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Not all progress is good.
Sometimes less IS better.
There is and has always been only 1 TV in my house. In the living room no less. Cable has been gone for over 1 year now; over 100 channels and there's nothing good to watch so that TV is used for movie rentals.
There are no cell phones in my family..and I have a 19 year old.
One fridge per family..do people have more than one fridge in the house ?
That one is news to me that households have more than one fridge.
That being said, consuming non-stop without producing will not further a society. There is no innovation in consuming; the innovation is in production.
Not all progress is good.
Sometimes less IS better.
There is and has always been only 1 TV in my house. In the living room no less. Cable has been gone for over 1 year now; over 100 channels and there's nothing good to watch so that TV is used for movie rentals.
There are no cell phones in my family..and I have a 19 year old.
One fridge per family..do people have more than one fridge in the house ?
That one is news to me that households have more than one fridge.
That is the great thing about the USA, you still have the freedom of choice, what works for you works for you, for others they have the choice to live differently.
Personally I love knowing my wife has a cell phone when she drives home at night.
Quote:
Originally Posted by HappyTexan
That being said, consuming non-stop without producing will not further a society. There is no innovation in consuming; the innovation is in production.
That is debatable, being the creators and innovators can be every bit if not more lucrative to society, especially if our innovations are used worldwide. Blanket statements about consumption and production are usually made by people who don't understand the S-Curve, technology super-cycles and demographic cycles. We produce plenty, we produce innovation.
Just about everything you mentioned is cheaper if adjusted for inflation than in anytime in history.
I would bet we could find a 1980 version of you who would complain about the size of the 25 inch TV's, phone booths on every corner and antennas on every house.
Sorry to tell you but progress will continue.
How disrespectful you are profiling me. First of all, our buying power is that of 1973. Eating out, use to be much less expensive in the 70's than it is today. Food in general is not "cheapest" in history. I won't bore you with all the details but when my husband and I first bought groceries together, our weeks worth of groceries was less than $40 a week.
Complain? I was happy that I could afford to purchase a television. I never complained. Phone booths and antennas were the norm, nothing to complain about.
Do you realize that less than 48 percent of people have $10K in their savings? It is because PROGRESS as you put it, the media has brain washed people that they NEED a ipod and people wait in line for 24 hrs to purchase one. That is progress? That is stupidity.
And the reason why products are cheaper today, has nothing to do with inflation. It is because nothing is manufactured in America, it is all manufactured in Mexico, China, Taiwan, India and elswhere.
How disrespectful you are profiling me. First of all, our buying power is that of 1973. Eating out, use to be much less expensive in the 70's than it is today. Food in general is not "cheapest" in history. I won't bore you with all the details but when my husband and I first bought groceries together, our weeks worth of groceries was less than $40 a week.
Complain? I was happy that I could afford to purchase a television. I never complained. Phone booths and antennas were the norm, nothing to complain about.
Do you realize that less than 48 percent of people have $10K in their savings? It is because PROGRESS as you put it, the media has brain washed people that they NEED a ipod and people wait in line for 24 hrs to purchase one. That is progress? That is stupidity.
And the reason why products are cheaper today, has nothing to do with inflation. It is because nothing is manufactured in America, it is all manufactured in Mexico, China, Taiwan, India and elswhere.
You need to learn what :-) means, that is a smiley face, as in a joke. Lighten up.
As a percentage of income food is cheaper than ever, did you even look at the links I posted? I know, my parents first house payment in 1950 was $40 a month but their income was also $200 a month.
I realize a lot, I could spend a year providing you with detailed facts and figures.
You missed by point about complaining, I was saying that I bet you would find people in 1973 who would look at the “lavish” “wasteful” consumption you enjoyed (TV, phone booths etc.) and make the same argument you are making now. My grandfather rode a horse and buggy, I am sure he would have thought your fancy Buick was wasteful consumption.
Umm inflation makes products more expensive, not less? Products are cheaper because production, including labor is much cheaper and we are much more efficient in production and delivery.
Our dollar has lost 96% of it’s value since 1913, this makes it harder for us to live a “normal” lifestyle. Even though things are cheaper as a percentage of income, things like housing (thanks mortgage tax credit, etc.) cost more as a percentage, tax burdens for the average person is higher and our debt load is higher (due to the dollar).
Do some people waste money on stuff? Sure, is all new gadgets bad? No, the efficiency is life is beneficial in many ways. My point is that consumption is not the problem, it is due more to our overall economic and government system.
You need to learn what :-) means, that is a smiley face, as in a joke. Lighten up.
As a percentage of income food is cheaper than ever, did you even look at the links I posted? I know, my parents first house payment in 1950 was $40 a month but their income was also $200 a month.
I realize a lot, I could spend a year providing you with detailed facts and figures.
You missed by point about complaining, I was saying that I bet you would find people in 1973 who would look at the “lavish” “wasteful” consumption you enjoyed (TV, phone booths etc.) and make the same argument you are making now. My grandfather rode a horse and buggy, I am sure he would have thought your fancy Buick was wasteful consumption.
Umm inflation makes products more expensive, not less? Products are cheaper because production, including labor is much cheaper and we are much more efficient in production and delivery.
