The bewildering phenomenon of declining quality • Hacker News Board

Re: The bewildering phenomenon of declining quality

#821

Post by immibis » Sun, Jul 27, 2025, 8:45 AM UTC

ericmay wrote: post #811

dragonwriter wrote: post #810

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> That's a barrier to start any business Its an additional barrier in a capitalist economy to starting an equal-ownership labor coop, because the people who do control capital prefer that businesses they fund be owned by the suppliers of capital. > Life is tough. And capitalism is organized around making it tougher for the vast majority so that it can be easier for an elite minority. > I'm not sympathetic. Clearly, t…

> And capitalism is organized around making it tougher for the vast majority so that it can be easier for an elite minority. How easy is it to start a business in America (or pick another capitalist economy like Denmark or the UK or Japan or something) versus any communist state that has existed? We could compare over any given time period the number of businesses started in a capitalist country and compare that with…

> Democracy and even capitalism allows you without any additional barriers to create the business ownership model that you want

That's not true - the main one is paying rent. You have to keep selling labor to capitalists in exchange for non-robbery vouchers, which you give right back to capitalists so they won't burgle you and throw you out of your home.

Re: The bewildering phenomenon of declining quality

#822

Post by numitus » Sun, Jul 27, 2025, 7:43 PM UTC

bo1024 wrote: post #131

drdec wrote: post #98

Most of the people on this board are upper middle to lower upper class (thinking American, apologies to my non US friends). Such people can afford products outside the grasp of most Americans. What naturally happens to such products is that the manufacturers find a way to broaden their customer base. They find ways to bring the price point down so they can sell more. For most people this is a boon. They can afford a…

Your parents, lower middle class in the 80s, could afford a washing machine that lasts 40 years. You, lower middle class in the 2020s, can afford with the same resources a washing machine that lasts 5 years and is no more effective than your parents' (but has an app). In the sense of the parent comment, you are fortunate that the magic of capitalism currently produces such cheap washing machines that even people as p…

My parents have no washing machine in 80s, because it cost 1/4 of yearly salary(USSR)

Re: The bewildering phenomenon of declining quality

#823

Post by gonational » Tue, Jul 29, 2025, 3:59 AM UTC

We're still in the early phases of millennials getting their first jobs and saving up to get apartments, etc. Gen Z is right there with them. The result has been a generation of the workforce that didn't learn good work ethic and skills in their teenage drug years (from approx 13 to 31). I worked from 13 on, but I have friends who didn't get their license until they were 19, didn't work until after finishing their gender studies degree, and now aren't qualified for their job monitoring the self checkout at Publix.

That is why quality has declined.

Re: The bewildering phenomenon of declining quality

#824

Post by hilux » Wed, Jul 30, 2025, 9:08 PM UTC

rchaud wrote: post #703

hilux wrote: post #596

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My first reaction: beautifully thought through and expressed! Upon reflection: as products become commodities, isn't the brand the most valuable thing, and the most expensive to reproduce?

The era of the "brand" is over. Consumers have gotten wise to companies cutting corners while raising prices, burning up the goodwill earned on their past reputation for quality. Apple had a top brand, yet most consumers are aware that now Apple Stores are overcrowded messes and the iPhone 16 doesn't offer anything meaningfully different than iPhone 13. Netflix replaced AAA TV series licensed from other networks with…

> The era of the "brand" is over.

That's just not true. Look around you right now. If you're American, almost everything you own is branded. Your phone, your laptop, TV, clothes you're wearing, shoes, books, food in your pantry, transportation.

There is almost always a cheaper non-branded choice. If you are like 99.99% of Americans, you didn't make that choice in almost every case.

Tellingly, you gave the example of Apple. Whether it's an iPhone 16 or an iPhone 13, more people than ever buy the Apple brand. I know I do.