My grandma died in 2005 and the property was passed to her son, my uncle. I was able to visit the house to see if there was anything I wanted and after he passed and the same washer and dryer were there that have been there since 1977 and they still worked, almost 50 years later.
Clothes days are awful! I’m 69 years old and I still have things I wore 20-30 years ago that look brand new! Now they last a year or two! Also, appliances too. It’s ridiculous.. they used to last forever.
@@recynd77 Most of it likely does come from the same factories. In fact, there seems to be "grades" of manufacturing. I could say that everything made in China is crap, but I have a few expensive things made there which are nice quality and have held up. Oddly, I also have some cheap China-made things which have lasted. But, of course, you can also buy the most horrible cheap junk EVER from China. The problem is knowing what you are getting, because, as others have pointed out here, sometimes even pricey stuff from China turns out to be crap.
I literally just don’t want to buy anything anymore. I am SO frustrated. I work too hard for money, to spend it on garbage. I dread the day when I am going to have to buy a new washer/dryer, car, etc. You are so right Nicole. It is the shitification of everything…including our restaurant meals.
That's the truth ... I don't even go out to eat in restaurants anymore unless I can see them making whatever it is they are making, like Chipotle, etc. They put too much salt in food, they use additives and cook stuff in pans that have toxic forever chemicals in them. No thanks!
Suggestion on washers and driers. Save up and get a pair of Speed Queen brand. 2nd to none in longevity and repairability. Not too fancy - just washes clothes.
Yeah, I hate buying anything too. It's been ruined by the manufacturers. I constantly have to buy more often than I want and so new is not a special event anymore. Plus, I feel like a chump bc I just know it's going to be a POS, whatever I buy. I also agree with welderfixer. Was going to tell you to do your research and buy the best quality with the fewest bells and whistles you can buy when you need another. I know it won't be long before I need new as well. I will look @ Speed Queen.
Recently I've got much more picky when it comes to choosing items to buy. I needed a new alarm-clock instead of a broken one, so i spent around two days on a platform where people buy and sell second-hand stuff looking for what i would really like. I bought two different alarm clocks one by one to discover that they were ticking too loud while i want to have absolute silence in my room. ( Now I'm trying to sell them on the same platform). My third attempt was lucky: the alarm clock is beautiful, rare ( it has a seal of local university) and so cool! Very cheap, btw. So just imagine, so much time and thoughts spent for such an ordinary item like an alarm clock. But i bought it for years and years- till it'll get broken or i will break it. I don't wanna just buy stuff and get rid of it every three months. I want to own smth i like for 100% and have it for many years.
My mom bought pots and pans for over $1000, we called her crazy. This was over 30 years ago and these pots are still new, not even the handles are loose.
I'd say go over to All American Clothing Company or EDWIN USA. Stop buy crap made overseas of low quality thin denim. If you want quality and long life, purchase it. Buy a few great things instead of a dozen poor quality things. Research a few minutes and find out what is really going to last.
I think it's because everyone seems to want money for just expressing themselves monetising any sort of thing. I tend to like TH-camrs that do NOT ask you to subscribe, click the bell or join their patreon
@@skyblazeeterno I have adblockers, and for YTers that insert their own ads, I block the whole channel and never watch again. Life is finite. Don't waste mine!
"I do not prize the word "cheap." It is not a badge of honor...it is a symbol of despair. Cheap prices make for cheap goods; cheap goods make for cheap men; and cheap men make for a cheap country." ~ William McKinley
I don't mind paying a high price if I'm getting good quality, but these days, even high-priced stuff can be rubbish. The manufacturer will be using the brand name to justify this.
Welcome to capitalism! You make a good product until you have brand loyalty, then you incrementally screw the customer year after year, if you do it slowly enough then the customers don't even notice that they're buying crap and supporting yet another predatory company ...
You're right! As an 'electronics junkie' for decades, I've tinkered with repairing my own home appliances. Last year, my microwave oven stopped functioning. -->I found information on U-toob relevant to my particular problem. I replaced a $2-dollar, snap-in door switch and saved a $100-dollar microwave. Same way with coffee makers. Usually, an 'organic fuse', or diode goes bad. I always run vinegar water through mine. Runs like a new one!!!
For sure.... it is much cheaper to make a light front load washing machine, than it is to make a top load, old fashioned type. I've been fixing appliances for 50 years. An old washing machine is very heavy because it must be strong enough to hold 300 pounds of water and spin that. As such it needs a large motor and heavy frame. On the other hand, a front load washer never has much water in the drum... maybe 25 pounds so it only needs a small motor and everything can be made lighter and cheaper. Almost all products today are lighter..... shoes, beds, appliances, because shipping costs from overseas are now less and profits higher. Recently I went looking for a new mattress. It was shocking, new mattresses are so light. I could pick up and carry one myself.
When I was a kid in the 50's Levis had a lifetime no tear warranty. It was printed on the leather patch that was sewed on the back. My Mom returned several pairs of ripped Levis thru the years and got new free replacements. The down side of that was there was only 'ridgid' Levis and you had to 'break; the pants in all over.
We used to get in the bath while wearing them and you would have blue legs and nether regions for a while, but they fitted like a well worn seaboot!!! The blue dye had a potent smell as well. 1969😊😊😊😊
My Italian mother used to say "Anything cheap becomes expensive in the long run" ( I think that is a good translation) Luckily for me, I was educated to appreciate and value quality and craftsmanship in EVERYTHING, having said that I belong to a generation (born in 1960) that was not spoiled by stupid, weak and materialistic parents. What Nicole says is absolutely true but at the same time is a rather complex issue. Unfortunately, GREED is the dominant principle in our society, which means everything is becoming sh...ttier as the years go by but, when we consider the price=quality ratio, also more expensive. Secondly; over the last 25 years, most people have become very vulgar; this is due to two factors: A) The relentless promotion of ugliness and vulgarity by the media and B) The stupidity of the masses who NEVER question anything and for whom "the cheaper the better."
Exactly, People are getting exactly what they ask for and support. Stop buying new junk and they will stop making new junk. It's very simple but you have to hold YOURSELF accountable for your own decisions and choices. People only want to blame other for their own choices these days.
Here in germany we work at this law, it will come. We have already a law, that permitted to import and sell too cheap or precarious things. Unfortunately that doesnt count for the quality of jeans....
@@katjahanzberger Hallo! Mein Deutsch ist nicht sehr gut, aber mein Opa war aus Beerfleden im Oldenwald. I'm glad you are working on the same issues across the Pond. It's sad that this is even an "issue" at all, but it is tacit admission on the manufacturers' parts that they're intentionally designing inferior products. Cheers & Tschuss!
You beat me to it. I was thinking this exact thing. I remember when electronic devices used to come with a schematic on the inside of the back panel. When you could replace the tubes in your TV yourself -- there were tube testers in grocery stores. These days, everybody should know how to perform basic electronics repairs. If you don't, make nice-nice with someone who does. That, and have a set of tamper-resistant screwdriver bits.
I have my grandmas! It's probably around that same age, just used it yesterday to make pizza dough. The thing is a beast! I'm sure I'll need to replace the carbon brushes at some point, but at least I know that's possible. :)
The chronic reduction of quality in products - the shittification - is a form of economic plundering of the lower classes, designed to make people pay more for things over time. You pay more to get less. People have been complaining about this for decades, since they started building home appliances out of cheap materials that won't last. It's completely possible to build refrigerators, washers, and dryers that will not only last a lifetime, but ones that can be repaired in a cost effective manner, and which can be recycled. People used to be able to repair their vehicles, change batteries in their phones, upgrade their home computers, etc. It's much cheaper, better design, and FAR better for the environment. But we've moved away from this as labor has been sent overseas. There are people fighting for us to retain the "right of repair," and I think it is absolutely essential to bring back manufacturing to our own shores so we control design and replacement parts.
For every one person fighting for "right to repair" like Louis Rossmann, there are ten others who want to sell us the sizzle instead of the steak, like Linus Tech Tips. Even bringing back manufacturing to our shores isn't the perfect fix. Look up the Fremont Assembly plant that built GM cars from 1963 to 1982 (becoming NUMMI, a GM-Toyota hybrid from 1984-2010) where production lines at Fremont seldom stopped, and when mistakes were made cars continued down the line with the expectation that they would be fixed later. By the early 1980s, employees drank alcohol on the job, smoked marijuana, were frequently absent (enough so that the production line couldn't be started), and even committed petty acts of sabotage such as putting "Coke bottles inside the door panels, so they'd rattle and annoy the customer." At times on Mondays and Fridays there weren't enough workers to start the line, so GM would go to the bar across the street to hire workers to take their place.
@@thedemonnemo I was thinking that it's a problem if you are in the lower class, because if your fridge or washer goes out, you're basically screwed, unless you can find a used one for sale somewhere. You may be thinking "Well, if they were lower class they would have that," but that doesn't account for the very common situation of people falling from middle class into lower class.
