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America Is A Dumping Ground For Junk
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<blockquote data-quote="Jacob Robinson" data-source="post: 1449812" data-attributes="member: 18849"><p>Long ago in open air type market selling simple things, it was buyer-beware. The goods are plain to see, so if you do not like it, do not buy it was the idea. In the US it became different as higher tech goods came to market: no one could just look at something and determine if it was good or not, so there was the legal concept of implied warranty of merchantability. E.g., if you sell a "car" it needs to, you know, start, go forwards, turn, brake, not catch on fire right away, etc., as the buyer can not reasonably disassemble and inspect the whole thing before buying. I.e., if you claim that product is an X, it needs to actually do what X's do. Also, there was a time in America when getting specific goods could be time consuming and there was no nonsense about waiting weeks for something to be delivered only to have it fall apart a within a week and gumming up the works on the farm. And there were movements, like the Shakers, who insisted on making good quality items at set prices.</p><p></p><p>China went from an open air type market to the modern world in one step and never got the memo. Actually, they think that anyone putting effort into quality is a fool if they buyer would buy it anyway. This is not trashing Asian goods--when electronics manufacturing moved from Japan to Malaysia before the mad rush to make stuff in China, they were still quite good.</p><p></p><p>Why people buy junk, I think it is because it is cheap in the short run and people like buying things. Few people will spend twice as much for something that will last four times as long. If importing from China saves us so much money, why does not everyone have a big savings account to show for it? Because it is bought over and over again. But at least it gutted middle class American jobs in the process... </p><p></p><p>The WWII generation were brought up to "use it up, wear it out, make it do" and tended to do just that. Manufactured goods during their era were nearly all made in America, were generally of high quality, were comparitively expensive, and when something broke they had it repaired. They would buy a Curtis Mathis TV set and use it for 15 or 20 years. Now, people run out and buy stuff and have all the pride of a hunter bringing home food from the jungle.</p><p></p><p>There are still lots of quality goods out there, you just have to look around. And do not throw stuff away when it does break without having a go at fixing it or having someone else fix it. I wear SAS shoes (made in USA), wear them for years (I have one pair of normal, everyday shoes and wear them 7 days a week), then have them resoled at less than half the cost of a new pair and wear them for a couple of years more before they are relegated to being worn for yard work. </p><p></p><p>Repairing and refinishing is not a bad hobby, and one that can save money. It does not take a mechanical or electronics wizard to fix most problems. The problems that require great diagnostic skills (e.g., a bad computer chip) are not likely to be fixable anyway. The other problems, maybe 25 - 50% of them, are fairly simple and sometimes highly obvious once the cover is off. In the past three years or so I have fixed: a microwave oven, an e-reader, a DVD player, old radios, three mechanical clocks, a belt sander, two safes, a sewing machine, a dish washer, a toaster oven, a door lock, a stove, a tape player, a weed eater, car brakes, a lamp, a vacuum cleaner, a hydraulic jack, Coleman lanterns and stoves, a clothes washer, etc. </p><p></p><p>Also get used to maintaining things to make them last. My house has a 1980's era garage door opener. Replaced the belt and the motor start capacitor a week ago, then adjusted it and lubricated it and it is very smooth running and ought to run for years more. The hot water heater got a new anode, which should add years to its life. Have had the same lawn mower going on 10 years now--still uses the original spark plug. Been driving the same car for 18 years now. I have an automotive and home to-do list for each month for what to change, what to check, etc.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Jacob Robinson, post: 1449812, member: 18849"] Long ago in open air type market selling simple things, it was buyer-beware. The goods are plain to see, so if you do not like it, do not buy it was the idea. In the US it became different as higher tech goods came to market: no one could just look at something and determine if it was good or not, so there was the legal concept of implied warranty of merchantability. E.g., if you sell a "car" it needs to, you know, start, go forwards, turn, brake, not catch on fire right away, etc., as the buyer can not reasonably disassemble and inspect the whole thing before buying. I.e., if you claim that product is an X, it needs to actually do what X's do. Also, there was a time in America when getting specific goods could be time consuming and there was no nonsense about waiting weeks for something to be delivered only to have it fall apart a within a week and gumming up the works on the farm. And there were movements, like the Shakers, who insisted on making good quality items at set prices. China went from an open air type market to the modern world in one step and never got the memo. Actually, they think that anyone putting effort into quality is a fool if they buyer would buy it anyway. This is not trashing Asian goods--when electronics manufacturing moved from Japan to Malaysia before the mad rush to make stuff in China, they were still quite good. Why people buy junk, I think it is because it is cheap in the short run and people like buying things. Few people will spend twice as much for something that will last four times as long. If importing from China saves us so much money, why does not everyone have a big savings account to show for it? Because it is bought over and over again. But at least it gutted middle class American jobs in the process... The WWII generation were brought up to "use it up, wear it out, make it do" and tended to do just that. Manufactured goods during their era were nearly all made in America, were generally of high quality, were comparitively expensive, and when something broke they had it repaired. They would buy a Curtis Mathis TV set and use it for 15 or 20 years. Now, people run out and buy stuff and have all the pride of a hunter bringing home food from the jungle. There are still lots of quality goods out there, you just have to look around. And do not throw stuff away when it does break without having a go at fixing it or having someone else fix it. I wear SAS shoes (made in USA), wear them for years (I have one pair of normal, everyday shoes and wear them 7 days a week), then have them resoled at less than half the cost of a new pair and wear them for a couple of years more before they are relegated to being worn for yard work. Repairing and refinishing is not a bad hobby, and one that can save money. It does not take a mechanical or electronics wizard to fix most problems. The problems that require great diagnostic skills (e.g., a bad computer chip) are not likely to be fixable anyway. The other problems, maybe 25 - 50% of them, are fairly simple and sometimes highly obvious once the cover is off. In the past three years or so I have fixed: a microwave oven, an e-reader, a DVD player, old radios, three mechanical clocks, a belt sander, two safes, a sewing machine, a dish washer, a toaster oven, a door lock, a stove, a tape player, a weed eater, car brakes, a lamp, a vacuum cleaner, a hydraulic jack, Coleman lanterns and stoves, a clothes washer, etc. Also get used to maintaining things to make them last. My house has a 1980's era garage door opener. Replaced the belt and the motor start capacitor a week ago, then adjusted it and lubricated it and it is very smooth running and ought to run for years more. The hot water heater got a new anode, which should add years to its life. Have had the same lawn mower going on 10 years now--still uses the original spark plug. Been driving the same car for 18 years now. I have an automotive and home to-do list for each month for what to change, what to check, etc. [/QUOTE]
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