Many of the basic materials are in short supply or are behind in making the end products from raw materials. Lumber prices have gone insane. Much like the toilet paper shortage and others... hoarding is a bit of a problem as well. For the current times and in to the near future I will be following the creed of "Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without" which has been my motto most of my single motherhood raising two children on my own. I see it as a chance to develop my creativity and ingenuity in repurposing things. Sadly ... modern household items were made with "planned obsolescence" in mind and do not last as long as many items that used to made for durability. There was a purpose behind that. Make people want to buy the latest and greatest..or..if not wanted to ..forced to.
Sadly ... modern household items were made with "planned obsolescence" in mind and do not last as long as many items that used to made for durability. There was a purpose behind that. Make people want to buy the latest and greatest..or..if not wanted to ..forced to.
I bet the "HGTV home makeover-industrial complex" has a hand in this trend. I'm only being partly facetious. My mom watches those shows; from an observer's standpoint, I wouldn't be surprised if they activate the same neural pathways as pornography.
Sadly ... modern household items were made with "planned obsolescence" in mind and do not last as long as many items that used to made for durability. There was a purpose behind that. Make people want to buy the latest and greatest..or..if not wanted to ..forced to.
The really insidious problem about "disposable everything" is the environmental price we pay for it. The most obvious of the prices is the increased load on landfills when we have to throw out useless, un-repairable crap.
But also, every time new items are made, raw materials are consumed, and fuel is required to manufacture and transport the items. Recycling helps a little bit-- but not enough, and the recycling process itself requires energy. My parents were children of the Depression and of WWII when everything was "use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without". So I was raised with that lifestyle being normal. Most of my furniture is second (or third or fourth) hand, things I can't find second hand, I buy at the unfinished furniture store where everything is 100% actual wood that won't melt in water. That stuff will last longer than I will.
Sadly ... modern household items were made with "planned obsolescence" in mind and do not last as long as many items that used to made for durability. There was a purpose behind that. Make people want to buy the latest and greatest..or..if not wanted to ..forced to.
I bet the "HGTV home makeover-industrial complex" has a hand in this trend. I'm only being partly facetious. My mom watches those shows; from an observer's standpoint, I wouldn't be surprised if they activate the same neural pathways as pornography.
I confess I watch these shows sometimes. I yell at the TV when the perpetrators start smashing kitchen cabinets with sledgehammers, reducing them to splinters that can't even be reused as garage storage.
I do like it when they get creative by working with what is already there-- painting, refinishing, arranging furniture creatively, maybe altering the use of rooms.. etc. "Rehab Addict" is probably the best show for actually preserving and respecting the existing elements of a house while still making it nicer and more functional for modern life.
I am also annoyed by the website houzz.com. They have forums where people ask for suggestions on how to redecorate or rework their homes... some of the answers are sensible but there are also a bunch of professional decorators who think everything more than 10 years old needs to be completely ripped out because --OMG-- it is "dated". One told me-- upon seeing a picture I had posted for a question about furniture arrangement-- gave me the unsolicited advice that I needed to replace my floors because they were outdated. I said, yes, they were outdated if you consider 120 year old original antique heart pine outdated.
from an observer's standpoint, I wouldn't be surprised if they activate the same neural pathways as pornography.
I subscribe to "Old House Journal". My husband calls it my "porn".
I enjoy HouseHunters International and Caribbean Life. After a long work day they are easy to watch without having to invest brain power. It’s interesting watching the different couples and what they think is acceptable. So many first world problems to contend with. Ugh. The first time I returned from Honduras I couldn’t watch those shows for a month. I felt horribly guilty.
I don’t consider it “porn”. It’s more people watching and observing, and learning about different places in this beautiful world.
Part of the issue is greed, another part is keeping up with the Joneses. Manufacturers used to build things to last. If they didn't last, the items didn't sell. Slowly but surely, quality decreased for a few reasons-partly cheaper imports competition, partly because US companies realized that if they decreased lifespan of products, they could turn customers into repeat customers soonerz increasing sales & profits. When you add in the keeping up with (or outdoing) the neighbors, it's a recipe for mass consumption at the expense if the environment and our pocketbooks.
The up & coming generations will correct this trend. They are more ecologically aware, and they are less concerned with such materiality. They are being priced out of home ownership and many other facets of what older generations felt was normal. I have china, silver & crystal-long desired acquisitions in my generation, which you can't give away to the next generation.
Oh, the times they are a changin.
The up & coming generations will correct this trend. They are more ecologically aware, and they are less concerned with such materiality.
...
Oh, the times they are a changin.
May it be so.
My porn comparison was overly biting. I get that a lot of people watch these shows and like them for innocent reasons. Like a lot of other programming on TV, they seem to blunt the daily grind of late consumer capitalism.
Now the Food Network, that is porn ?.
Nowadays they are huge and very deep for larger people, I think.
This is so true. 3 of us in our family are under 5'4". Modern couches our not our friends.
Part of the issue is greed, another part is keeping up with the Joneses. Manufacturers used to build things to last. If they didn't last, the items didn't sell. Slowly but surely, quality decreased for a few reasons-partly cheaper imports competition, partly because US companies realized that if they decreased lifespan of products, they could turn customers into repeat customers soonerz increasing sales & profits. When you add in the keeping up with (or outdoing) the neighbors, it's a recipe for mass consumption at the expense if the environment and our pocketbooks.
The up & coming generations will correct this trend. They are more ecologically aware, and they are less concerned with such materiality. They are being priced out of home ownership and many other facets of what older generations felt was normal. I have china, silver & crystal-long desired acquisitions in my generation, which you can't give away to the next generation.
Oh, the times they are a changin.
Also very true. Buying cheaply made items for "trendy" reasons might save you money, but in the longer run they are costly in many other areas. That doesn't mean updating your home or wardrobe is a bad idea, but who can truly do this on the level society deems and "normal".
Personally I like furniture made from REAL wood and clothes made from NATURAL fabrics whenever possible. I also like chairs that don't break after a few months and appliances that outlive their warranty by MANY years.
And sofas I my feet can touch the floor when sitting upon.
I have high hopes for this new generation and for my generation to some degree.