@@sammiller6631 In the end, everything comes down to moral / altruistic versus immoral / hedonistic. 🤷♂ The point of bringing manufacturing back is not because of some notion of local superiority. It's because most people find it harder to screw over your neighbor. Some are just fine with that, but some people who have no problem shortchanging strangers halfway around the world grow a tiny bit more conscience when what they're doing could affect someone they know.
Corporations wanted to maintain their profits. Remember it was republicans business leaders that took the jobs overseas. Now they claim they are the party of working man. They will bring the jobs back with no benefits and lower pay. Workers voted for this 😀
We’re in a world where people are willing to pay $500,- for a torn and ripped apart jeans. With customers like that the manufacturers aren’t the problem.
I just bought 2 dress pants for $9 each that are black dense pants, made in India that are made like the old US brands were, thicker cloth, everything double stitched which reminded me of 1950s and 60s Levis in their dress line that were $10 in 1960. Si it is not everywhere that costs have exploded and quality crashed. The company buyers had a choice of quality or short life and it is better profits on frequently replaced items. I am NOT in the US. If you travel much outside the US you can find that the same companies have higher quality and lower quality but the US store chains only buy the short life type and mark up the $10 pants to $50. If Americans could travel independently they would see this but few Americans travel without organized tours such as cruise passengers who only have a few hours in each port. Overall of the 93 countries I spent time in most people dressed better than Americans. Often "poor " countries offer a better quality of life than the US. Where I have lived the last 25 years outside of my native California every girl over age 16 has at least one mink coat and clothes suited for the most elegant affair because high culture is part of life and if over 22 they own their home and have no debt, and all the 1000 or so young adults I know have traveled internationally and has a college degree without debt.That translates to a much more pleasant and open demeanor and have no fear to walk through any neighborhood alone at 3am. The stress level in the US is off the charts, and if someone is not afraid they are not paying attention. If more Americans traveled internationally they would march on Washington and burn it down. And pull the plug on US media that lies, with the government on everything
A lot of people don't realize just how much Blackrock and Vanguard actually own. Most of the heat they get from the political right revolves around their massive push for ESG/DEI in corporations. Yet these two companies have their fingers in just about every pie you can think of. They're slowly monopolizing the entire corporate world, and using your pension money to do it. IDK how anyone can be cool with them having that much power and control.
@ayg2199 i am currently using a 35 year old may tag that i rescued from a job and stored in my basement 25 years ago. It works perfectly. New stuff is crap
In my short 76 years here on this good earth, I have come to realize many years ago that wanting LESS and appreciating the simple quality, possibly older items in one's life is quite FREE-ing to the soul. I now have absolutely NO desire for that new car or truck or a big expensive-to-maintain house. Give me simple quality along with the sense of calm that comes with it. By-the-way Nicole, for a young woman You, my dear, have an "old soul", and that is a very, very good thing. Thank You for sharing your thoughts with our little community. Greetings from Ontario, Canada.
This. I'm just now approaching half a century, but realized pretty early on that if you want quality and longevity in your belongings, you will need to look to the past. This was back in the 90's, and yes, things have only gotten worse. I rarely buy anything new if i can help it.
Hi Nicole. As an engineer myself and being part of the wider professional obsolescence management community. You have provided an excellent summation of the world and its dystopic offerings today, not to mention the psychology of consumerism and sly winking usery practiced by large corporations on people today. My sub and definite like added for you my dear. Deserved. Many congratulations on reaching your 100K. Bests John
I had to watch 5 ads before getting to this video. I think because its clothes YT algorithm hammers you and the cheery on the cake is we get in-video sponsorship like insurify. So , yes, sh*tfication of YT videos as well.
Even if you have premium service the influencer regularly has their sponsors diatribe to do. It's still a ripoff. To those I unsubscribe or scroll past it.
Everyday: Do I need this junk ? I am buying this to impress myself or someone else ? Why not purchase what you really need from someone who lives closest to your town. Geroge Carlin says it the best: th-cam.com/video/KLODGhEyLvk/w-d-xo.html
My parents bought their first dishwasher about 1980, their second in 2020 and their third in 2022. Yes, the first one lasted 40 years, and the second one only 2. An absolute disgrace.
You are so spot on! Everything is disposable now, very little quality. Part of job is purchasing a lot of different items and I have seen first hand how poorly things are manufactured now. The amount of marketing that is done to get everyone to believe consumerism is the only way, is unreal. I really enjoy the honesty here, great video. It is so accurate. Thank-You!
My German friends refer to this phenomena as “scheisseflation” or “shit-flation”. We all know about inflation and shrinkflation, but this is referring to using cheaper and cheaper components, ingredients and materials but keeping the price the same. Chocolate that used to be made from cocoa and milk are now made with modified palm oils and the like. A washing machine is lucky to last 8-10 years at best, whereas my old Whirpool in the basement I bought 30 years ago is still soldiering on.
Then there the old story- maybe it’s an urban legend- that Coke introduced “New Coke” so that people wouldn’t notice the substitution of HFCS for cane sugar when “Coke Classic” was re-introduced.
I'm from Germany and I have never heard the word " scheisseflation " 😂 It's also hard to pronounce and does not sound good in german 😂 Today everything is made of shit because it breaks fast and you buy new again and again and again and AGAIN 😂 That's called hardcore capitalism 😂 Back in the days in Germany everything was of good quality You buy things and they last I remember when I was a kid in the 90s in west Germany people sold or gifted away their old things like kitchen machines Not like today because they broke or did not work NO 😂 Because they wanted to buy a new version The old stuff was heavy and always working but had a oldfashioned design That's why it was cool to buy something new Now with everything made in China it's just pure trash and they talk about climate and sustainability 😂 My ass ! 😂 Nowadays there is 100x more trade than 30-40 years ago and also more waste and destruction of nature That does not count Only thing that is important that the rich is to forbid normal people to drive old cars or trucks or to use anything old if they could enforce it Buy new to save the world 😂😂😂 Yaaa Fuck you rich motherfuckers 😂❤ Old stuff is for free almost that's why they hate it 😅
the thing that bothers me about this take is that it is putting all the blame on consumers. Prices have NOT stayed the same. There is some truth to it but corporations also actively try to produce a lower quality cheaper product to increase profit. Also, for various reasons consumers will buy a slightly shittier version of a product. Could be brand loyalty, convenience, only a slight difference between brand x and brand y. And when people start getting used to a shittier product than the other companies have to also make a shittier product to compete. It's an arms race to the bottom.
Had a guy come in to repair the washer or dryer and I asked if I wanted to get new ones what brand would he recommend. he said to keep these old ones going as long as possible. The new ones are not good. He should know. He had older ones in his own house - for a reason. The older ones will outlast the new ones in years by a long shot.
i fix appliances. My washer dryer combo machine is 20 years old out of a remodeled apartment. The next model up was ok but the post 2020 models are JUNK. the intentionally did things to them that make them unrepairable. seriously i made a youtube video on how to modify it so you can tighten the belt. they took away the adjustment in 2020. unbelievable
We were given the same advice recently, by the guy who came to repair our washing machine. "Keep it as long as possible," he said, "the new ones are rubbish."
@@williambrennan5701 Nice work! How can we find the video? As a hobby, I fix things also, and even make house calls. I've revived even those low quality Samsung appliances. Sometimes the repair involves replacing a single 20 cent transistor or other electronic component.
Guy who repaired my 30 year old washer said the same and told me when the gov made appliances go to energy effcient in early 2000s should have the efi logo on it thats when they really went to crap and there is a market for older stuff.
Hi Nicole! I saw the title of this video, watched it, and subscribed immediately. I've watched several more in the last hour or so, and am pleased to report that I genuinely appreciate your content and the mindset behind it. For example, years ago, when Amazon began to cause the closure of brick & mortar bookstores, Barnes & Noble in particular, which started not long after I became acutely aware of the loss of locally owned stores caused by Walmart, I decided to make every effort to avoid doing business with corporate entities whose growth model was focused not just on their own success, but on causing the failure of their competitors, both large and small. I enjoy having the option of shopping at physical retailers and knew that I would feel a great sense of loss if and when that became a thing of the past, and concluded that even though my choice would never be enough to halt the inevitable ruination of the world that Amazon, Walmart, and the like would engineer, I wanted to be able to look myself in the mirror and honestly say that I was not at fault. A small comfort to be sure, but one that I felt was necessary to maintain my integrity. I am proud to say I have avoided doing business with Amazon completely and never will. I can't say the same for Walmart, but I've come to terms with that and decided not to let that failure tarnish my feelings toward the Amazon win, lol. TLDR: your content and message is so relevant and important for anyone who is seeking some measure of clarity and peace in life, as well as a tool which can be used to keep one's cognitive dissonance to a minimum. It will also be a source of reason that I can direct others to when I don't have the time or opportunity to explain the importance of this pratical approach to life to them myself. I hope you see this comment and know that I mean it in all sincerity. Thank you so much for your effort, keep up the good work, and best wishes to you in all things in the future. Have a great day! Peace.