Our dollar has lost 96% of it’s value since 1913, this makes it harder for us to live a “normal” lifestyle. Even though things are cheaper as a percentage of income, things like housing (thanks mortgage tax credit, etc.) cost more as a percentage, tax burdens for the average person is higher and our debt load is higher (due to the dollar).
Do some people waste money on stuff? Sure, is all new gadgets bad? No, the efficiency is life is beneficial in many ways. My point is that consumption is not the problem, it is due more to our overall economic and government system.
I so agree with you to a point. First of all, our corporations through marketing, have led the consumer to believe they just have to have their product in order to survive. The latest cell phone, the latest television, the latest washer/dryer. Is this bad? Well, depends what is the financial status of the person buying the product. If they purchase on credit and lose their job and cannot pay off their debt, that leads to bankruptcy, this does cause a problem for all of us.
Inflation does make products go up...but having the products manufactured in China doesn't as you said. Back in 1978 i bought our first microwave for $450. It took us a full year to save up. That microwave was built in the United States. Nowadays, the microwaves are built in China and you can buy one for less than $100. Our very first color televison was purchased for $500 in 1977, 19 inch screen, push button and no remote. You can purchase that same television with remote for $200.Just like you said, inflation does increase prices of goods and services but if the goods are manufactured for less, the product cost less and sells for less.
Yes, I so agree with you that Government policy dictates the overall economic health and well being of all of us and this is the reason our economy today main existance is consumer consumption and not manufacturing. I believe we are on the same page.
Humm, about the food costs. I so disagree with you. I will provide to you our scenerio. Back in 1975, our food costs per week was $40 for two people. That was 8 percent of our weekly income. Our food cost today is close to 16 percent of our weekly income. We do not buy allot of pre packaged food...mostly fruit, veggies and meat.
Food is the most affordable luxury and also the most comforting. We went to an old favorite and well known local place tonite and it was mostly empty. Its got more competition from newly opened restaurants, ones with liquor licenses. That also seems to be the other most affordable luxury thats still doing well.
I so agree with you to a point. First of all, our corporations through marketing, have led the consumer to believe they just have to have their product in order to survive. The latest cell phone, the latest television, the latest washer/dryer. Is this bad? Well, depends what is the financial status of the person buying the product. If they purchase on credit and lose their job and cannot pay off their debt, that leads to bankruptcy, this does cause a problem for all of us.
Inflation does make products go up...but having the products manufactured in China doesn't as you said. Back in 1978 i bought our first microwave for $450. It took us a full year to save up. That microwave was built in the United States. Nowadays, the microwaves are built in China and you can buy one for less than $100. Our very first color televison was purchased for $500 in 1977, 19 inch screen, push button and no remote. You can purchase that same television with remote for $200.Just like you said, inflation does increase prices of goods and services but if the goods are manufactured for less, the product cost less and sells for less.
Yes, I so agree with you that Government policy dictates the overall economic health and well being of all of us and this is the reason our economy today main existance is consumer consumption and not manufacturing. I believe we are on the same page.
Humm, about the food costs. I so disagree with you. I will provide to you our scenerio. Back in 1975, our food costs per week was $40 for two people. That was 8 percent of our weekly income. Our food cost today is close to 16 percent of our weekly income. We do not buy allot of pre packaged food...mostly fruit, veggies and meat.
Not sure what food you buy but the numbers look pretty convincing to me.
Lately, when I've been out to a restaurant, there are usually lots of other people there. And the new IPhone has set record sales. How can people afford these things if we're in a depression?
I wasn't that old during the recession in the early '80s, but I hear that the restaurants were dead during that time. What makes this different?
I mystery shop. I have enough sites to go through that I can just about eat and get reimbursed at will and not sweat it.
Don't ask me about the IPhone. My Tracfone works just fine.
You can probably draw parallels to the losers with the early 90s model Oldsmobuicks on 22s that set them back $2000+...soon enough, just like the bonehead that misses a bill payment by buying the IPhone, the bozo with the crapbox on 22s loses both the ride to work and the wheels and will be on Yahoo! Answers asking how to get at least the wheels back after a repo.
Anyway, point being that not everyone learned how to make due with finite income.
I live in and around the western part of the DFW metroplex and I'm pretty sure there's no decline in the visual signs of consumption between, say, summer 2007 and summer 2010 as far as restaurants, shops, malls, roads, etc. Actually here in Southlake/Keller, it gets busier and more consumptive by the month. Almost everyone I know is doing quite well. I'm buying a motorcycle on Saturday.
Sure, you can say we're all screwed, everyone's on credit, we're all lemmings about to fall off the cliff, the end is near, etc. You could say people are still shopping but buying less, doing more window shopping, etc. You could say it's all arrogant la la live for today crass consumerism built on a house of cards. But in outward appearance this looks unlike a depression, unlike a recession, and if anything more like a boom.
Texas is much better off in this recession than most of the rest of the country. Not as much stupid lending went on in TX. And the state seems to be better run than many others (CA, NJ, IL, NY, FL) just to name a few.
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I walked uphill on the way home from school!!
