was shit at cooking before getting a cast iron pan - I just had the wrong tools. I'm definitely not a chef and I don't cook for pleasure, I just throw chicken, steaks, eggs on the pan and eat when it's safe to do so.

Most chefs on youtube are using cast iron pans, you won't get the same results following instructions made for another pan.

In regards to heating up, I never noticed the pan taking too long to heat up.

Maintenance takes more time, but it's nothing more than rubbing oil on it and throwing it in the oven. You can also get away with not doing it for a long time (you can wait until food starts sticking to it)

Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

#728

Post by RajT88 »

digisign wrote: post #695
thrtythreeforty wrote: post #670

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wait is it possible to shave with a laser? The only thing I've seen for that was the Kickstarter scam a few years ago

You use a light-saber, very carefully. Ha, it is for permanent hair removal. Might be good for the upper cheeks, not sure.

Upper cheeks for sure.

Also, as you get older, your ears.

Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

#729

Post by eastbound »

autoexec wrote: post #660
lotsofpulp wrote: post #632

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Start refusing to buy things and stop making excuses and until then you should feel ashamed to lecture anyone about anything. This does not make sense to me. The single biggest consumption item is living in a detached single family house with yard space (due to knock on effects of everything you consume having to travel further, including the people in your house). I know this, and I can advocate for change such th…

> There is no reason for someone to not live it up if the collective is not going to also sacrifice. If everyone thought as you do saying "Until everyone agrees to sacrifice, I won't either" then no one would ever sacrifice. Leading by example on the other hand is a proven way to help inspire change and can help avoid adding to harms caused by people who choose to live selfishly as long as they can point to anyone el…

The collective has entire power over what you do. Global climate change was never solved by individual decisions, because when you live a different lifestyle than your workmates, you basically give up both the jobrace and the friends.

As for myself, I absolutely blame society for having a house. I live in France where class warfare is still a thing, and living in a block with people of the other ethnicity is unthinkable (they raped my goddaughter, but that’s only one example of storied - they kill gays at the train station too, so I take my car). Give me love and I’ll turn over my lavish house and happily live in a small flat, if I’m not hated for being there.

Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

#730

Post by mgraczyk »

zgiber wrote: post #723
mgraczyk wrote: post #680

I appreciate the writing style, but this article is shockingly naive to me. Convenient consumer products tend to sell better than less convenient ones, even if the product is worse. That's the entire story. People have finite time, so when they receive more income they will tend to spend it to reduce the time they spend doing things that they don't care about. I for one hate spending time doing all the things that th…

I get the convenience part but the waste reduction itself is already worth the switch. Yeah your shaving cartridge or flaking teflon pan might be a drop in the ocean (perhaps literally) but when there are billions of humans around we should think about what inconvenience does it worth to keep our environment lovable.

I throw my cartridges in the trash, and they end up in a landfill forever with no environmental harm. I haven't looked into Teflon but I've disposed of ~1 pan in my entire life and still have the rest, so my impact is probably negligible.

I choose to focus my time and energy minimizing environmental impact more effectively. For example, instead of using a DE razor, I use that time to commute by bike instead of car, This results in overall much less waste and a lifestyle that I prefer.

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