Important point: It's NOT just "free market capitalism." That CAN be good. It WAS good, for decades. It's CORPORATISM that's the problem. In the old days, most businesses were small, or small family-owned chains. Huge corporations were few, and societal pressure made them behave. People don't believe in morality anymore, though, so that pressure is diminished; and huge corporations have BOUGHT our politicians and regulatory agencies. They now run EVERYTHING and are stomping small businesses out of existence.
As somebody put it: stakekeholders and owners are no longer same people. Great German engineering brands were effectively FAMILY BUSINESS, with family name firmy front and center. So was once Bechtel.
The price of manufacturing is really not the issue here. Shittification (or planned obsolescence) is done by design, to increase corporate profits. This stuff has been taught in business schools for decades. Also, as the real wages of low income and middle class people in most western countries have been stagnant for at least three decades, there's no way the average person can pay the double for their clothing.
Consumers continue buying the shitty products. Take your dollars elsewhere and the problem is solved. There’s plenty of competition. Consumers simply need to make wiser choices and quit rewarding bad companies for making garbage. Take responsibility for your decisions within a massive and varied marketplace.
@@michaelrains64295That's not how it works medium per capita income and typical wage has been reduced by 55% over the last 45 years consumers can't buy higher quality.
One thing that I've noticed recently: medium quality goods are very difficult to find anymore. The market seems to have only crap quality goods and luxury goods. Decades ago, department stores and car companies would have several grades from cheap to luxury grade items.
I remember my aunt and uncle owning a small clothing store in MO for many years. After his death, she felt she got out just in time, as WalMart came into the community - and it did NOT improve the community. She made sure that she clothing for the working men and women who came into her store, not just the fancy stuff. She knew many worked hard for their money, and needed reasonably priced good quality clothes. Her and my uncle worked six days a week for years running that store.
@@appleimacdude Yes, that's the way it used to be before big box stores and private equity took over businesses. Made in America meant something, and you could support a family on one decent paycheck.
Exactly! And the only reason the crap exists is to make the luxury goods more appealing! We could just have reasonable quality goods and that would be the only tier of quality necessary but that would be too socialist - socialism and capitalism are literal opposites heh
I've got a washing machine and gas dryer that are over 40 yrs old. I've had to replace a knob, clean the exhaust and a belt. The elderly repair guy, nice fellow by the way, responded when I said, "I probably should replace them both" he had a look of shock on his face and said no, no don't do that you'll regret it. He said you have metal gears and the new ones have computer chips and plastic gears, etc. You can't repair them, etc. That was 8 yrs ago. I'm glad I listened to the old man. I've had friends replace some of their appliances 3 times in 8 yrs. I hope a lot of people head your advice, great video.
That is the same for us. Stove, refrigerator, washer and dryer bought years ago all more than 25 years ago some thirty. Stove went out had to replace and are on our 3rd new one! New washing machines do not use enough water and do a terrible job!
I still have my mom’s 1971 EATON VKING washing machine. Top loading, basic, no fancy extras, large tub and has never needed service. Still works…I was 21 when it was bought….Im now 74! I wouldn’t even sell it now for $1000. Now that’s a Quality product! that I will never see again!❤
You can totally still get that. You just have to be willing to pay the price. Like she said, you can't just compare prices 1 to 1. Adjusted for inflation, you need to spend thousands on a washing machine. A good Miele will totally last.
@ NOPE…..it Didn’t & Doesn’t! We used it properly and adjusted water level according to load size. Didn’t do laundry several times a week for small things ,like many do today. My close friend and young next door neighbour has a beautiful Samsung washer and dryer ($2400) she bought 3 yrs. ago. Goodness..looks like a beautiful grey Cadillac all shiny chrome & every feature you can think of…..& uses it almost daily for the smallest number of things. Has had service called in twice since. Always some minor issue. So my friend….in my defence..I say, it’s how u use an appliance…Laundry done once a week at my end. Yes, I do have a dryer….but also hang dry many small items..when I can. I’m just another old school boomer…..and environmentally aware. ☺️ I hereby defend my Eaton Viking washer!😊
Congrats on 105K!! I enjoy your videos mostly because I'm learning from you, I agree with soooo much of what you say, because it's the truth. I'd like to be well rested and catch up on some viewing, absorbing, and see how some of these things can work for me. I'm worn out from my retail job tonight. It sucks and I need to change it up for the better. Big time. I don't play lottery normally and I've been playing a little maybe once or twice per month. I think it means some hopelessness has crept in and I play lottery to feel hopeful again. I know everyone says this but if I win more $$$ than I can comprehend I will absolutely help people. MANY PEOPLE and feel so much joy in blessing others!
It’s not just the goods that get shittier every year. It’s the govt policies, greed and price gouging to. I also see the healthcare industry workers becoming less and less competent. Actually that is happening in most professions.
As someone who thrifts and flips clothing, I've noticed a degradation of quality over time. I buy pre-90s true vintage stuff and it's getting harder to find, and I have to dig through a lot of crap. But I've trained my eye to spot the good stuff quickly, it really stands out.
Same. I refuse to buy new clothing anymore. All my secondhand clothing is now early 90s at the latest. With shoes, no later than 2005 but the bulk are from the 60s-70s. I'd rather resole and restore a 1970s boot than buy new today.
I had this shirt that I got for Christmas a year ago. It had a great big electric guitar on it and it said rock and roll will never die. I washed and wore it twice in a row. I put it back in the washer a third time and it got promptly shredded. I went to replace it and found that it was over $25. My hands froze for a full 15 seconds over the keyboard then a certain finger slowly began to raise as I realized this was probably not an isolated incident.
@@recynd77I'm only in my 30s and hearing that 90s stuff is now vintage is giving me a moment in time oh well, 20 years makes a classic. Find out where to find CDS because the radio is about to go, oh somewhere else.
I have a 35 year old pair of British made Dr. Marten boots. They were worn daily for 15 years. They still look BRAND NEW. I bought a new Chinese made pair for work in 2015 and the sole peeled off after 3 months. They cost $240. They are in landfill now.
oh....found one! yes OLD DOC MARTENS are my obsession as well, my all time favorite footwear are vintage docs, the new ones did not even last 3 months for me at work, more like a month! complete garbage, they are even worse now than 10 yrs ago too, they are made in some really weird place and the new 14 eyes look alien.
My 25 year old British Dr. Marten shoes have seen near daily use and are only now starting to legitimately wear out. Like you, I tried the modern replacements, two different pairs, one the standard Chinese type and the other from the 'premium' line that is still British made. Both were so uncomfortable there's no way I could even wear them a day let alone 3 months. I threw them on Ebay instead of the landfill so at least I got something back.
Same with the Aussie brand Blundstone boots, I had a pair that lasted me about 15 years and wore them nearly every day. They used to be made in Tasmania, but then they moved their manufacturing to India. If you can get 12 months out of a new pair of Blundstone boots now, good luck as they are awful now!
Buy vintage car. Still you can find replacements if you look around and if you can keep it in good dhape you not only have the feeling of a real car but you can sell it for collectors for a good price
I could be wrong, but if STANT buys out competitors, and uses cheaper rubber, then it doesn't matter if the thermostat says "MOTORRAD" or "MURRAY". We'll be replacing them every year. (I own two third-gen 00-02 plastic Saturns.)
Don't be fooled by name brands. They aren't what they used to be. They are riding on their old reputation. This video is so true that I now look for used stuff that is in good condition to replace my old worn out stuff.
I had a tour of a levis factory around 1988 in college. The machinery and the process they went through for the fabric and stitching was phenominal. They dont use those factories anymore and probably cut costs by sourcing out. By 1995 many factories were closing and made in china started slowly creeping in. Poor quality unfortunately.
Cone Mills in my town of Greensboro NC were the last to have the vintage selvage looms used to make high-quality denim. They closed down a few years ago, and I believe all those looms were shipped to Japan to produce jeans that cost $300+.
I’m Gen X and I can remember when things started taking a turn for the worse. I remember my mother showing me an article in 2008 where it said the new thing was making products that were designed not to last so people keep replacing things in order for companies to turn a profit. Now we’re just inundated with crappy things
It started way before then. The term 'planned obsolescence' was coined in the mid-1950s, and had been a strategic practice in various businesses for at least 30 years at that point. The change you're recognizing coincides with one of the big lunges toward globalism and desertion of manufacturing in first world countries.
yeah, I got a new furnace and air conditioner for my house in 2010. Recently, I had a couple of years in a row where I had emergency services for both the heating and cooling season and I started looking at getting a replacement. Not only are the cost of units crazy but two of the people that were giving me bids were mentioning that these things are only made the last 10 years. and that the unit that I would be buying to replace my old one would be inferior quality.
