Then and now
On Mon, 27 Dec 2010 09:18:05 -0500, "Ed Pawlowski"
wrote:
?
"Molly Brown" wrote
Ed Pawlowski wrote:
So you'd really rather have a 19" B & W TV instead of a flat screen HD
with
a 47" screen? My family lives better with more air conditioning,
computers, bigger and better refrigerators.
The point that I was trying to make was that his evidence supporting
his postulate that things are better now is faulty for the exact same
reason that you stated of appliances being €śmore, bigger, better€ť In
other words he is comparing apples with oranges. We did not have
computers or color TVs then but we also didnt have to call the repair
person or mechanic almost every day when those so called €śbetter€ť
appliances and cars crammed with more and more idiotic€ś amenities€ť or
€śwater and energy saver€ť features break down.
I recall changing tubes in the old TVs frequently while the newer ones go
for many years with no repair. I typically drive my cars over 150,000 miles
and change spark plugs one time at 100k. Maintenance on newer cars is a bit
more complex, but it is needed far less. I remember cleaning spark plugs
every 5000 miles and replacing them at 10,000 miles, along with point and
maybe wires. And resetting the timing along the way and adjusting points
after a few thousand miles. No thanks, I'll keep my newer cars that are
cheaper to operate than any of my older cars.
My other appliances are just as good as they were in the past. You can buy
a decent basic gas or electric range for about $400 to $500. You can also
get better quality for $4000 if that is your desire.
Did you include the cost
of what you pay to the service technician or the parts supplier or
store for renewing every two years that cheap made in China garbage
when you said €śBut since we can more easily afford appliances, we can
more easily afford that bag of potatoes.
The last time I had an appliance serviced was about 20 years ago. Maybe you
need to buy better brands. I did just replace my dryer that was 29 years
old and a few years ago, we opted for a new gas range rather than fix the 25
year old one.
Sadly, the new drier will, in all likelihood, not last 29 years, and
nor will the new range last another 25.
When I said I wish I could buy the same appliance I used then I wasnt
referring to a TV set, computer or microwave oven but a range,
dishwasher, clothes washer, dryer or the early self defrosting
refrigerators which were substantially durable than what we have now.
I'm not so sure. Other than your perception, do you have evidence? Seems to
me that appliances did go through a stage about 5 to 10 years ago where they
were less reliable, but they seem to have rebounded. That is my
perception, not something I can prove.
Depends entirely what you buy, I guess. They (appliances in general)
are better than 5-10 years ago, likely - but in many cases not as good
as 25 or 35 years ago - but they use a lot less power
I can even make a point about color TVs, computers and text messaging
cell phones which have killed social skills, conceptual thinking and
the English language if you like. The last genius we had was Einstein
with E=MC2. I dare you to name one Shakespeare, Beethoven or Da Vinci
since then. You dont even see anymore polymaths like our founding
fathers anymore. What we have are bored so called €śprofessionals€ť who
only want to go home and play SimCity or Call of Duty. Why do you
think that is?
While I agree with you there, it has nothing to do with reliability and
quality of a refrigerator. Many do say that TV has destroyed the human
species. That would be a different thread though.
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