I was looking for a used speed queen washer. A used one will cost more than a brand new one that will last 5 years. The dryer came with the house and is prob 30 years old. I put a $4 fuse in it last year, and something else a few years back that cost under $20.
True story: back when I was in the 8th grade, around 1964, I bought a sort of expensive button-down shirt from one of the local high end stores. I'm not sure about the fabric, but I think it was some sort of lightweight, tightly woven cotton. Anyway, I wore that shirt forever. I couldn't even count the number of times it was in the laundry. And it always looked perfect. Like it was still new. Fast forward to when I finally retired at age 55, over 40 years later. I finally donated it to charity, along with a bunch of my other clothes, including a lot of nice three piece suits and expensive ties and shoes. I was still wearing the shirt once in a while, and it was still in perfect condition.
@@ckle2685 I'm wearing an old Lands End Sail Rigger shirt as we speak. Always washed on cold, still looks almost new. IDK, it's maybe 30 years old? Have a bunch of old Hyde Park OCBD shirts too. Still look fantastic. Same thing with a whole bunch of old 100% cotton LL Bean oxfords. The new stuff is garbage and everything has elastane (spandex/plastic) in it. Junk.
@@kenbuffie2877 sitting in a dying, large mall with my wife on a people watching walk/visit. A bit melancholy as we think about the lost quality and the demise of the "mall". Saw a pair of tennis shoes at a store - - - $150. Sad - but I think we're headed towards big change and chances are it will be painful. Over 65 here and glad we're at this stage of life...
Have a couple of my fathers Arrow brand shirts from the 50s, washed a million times. Still fit me. Look great...made in a Union Garment factory in Pennsylvania, according to the tag.😅
Yup. Imagine 60 years ago when things were built like tanks and there was a repair shop for nearly everything. Now, the factories are far away, there is nearly no live human customer service, very few things are repairable or needs a brand specialist, and you're offered out of pocket warranties from insurance companies at the time of purchase. Who benefits?
I was a kid in 1970’s NYC. We had milk delivered by the milkman in glass bottles that he would take back. We had a man that came to the neighborhood about 3 times a year. He was in a horse drawn cart and would ring a bell. Our mothers would load us with pots and pans that had loose handles or dents that needed to be beaten out, and knives and scissors that needed sharpening, and we’d rush down the tenement stairs and wait in line. He would fix everything and sharpen the blades on a foot powered sharpener. We’d get a little scrap of paper to bring upstairs a d our mothers would give us the money to pay him. I also remember bringing every new pair of dress shoes to the cobbler to get rubber taps on the heels and soles on the forefoot. Those days are long gone!
@@DepDawg I remember milk delivered, too. And kids coming around to offer to rake leaves, or shovel snow from your sidewalk and driveway. Kids delivering the daily paper. Teens mowing the lawns. I guess these things are now considered dangerous, too difficult, or akin to slay-very.
@@StarCityFAME Born in 1969. I remember neighborhood girls, in competition with each other, for babysitting services! The boys fought for lawn mowing territory! Man, used to make pretty good money shoveling snow! I averaged from $2 to $5 per driveway - which isn’t much - but if I hustled, I could pull down close to 30 bucks in 5 to 6 hours. Back in 1981, that was a lot!
Nicole, you are so refreshing to listen to. In this day and age it is hard to find anything that is worth paying money for when it comes to clothing and style...Doesn't matter your age, it isn't going to look good for a price you can even afford. I try to find new clothes and end up buying non-styler jeans from Tractor Supply (men's dept) because they fit, don't break the budget, and last for several years. Heh, I look like I just fell off the tractor, but at my age, the alternative for what is supposed to be stylish is an abomination. Leggings, a long overblown sweater or shirt (seasonal wear), expensive tennis shoes, with bangles dripping from ears and wrists; OH, and don't forget the year-round giant sunglasses... Nope. Thank you for this well researched and informative post. (And if you were wondering? The answer is 72.)
I would argue that a lot of people don't actually notice because they no longer can assess quality unless they have a direct comparison right in front of them.
Yep and the cheap camp has gotten very good at cheap imitations & knock offs , that are so close to the real deal, with their cheaper price tag, they become a steal, or at least an awesome deal for those of us on budgets, that just can't afford to buy the best brands.
My parents have a 1980s refrigerator. Still running perfectly. The door handle broke around 2000 and my Dad replaced it with a new (identical) part. When that handle broke around 2020, I repaired it with a metal bracket so it will definitely never break again. They were thinking of getting a new refrigerator; I told them that was crazy. If the old one still works, it's far better to keep it.
Yes. They were made to last. I know a woman that bought the latest and greatest stainless fridge. It looks gorgeous and rich and stunning, but it has its breakdowns and has since she bought it. The ole one did not, it wasn't as pretty as the stainless one, but it didn't break down.
Made to last, yes, but when you look at power consumption that may not be the right choice these days. Like American cars from the 1980s are far less fuel efficient than cars today.
@@justgivemethetruth So just buy a new refrigerator every 4 years? Even if new refrigerators were powered by a pinwheel that turned with air movement every time you walked past it, the savings on electricity wouldn't be enough to offset the cost of quadrennial refrigerator replacement, not to mention the time and inconvenience.
I am a teacher. I have a little mini fridge I bought back when I was starting my career. It's still going strong and I'm retiring this year. I will leave it for the next generation...
The worst thing about rampant consumerism , is the effect on our environment. Where does all that broken stuff go when we throw it out and buy new? I doubt it all gets recycled.
Absolutely. I need to declutter some things, but I hate knowing that most things are not recyclable and finding someone that wants your junk is also hard as everyone is obsessed with new, up to date stuff.
Our dryer was a housewarming gift from my parents when we moved in to this place in 2008. It recently started making a howling noise, so I decided to pull it out and take the back off. Not surprisingly, it was fully of lint and hair balls, especially when I opened up the fan housing. I cleaned it up, put new weather stripping around the fan housing, and it works great again! That old dryer is so simple yet well-made that it will probably go another 10 years. I'm never getting rid of it if I can help it.
I have a washer and refrigerator from my grandparents, probably bought in the 1980’s, still run great. I don’t think I’ll ever get new ones because the quality is so bad now, as everyone has stated here. Forgive any mistakes, I’m dyslexic.
@@ldphotodude They’re not worth their money & they’re a PIA. I rather go to the laundromat, where the washers are twice as fast, than to have to jack with all the options & then wait on the machine to finally start washing.
Oh it started way before that. It’s intentional, called planned obsolescence and they have been working on increasing it since the 1950s or even earlier.
So true! Im 56, and when my husband and I were in our 20's, he would only wear Levi's jeans. He'd go to the store, pick up his size, pay, and bring them home. Now he can't do that. He has to try on every pair because even though they are the same size, they all fit differently!! Some are too short, some are too long etc. Also, the refrigerator that belonged to my grandmother was still in the house when it was sold almost 40 years later. Meanwhile, we have probably gone through 7 since we've been married!!!!
This is one reason us guys never want to mail order any clothes. We try before we buy. We don't want to end up in the return cycle...which just takes more time and aggravation.
I have the same issue, I have the same brand of work pants, from the same place, but they all fit differently, there's no consistency, so I have to try every pair before I buy. It doesn't matter where I go, it's the same issue with clothing.
I was an adult in the 1980s. We used to be able to get things repaired at a reasonable price. If your TV broke, there was a repair shop that could fix it. If your hairdryer broke….etc. it is so frustrating to me to not be able to get things fixed. Things were considerably better made in the past. My travel hair dryer is from the ‘80s, still works. I have a calculator from 1979, still works. My $800 iPhone will not last ten years, and if it does, Apple will cease to support it. A long way to get around to yes, planned obsolescence is a real thing, started in the 20th century and has gotten considerably worse in the 21st. Many people get around the clothing problem by practicing “slow fashion”, making your own. Not everyone can do this, but if you can I encourage you to do so.
All the gadgets we buy are basically obsolete when we walk out the door with them. Sad world. And the same companies that are all doing this will claim to be targeting for "net neutral". It is all pathetic theatre.
Those items were easily fixed because they were not as complicated as they are now. TV's consist of complex circuitboards that TV's of the 80's didn't have. If a capacitor blew on an older TV, you could solder a new one in place. If a capacitor blows on a 4K TV today, you'd need a magnifying glass just to see that capacitor.
I like to make my own clothes and make them better quality but one thing I have noticed is that even fabric is poorer quality now than it used to be. And vintage fabrics are often sort after making them unaffordable :(
Except now, it's getting harder and harder to find fabric anymore. Once JoAnn's shuts down (which seems inevitable at this point 😢), I won't have a place to go.
Or have torn clothes and bags stitched and patched together. May not always look pretty, but I'm sick of corporate robbery and badly made consumer goods.
2:07 'how is it possible that the price stayed the same?' The quality went down; shrink-flation under another name. You are correct. Out sourcing to China has lead to poor quality of everything.
Corporations have always been greedy, this is not a new phenomenon. Same goes for shareholders. If its really that simple, than are you saying that somehow 20-30 years ago corporations weren't greedy for gain? The main culprit is inflation, which is caused by government spending and printing based on debt. This causes the value of your money to go down and the cost of everything to go up. If you look at the money supply and US debt in the past 10 years, it will be obvious that it has increased drastically. Since corporations can only raise prices so much, they instead move to cheaper quality parts and raw materials that don't last as long and are cheaper to manufacture.
@AntonXChigurh yes. It is that simple. The more money they make, The more they want. The greed consumes them and it grows like wildfire. It's gotten worse. And it will continue to get worse as the years go by and the greedy get more greedy. It's that simple. I'm not just talking about corporate greed. I'm talking about our own Government. They are the beginning to it all!
My 1995 Electrolux vacuum cleaner still works every time! Many people shun it because of its size and think the plastic uprights are better until they see one in action. You can still buy the old school type brand new..
Yes, unfortunately the don't fit in trunks of cars so house cleaners can't take them to clients with any kind of ease. Can't afford a car big enough. I tried SO, SO hard to find a good quality vacuum for my business, but the owner of an actual vacuum store that I drop over 30 minutes to go to to get a good quality vacuum told me there are no options on the market to fit my needs, I can only buy cheap ones and go through a vacuum every 9-12 months or so. It's really sad. I was ready to spend several hundred, but there was nothing I could afford that had the furniture tools and hose attachments I need for houses under $1300, and carrying something that costly around could make me a break in target even if I was willing to pay that much, and would that even last me 8 years or so to make it worth it?
I bought a K&M mic stand, made in Germany, known for its durability. It cost $107 and feels like it could be a weapon. Neumann microphones, also German, are similarly reputed for their quality. Germany seems to be doing some things right. High-quality goods are still around but finding them requires navigating through a sea of flashy junk and insidious marketing tactics.
@ there was a mic stand from Amazon for $32 but I just went with the K&M and it looks like I'll never have to buy another mic stand again unless this one gets hit by a train, it's quite heavy and quite solid. Expensive yes, overpriced maybe not.
German here who owns a whole bunch of K&M mic stands, some of them 40+ years old. They all still work perfectly, and every single screw is still available as a spare part. But I can assure you: for every quality product like this one, you will unfortunately easily find 100 junk products here too.
God bless my mother as she has been saying the exact same thing as you.. what a shame what has become of most everything that we buy.. Thank you for sharing this with us 🙏..😊
One of the items that has really gone downhill are recreational vehicles. TH-cam is full of horror stories about how trashy rv’s are. I just bought a 1965 aristocrat trailer, in prime condition. The lady had it in her garage for years. Everything works and the worksmanship is top notch. $3,000. Vintage is the way to go for just about anything, from kitchenware to vehicles. I’ll be towing that 65 trailer with my 70’s Toyota FJ.
I’ve learned that when I do buy something new to literally check everything. Snap every button, inspect every seam, and look for any other defect. Amazed how frequently I put something back on the rack because of some fault.
What a great tip! Sometimes I put a Postit on my credit card to remind me of things to check before I pay. When I buy eggs, I not only open the carton to check for obvious breakage, like everybody. I also spin every egg to see if any are broken on the bottom from manhandling. When I buy multiples of an identical item, I check the "best buy" dates on ALL of them, and also make sure the store didn't mix in the "fat free" or "no flavor" varieties with similar products. I also add up my purchases as I shop, rounding for simplicity. If the total doesn't come out close to my total, I challenge the sale. More often than not, I have picked up an item that was not what I intended; or the store's computer is at fault.
I agree with you 100%. Many years ago if you spent your money on the best thing you could afford, it would last nearly the rest of your life. Now you’re lucky if it lasts for a couple of years.
But there are still quality options out there. I'm guessing she didn't walk the talk of her video when picking a washer. It doesn't exactly look like a Speed Queen.
@@MyGoogleTH-cam Wrong! Even Speed Queens are not nearly as good machines as they were, not too long ago! They are still better than other brands, but they are now significantly more cheaply made and much less durable, in spite of costing about two and a half times more!
@evorider3689 Ok. So now what? Wash your clothing in the steam because it's all junk? Go a head and not buy a quality brand? Buy the cheapest one available? I guess I don't understand you're tack?
@ I was just pointing out that with some products, such as washing machines there are no longer quality options out there. There are brands that are better than others, (Speed Queen for example), but still not true Quality options no matter what you are willing to spend!
Ditto on our chest freezer, purchased in 1971 and still going strong! We have a second refrigerator in the basement from 1947 or maybe 1949. The door handle has been bungee-corded for decades to keep the door closed but it's otherwise reliable.
If you buy any electronics these days, plan on it going bad in a couple of years. Don't buy extended warranties, just get it at a good price, and expect to replace it. Nothing electronic is worth fixing. And there are no "mom and pop" shops that can do it.
There are some that do, you have to look for them. I am having my Ford stock radio/cassette and CD player sent out to be fixed - worth it, sounds good, and I don't have to worry nearly as much about someone breaking into my car to steal the sound system.
@@skyblazeeterno Often you can fix a product and make it far better than what you can buy today - watch some of the video's online, see what caused some products like tv's to fail, and often the repair is NOT too expensive - maybe a bad solder connection, bad capacitor, etc - in the case of my old dishwasher, almost as much to repair as to replace, but my old dishwasher is pretty much trouble free as compared to the troublesome appliances of today -
@@skyblazeeterno For common failure points, like the screen or battery in a smartphone, there'll be easy tutorials online on how to fix it. Replacement parts are cheap. 20 bucks could turn a brick back into a great smartphone for another 4-5 years.
Lots of small shops around that can do repairs, just don't buy a brand that sabotages that possibility (apple). Couple of repair places where I live that will replace a battery or screen or laptop fan no problem.
A major issue is that salaries have not kept up with inflation, especially the inflation of non-discretionary items which have inflated faster than the CPI would indicate. I would estimate that my salary now is about 25% lower than it was in 2001 with about half of that loss coming since 2019. So even if I was willing to pay the 2001 price for something adjusted for inflation I might not be able to. I suspect that my situation is non no way unique.
CPI is CPLie, real inflation is like 8% using their own formulas from the 1980s- and it doesn't even math in energy food or housing- stop believing their garbage metricw
I agree with you 100%!!! It's not just clothes, it's everything! I'm a gigging guitarist, a bug part of my income is from performing. About a year ago, I had to get another guitar, the one I've been playing with for the last 24 yrs developed a problem with one of the tuners, since this guitar was made in Spain, the parts are different, so while I'm waiting to get this fixed, I bought another guitar from the same company ( only this guitar is made in China ) my original guitar was on sale for $900, 24yrs ago, my new one, similar model, was $700. My new one has some issues with tuning, & I'm waiting for new tuners for my original guitar. 2 similar guitars, same company, but the quality is definitely not there is proving the it seems they don't care, this is why companies lose business!!! GREAT video, glad you posted this, proving that we are not stupid & we notice this!!! You are AWESOME!!! Stay True, Rock On & God Bless.
RVs are the worst. My relatives spent six figures on one. It's constantly breaking and in a shop. That's a problem when trying not to freeze at night or have a heatstroke during the day and other basic functions.
I've not purchased a "new" pair of jeans in 12 years.... I buy them for $1.00 - $5.00 at thrift stores.. name brands, Levi's, Eddie Bauer, Carhartt etc...
This is good advice, also furniture, you can dining room table etc, and if you can live with the fact that it probably belonged to somebody that died, chances are it'll last a lot longer than something you buy new from amazon.
I buy a lot of my clothes from thrift stores, probably about half. I am somewhat into fashion so I do seek out new items as well. But something quite disheartening in the past 4-5 years especially has been the rise in terrible quality Shein and Temu clothes at thrift stores. It's getting rougher to find good thrifted items. Still possible, just harder.
@@markbaum9615 my area is still golden. There are a couple of chain thrift stores that put high prices on name brand items. I know the good spots, me and my husband get Patagonia items for under $10
Nicole, I have no idea how TH-cam decided you needed to be in my world. but It has been a looong time since I've stumbled across a TH-cam channel that I've found unique, interesting and well presented.... As diametrically different as we are, it seems somehow we are somehow cosmically consciously linked. The "Circle of Shitification" is something I would have thought only my slightly twisted brain would have ever pondered.... You have won over another subscriber. Keep doing what you do. And congratulations on 100k subs, you earned every one of them!
Speed Queen (made in the USA) make the best washers and dryers and they will likely last you 20+ years. In CANADA they are branded as Huebsch Washer & Dryer Set ... but you will pay 3400 for the pair. In my own case I am OK with that because I'd rather pay more for something that I know will last - but not everyone can pay that. Our Amana fridge, bought in 1992, is still going great. It had one repair over that entire period that was 300 bucks. I still have a stove with the round old fashion burners ... they last forever and are usually very easy to fix. The new ones with the printed circuit boards are pure shyt. If I can not fix mine for some reason, I'll go to a second hand appliance store and buy another old one. Great channel. BTW - there is a reason that old houses had small closets - back then people would only have 2-3 sets of "Sunday" clothes BUT these were very well made and last forever. Is it any wonder landfill sites are filling up ... WTF!
Speed queen was always junk when i was growing up. My mom had her Maytag washing machine for 40 years. Sadly Maytag was bought out years ago and just isn't the same.
Our 27 year old washer finally gave up, we just purchased a Huebsch washer and dryer pair after much research. When compared to other brands on the sales floor, it’s built like a tank and best reflects our old washer. 1hp motor vs 1/2hp on others, 7 year warranty vs 1 year on other brands. Built in the US, not over seas or in cheap labour countries ,Hands down the best choice.
"Ben's appliances and Junk" is a YTuber I follow. He's an appliance repair person and evaluates brands in terms of how many repairs they need. Speed Queen is the best washer.
Those are the brands you see in the laundrymat. That's a good sign. On the clothes topic, I heard that clothes would cycle down as the clothes got older. Clothes would start out as Sunday best. Then they were Errands clothes. Then they were house clothes. Then they were yardwork clothes. Then they were taken apart and made into different clothes, made into a quilt, used as stuffing for a pillow, woven into a rug, or just became rags/zokins for cleaning.
I own a Speed Queen washer and dryer. I've owned several old brands such as Norge and Maytag. I didn't care for the Maytag, but I loved my Norge. I had to leave it behind during a move, so I replaced them with my Speed Queen. I'll never use another brand. Most people don't care for the white color and simple look of them. They want the big stainless steel stuff that has a hundred options of cycles. Looks are deceiving. My clothes have never been cleaner since going with my Speed Queen. They are built to last, like the older ones we could get in the past.
Optometrist here -- The quality of prescription eyeglasses have taken an overall nose dive -- Cheap optical outlets sell poorly made eyeglasses with the prescription off. Half of my office time is taken up with rechecks with patients having filled on cost basis and prescription is not filled correctly.
Owing to ‘problems’ at pickup time, including scratches and errors, I’m suspecting that my high end optical office is dealing with out-of-country lens grinders. It’s very concerning.
Honestly, I can get a pre-made pair of -1.5 glasses online for a tenth of what I pay for a crappy in-office pair. Does it have the bells and whistles? No, apart from auto-tint. Does it address my marginal astigmatism? No. But I can see to drive and watch TV. That's all I need.
@@Taryngracia Those mid-90s to mid-00s Japanese cars are indestructible. Look after them and get them serviced properly by a mechanic who knows what they are doing and they will last for many decades!
We have mostly older vehicles: 1992, 1992, 1997, 2012. The 1997 is a Ford Escort with nearly 280K miles. Still doesn't consume oil, the air conditioning still works great. I've done all the maintenance over the years, replaced the head gasket in 2020 @268.5k the engine looked really good under the valve cover and the cylinder bores still had nice cross hatching. These vehicles don't spy on us and report our driving habits to data brokers, although our phones likely do :(
I can't over how neat and minimalist your home is! I have a small home and I have way too much unfiled paper and junk that I think I need, some of it I do need though. I think to get my house to look as neat and minimalist as yours would take me a solid year. There are a few books out there and TH-cam's to get this done that I've seen some of them. Did u ever think of writing a book or putting your ideas about minimalism on a TH-cam Series? Thanks for the information!
A bag of chips has now been cut back to 7.5 ounces. I am starting to be amazed people still make the purchases. It's getting to the point I would rather just fry up a potato in the pan than pay $4 for one potato worth of chips.
Yep I fell for that one last night. Then again I intentionally bought the smallest bag of kettle chips in the store because I planned to finish it in one go. Good to know, I was trying to look into fried potato wedges recipes anyway I guess I'll be looking into chips recipes as well.
@@STEVSGONE You will never be able to make a product at home that resembles a commercial potato chip. Even a simple Lays Original potato chip. Not that you shouldn't try necessarily. Just that you should really investigate the realities of it so you know what you're trying to get into before you do it. Might seem overly dramatic. It might *be* overly dramatic. But it ends up being a pretty lousy and expensive experience. Maybe cheaper than bags of chips, but there are a lot of factors to consider. Probably better off just giving up junk food snacks like chips in the first place.
I've been strengthening our fencing around our property done 30+ years ago. It amazes me the quality of then vs. now. Insane! But your video explains so much. Thanks, Nicole. Your quality keeps improving!! :)
@@beth3535 It's because the government mandated a change in how outdoor "treated" lumber is treated. The new treatment doesn't resist rot nearly as well as the old, much more toxic copper and arsenic method.
The thing I find most interesting about you: usually I can’t stand negative people who constantly complain. But there’s something about your presentation that is compelling to watch. And I agree with almost all your observations.
Regarding the Samsung washer, I have heard from many friends and neighbors who bought them that they had problems in a relatively short time after buying them. The Kenmore my grandmother bought in 1968 still works. They are named now back under Whirlpool who manufactured the Kenmore brand for Sears. I miss Sears.
I miss Sears too. Way back in the beginning they sold farm animals and even kit homes. The kit homes were great my mother had one. Sears was so well respected that people used to go to the clerks to discuss their financial problems. Back in the sixties, almost all the clerks were mature adults that knew their product ,and working at Sears was a career. Their all gone and replaced by teenagers that know nothing. Craftsman tools went from excellent to cheap crap. Kenmore was the best and is now just crap. Capitalism is slow failing but that's a rant for another day.
The shitification is the reason why I own a lot of old things: my car is 20 years old, my iMac is from 2010, the first iPad and iPhone 3GS still work with the first battery and I still have old stereo equipment from the 90s, VCRs and old TVs etc… All of these things still work well and I only make sure I unplug very old things (like my radio from the 60s) just in case… I love technology but I started to realize that the more features a product has, the easier it is to break… The lack of quality nowadays is unbelievable… Thank you for making this great video!
I am good at accidentally breaking things. Laptop I tripped, dropped and blew out the corner of the screen. Phone a few years back, dropped into a water puddle and cooked it. Thats when my stuff gets replaced.
I still have my 2003 Ford Explorer, because (a) It still runs well (b) It still looks good (c) I can fix it myself (d) It doesn't have annoying features like headrests that are angled forward too much. (This has become commonplace because so many f**kwits lean their seats right back, so safety regulations were brought in to protect these idiots from their own stupidity.)
You're kinda correct. The cost of manufacturing is supposed to decrease as automation increases. Cotton isn't hand picked just as thread isn't hand spun and fabric isn't hand woven. If it wasn't for greed they would decrease and maintain quality. Things use to be made by our mothers and grandmother's on equipment maintained my our fathers and grandfather's right here in the USA.
When I moved out of my home at the end of 2023, I had a gas-powered push lawnmower I had bought in 1996. It still fired up every single time. I seldom changed the oil or sharpened the blade. It was still running great, and I gifted it to a friend because I was moving into an RV. I also had a dryer that was purchased in 1995, which I gifted to my neighbor. The only thing I ever had to do to it was replace the heating element, which cost me less than $20, and I changed it out myself after watching a TH-cam video. Everything is built these days to be disposable. It's terrible.
@sunshine3914 That's awesome! Mine came from Montgomery Ward. The paint was peeling a bit on the deck, but no rust yet. These days, they're made of plastic.
A few years ago I bought an old (1980's ?) Snapper professional mower for $25. The self-propelled wheels are literally driven by an all- metal gearbox. The bag is made of absurdly thick (1/8" ?) canvas. Hard to find any plastic anywhere.
Yeah I noticed the same thing about Goodfellow jeans. Yet, I never had that problem with Guess Jeans and Wrangler. But the more newer companies are having problems with their clothes. Its not fair to people buying these jeans, and then less than a few months, they have to buy more jeans. TH-cam also recommended me to you a few minutes ago. I'm giving you a subscribe, and I am saying what's up to you from my home of NYC. Nicole, your very beautiful 💚
@ Pioneer like Levi Strauss likely does not manufacture anything domestically. If they would, the price tag was well over 100 bucks. I suspect, the fabric is from China, Pakistan or India and the manufacturing sites are located in countries like the Philipines.
Found your channel recently and love the common sense and tips on money saving, etc...Thank you - you have inspired me to be more frugal and concentrate on the things that matter and saving for my future. - Phil, 41, UK
With the jeans they started to add spandex, then more spandex so the jeans would stretch. The problem with spandex it breaks down the original cotton does not. I have jeans from 20 years ago that I can still wear too.
I too noticed it's because of the spandex. I have jeans from high school over 20 years ago that have no stretch and they are still without holes, while newer jeans I get are very stretchy and get holes within a year. I tried finding jeans with no stretch but I can't find them any more. It's like they stopped selling them.
Yes, the spandex or elasthane breaks down faster in a sense especially if you tumble dry them. The stretch jeans are also much thinner in fabric. Never tumble dry stretch jeans! I try to buy 100% cotton. There are still some brands who make them Levi for one. I do believe nudie jeans also have jeans without stretch. But even if the 100% cotton last longer they tear out more easily then they use to do.
You're absolutely right. I have lived in my house for 20 years and I have had to get a new hvac unit twice. The ac repair guy even told me those units were built to last 10 years so that the manufactuers could profit off of selling new units more frequently.
My grandma died in 2005 and the property was passed to her son, my uncle. I was able to visit the house to see if there was anything I wanted and after he passed and the same washer and dryer were there that have been there since 1977 and they still worked, almost 50 years later.
keep it forever. I fix appliances, you will never find better.
Clothes days are awful! I’m 69 years old and I still have things I wore 20-30 years ago that look brand new! Now they last a year or two! Also, appliances too. It’s ridiculous.. they used to last forever.
@@williambrennan5701we’ve already had to have ours fixed after only 3.5 years 🙄
@@gailflora1835
Those old clothes did cost a lot more relatively speaking, though.
@@fazoleElectronics too.
My experience the past few years is, no matter what price I pay, it still tends to be garbage.
Just more expensive garbage hiding behind a familiar looking tag.
Try Ironheart jeans. They're heavy, at least. But whether the cheaper jeans are poorer value... probably not.
It’s almost like everything comes out of the same tube and a different label is slapped on.
You get what you pay for has definitely become less and less relevant.
@@recynd77 Most of it likely does come from the same factories. In fact, there seems to be "grades" of manufacturing. I could say that everything made in China is crap, but I have a few expensive things made there which are nice quality and have held up. Oddly, I also have some cheap China-made things which have lasted. But, of course, you can also buy the most horrible cheap junk EVER from China. The problem is knowing what you are getting, because, as others have pointed out here, sometimes even pricey stuff from China turns out to be crap.
I literally just don’t want to buy anything anymore. I am SO frustrated. I work too hard for money, to spend it on garbage. I dread the day when I am going to have to buy a new washer/dryer, car, etc. You are so right Nicole. It is the shitification of everything…including our restaurant meals.
I think that's a great way to think, you work hard for your money to waste it on something that won't give you years of joy.
That's the truth ... I don't even go out to eat in restaurants anymore unless I can see them making whatever it is they are making, like Chipotle, etc. They put too much salt in food, they use additives and cook stuff in pans that have toxic forever chemicals in them. No thanks!
Suggestion on washers and driers. Save up and get a pair of Speed Queen brand. 2nd to none in longevity and repairability. Not too fancy - just washes clothes.
Yeah, I hate buying anything too. It's been ruined by the manufacturers. I constantly have to buy more often than I want and so new is not a special event anymore. Plus, I feel like a chump bc I just know it's going to be a POS, whatever I buy.
I also agree with welderfixer. Was going to tell you to do your research and buy the best quality with the fewest bells and whistles you can buy when you need another.
I know it won't be long before I need new as well. I will look @ Speed Queen.
Recently I've got much more picky when it comes to choosing items to buy. I needed a new alarm-clock instead of a broken one, so i spent around two days on a platform where people buy and sell second-hand stuff looking for what i would really like. I bought two different alarm clocks one by one to discover that they were ticking too loud while i want to have absolute silence in my room. ( Now I'm trying to sell them on the same platform). My third attempt was lucky: the alarm clock is beautiful, rare ( it has a seal of local university) and so cool! Very cheap, btw.
So just imagine, so much time and thoughts spent for such an ordinary item like an alarm clock. But i bought it for years and years- till it'll get broken or i will break it. I don't wanna just buy stuff and get rid of it every three months. I want to own smth i like for 100% and have it for many years.
You are right, I work in manufacturing and everything is making as fast and cheap as possible. Profit at all costs , screw the quantity and consumers.
My mom bought pots and pans for over $1000, we called her crazy. This was over 30 years ago and these pots are still new, not even the handles are loose.
In contrast, my wife buys designer cookware and has to replace it every 2-3 years.
I don't even think expensive stuff lasts now. I used to go ahead and try to spend more for quality but even that doesn't seem to be working.
@cslivestockllc138 what brand did she purchase?
And if it isn't broke don't replace it. Chances are it will be much, much worse.
Switch to cast iron. No teflon in your food. Literally lasts for centuries if you treat it right.
There's no direct contact anymore between seller and consumer.
The online consumer has become anonymous, the seller has become unaccountable.
100% customer support has all but ceased to exist
I'd say go over to All American Clothing Company or EDWIN USA. Stop buy crap made overseas of low quality thin denim. If you want quality and long life, purchase it. Buy a few great things instead of a dozen poor quality things. Research a few minutes and find out what is really going to last.
Who are you going to contact, in Chyna?
I Hate this robotic age we live in
The phone call costs them more than whatever they are selling
Not even just material things, media seems to be shit too.
I think it's because everyone seems to want money for just expressing themselves monetising any sort of thing. I tend to like TH-camrs that do NOT ask you to subscribe, click the bell or join their patreon
The media is a propaganda tool for those who own them.
@@skyblazeeterno I have adblockers, and for YTers that insert their own ads, I block the whole channel and never watch again. Life is finite. Don't waste mine!
I'm from the UK its the same especially with the newish architecture compared to traditional building. It feel lifeless in comparison.
That's because they are all Corporate Owned now.
"I do not prize the word "cheap." It is not a badge of honor...it is a symbol of despair. Cheap prices make for cheap goods; cheap goods make for cheap men; and cheap men make for a cheap country." ~ William McKinley
I don't mind paying a high price if I'm getting good quality, but these days, even high-priced stuff can be rubbish. The manufacturer will be using the brand name to justify this.
This, exactly.
Nike comes to mind.
But a lot of people don’t think like you.
Welcome to capitalism! You make a good product until you have brand loyalty, then you incrementally screw the customer year after year, if you do it slowly enough then the customers don't even notice that they're buying crap and supporting yet another predatory company ...
lot's of Brands equals half a dozen or fewer factories ...
This is why I buy older, used EVERYTHING. 1960s Toaster, 1980s Mixer, 1970's beater, 1980's microwave ect,
Smart
You're right! As an 'electronics junkie' for decades, I've tinkered with repairing my own home appliances. Last year, my microwave oven stopped functioning. -->I found information on U-toob relevant to my particular problem. I replaced a $2-dollar, snap-in door switch and saved a $100-dollar microwave.
Same way with coffee makers. Usually, an 'organic fuse', or diode goes bad. I always run vinegar water through mine. Runs like a new one!!!
Both reliability and retro appeal... Win.
For sure.... it is much cheaper to make a light front load washing machine, than it is to make a top load, old fashioned type. I've been fixing appliances for 50 years. An old washing machine is very heavy because it must be strong enough to hold 300 pounds of water and spin that. As such it needs a large motor and heavy frame. On the other hand, a front load washer never has much water in the drum... maybe 25 pounds so it only needs a small motor and everything can be made lighter and cheaper. Almost all products today are lighter..... shoes, beds, appliances, because shipping costs from overseas are now less and profits higher. Recently I went looking for a new mattress. It was shocking, new mattresses are so light. I could pick up and carry one myself.
Even Toilet paper?!
Jk, me too. Love ebay and garage sales.
The Levi’s I had in the 1970’s were so heavy duty when they were new, after the first wash, they could stand up by themselves.
I remember that!
i remember
😳
When I was a kid in the 50's Levis had a lifetime no tear warranty. It was printed on the leather patch that was sewed on the back. My Mom returned several pairs of ripped Levis thru the years and got new free replacements. The down side of that was there was only 'ridgid' Levis and you had to 'break; the pants in all over.
We used to get in the bath while wearing them and you would have blue legs and nether regions for a while, but they fitted like a well worn seaboot!!! The blue dye had a potent smell as well. 1969😊😊😊😊
My Italian mother used to say "Anything cheap becomes expensive in the long run" ( I think that is a good translation) Luckily for me, I was educated to appreciate and value quality and craftsmanship in EVERYTHING, having said that I belong to a generation (born in 1960) that was not spoiled by stupid, weak and materialistic parents.
What Nicole says is absolutely true but at the same time is a rather complex issue. Unfortunately, GREED is the dominant principle in our society, which means everything is becoming sh...ttier as the years go by but, when we consider the price=quality ratio, also more expensive. Secondly; over the last 25 years, most people have become very vulgar; this is due to two factors: A) The relentless promotion of ugliness and vulgarity by the media and B) The stupidity of the masses who NEVER question anything and for whom "the cheaper the better."
Exactly, People are getting exactly what they ask for and support. Stop buying new junk and they will stop making new junk. It's very simple but you have to hold YOURSELF accountable for your own decisions and choices. People only want to blame other for their own choices these days.
That's something that I have heard many times from my grandma when I was a child, and she was catalan
@ So true! Most people behave like pathetic, spoiled children.
"Right to Repair" needs to be enshrined into law across the nation.
nations, yes :)
Here in germany we work at this law, it will come. We have already a law, that permitted to import and sell too cheap or precarious things. Unfortunately that doesnt count for the quality of jeans....
@@katjahanzberger Hallo! Mein Deutsch ist nicht sehr gut, aber mein Opa war aus Beerfleden im Oldenwald.
I'm glad you are working on the same issues across the Pond. It's sad that this is even an "issue" at all, but it is tacit admission on the manufacturers' parts that they're intentionally designing inferior products.
Cheers & Tschuss!
Yes. We need to push for this. Only laws, prohibitions and fines can stop the amorality and greed of corporations.
You beat me to it. I was thinking this exact thing. I remember when electronic devices used to come with a schematic on the inside of the back panel. When you could replace the tubes in your TV yourself -- there were tube testers in grocery stores. These days, everybody should know how to perform basic electronics repairs. If you don't, make nice-nice with someone who does. That, and have a set of tamper-resistant screwdriver bits.
I have my Mom’s 1974 KitchenAid mixer. All metal inside. Still works.
I have my grandmas! It's probably around that same age, just used it yesterday to make pizza dough. The thing is a beast! I'm sure I'll need to replace the carbon brushes at some point, but at least I know that's possible. :)
My blender broke recently and I bought an osterizer from the 1970s to replace it
Not only does it still work, if it does happen to quit working it is likely repairable- very much UNLIKE today’s junk
New ones have plastic gears.
Same here. Grandma's mixer.
The chronic reduction of quality in products - the shittification - is a form of economic plundering of the lower classes, designed to make people pay more for things over time. You pay more to get less. People have been complaining about this for decades, since they started building home appliances out of cheap materials that won't last. It's completely possible to build refrigerators, washers, and dryers that will not only last a lifetime, but ones that can be repaired in a cost effective manner, and which can be recycled. People used to be able to repair their vehicles, change batteries in their phones, upgrade their home computers, etc. It's much cheaper, better design, and FAR better for the environment. But we've moved away from this as labor has been sent overseas. There are people fighting for us to retain the "right of repair," and I think it is absolutely essential to bring back manufacturing to our own shores so we control design and replacement parts.
Not "Lower" it's strictly the Middle Class that this effects, Lower Classes seldom purchase durable goods.
For every one person fighting for "right to repair" like Louis Rossmann, there are ten others who want to sell us the sizzle instead of the steak, like Linus Tech Tips. Even bringing back manufacturing to our shores isn't the perfect fix. Look up the Fremont Assembly plant that built GM cars from 1963 to 1982 (becoming NUMMI, a GM-Toyota hybrid from 1984-2010) where production lines at Fremont seldom stopped, and when mistakes were made cars continued down the line with the expectation that they would be fixed later.
By the early 1980s, employees drank alcohol on the job, smoked marijuana, were frequently absent (enough so that the production line couldn't be started), and even committed petty acts of sabotage such as putting "Coke bottles inside the door panels, so they'd rattle and annoy the customer." At times on Mondays and Fridays there weren't enough workers to start the line, so GM would go to the bar across the street to hire workers to take their place.
@@thedemonnemo I was thinking that it's a problem if you are in the lower class, because if your fridge or washer goes out, you're basically screwed, unless you can find a used one for sale somewhere. You may be thinking "Well, if they were lower class they would have that," but that doesn't account for the very common situation of people falling from middle class into lower class.
@@sammiller6631 In the end, everything comes down to moral / altruistic versus immoral / hedonistic. 🤷♂
The point of bringing manufacturing back is not because of some notion of local superiority. It's because most people find it harder to screw over your neighbor. Some are just fine with that, but some people who have no problem shortchanging strangers halfway around the world grow a tiny bit more conscience when what they're doing could affect someone they know.
Corporations wanted to maintain their profits. Remember it was republicans business leaders that took the jobs overseas. Now they claim they are the party of working man. They will bring the jobs back with no benefits and lower pay. Workers voted for this 😀
We’re in a world where people are willing to pay $500,- for a torn and ripped apart jeans.
With customers like that the manufacturers aren’t the problem.
I just bought 2 dress pants for $9 each that are black dense pants, made in India that are made like the old US brands were, thicker cloth, everything double stitched which reminded me of 1950s and 60s Levis in their dress line that were $10 in 1960. Si it is not everywhere that costs have exploded and quality crashed. The company buyers had a choice of quality or short life and it is better profits on frequently replaced items. I am NOT in the US. If you travel much outside the US you can find that the same companies have higher quality and lower quality but the US store chains only buy the short life type and mark up the $10 pants to $50. If Americans could travel independently they would see this but few Americans travel without organized tours such as cruise passengers who only have a few hours in each port. Overall of the 93 countries I spent time in most people dressed better than Americans. Often "poor " countries offer a better quality of life than the US. Where I have lived the last 25 years outside of my native California every girl over age 16 has at least one mink coat and clothes suited for the most elegant affair because high culture is part of life and if over 22 they own their home and have no debt, and all the 1000 or so young adults I know have traveled internationally and has a college degree without debt.That translates to a much more pleasant and open demeanor and have no fear to walk through any neighborhood alone at 3am. The stress level in the US is off the charts, and if someone is not afraid they are not paying attention.
If more Americans traveled internationally they would march on Washington and burn it down. And pull the plug on US media that lies, with the government on everything
"my whirlpool dryer died too fast"
BlackRock is now the biggest shareholder of whirlpool. Are you guys seeing a pattern!
Yeah but I don't seem to be seeing the same pattern - capitalism is a disease and these are the symptoms *gestures vaguely*
A lot of people don't realize just how much Blackrock and Vanguard actually own. Most of the heat they get from the political right revolves around their massive push for ESG/DEI in corporations. Yet these two companies have their fingers in just about every pie you can think of. They're slowly monopolizing the entire corporate world, and using your pension money to do it. IDK how anyone can be cool with them having that much power and control.
Blackrock also owns Lexar/Lexmar/Lemarr homes as well.
Over 1 million Ukrainians and over 150.000 Russians are dead also in part due to Black+Rock
Private equity is evil 🙈
My first whirlpool washing machine lasted almost 30 years, the second one made it 4 years
Yes! I remember moving the old one out of the basement; it was so heavy it took three of us.
Absolutely typical unfortunately.
have you ever tried to fix a washing machine? everything is plastic even the feet.
@ayg2199 i am currently using a 35 year old may tag that i rescued from a job and stored in my basement 25 years ago. It works perfectly. New stuff is crap
Same here. We are also running though microwaves like crazy. First one lasted about 20 years..now we have to replace every 2 years or less.
In my short 76 years here on this good earth, I have come to realize many years ago that wanting LESS and appreciating the simple quality, possibly older items in one's life is quite FREE-ing to the soul. I now have absolutely NO desire for that new car or truck or a big expensive-to-maintain house. Give me simple quality along with the sense of calm that comes with it.
By-the-way Nicole, for a young woman You, my dear, have an "old soul", and that is a very, very good thing. Thank You for sharing your thoughts with our little community. Greetings from Ontario, Canada.
This. I'm just now approaching half a century, but realized pretty early on that if you want quality and longevity in your belongings, you will need to look to the past. This was back in the 90's, and yes, things have only gotten worse. I rarely buy anything new if i can help it.
- excellent comment, thanks!
You said it. Who wants a 100 000 dollar computer on wheels with everything wrong under the sun with it.
70 years old ... yep - you nailed it! And so did Nicole!!
Great comment Barry.... so true!!!
Hi Nicole. As an engineer myself and being part of the wider professional obsolescence management community. You have provided an excellent summation of the world and its dystopic offerings today, not to mention the psychology of consumerism and sly winking usery practiced by large corporations on people today. My sub and definite like added for you my dear. Deserved. Many congratulations on reaching your 100K. Bests John
5-20 years ago TH-cam didn't spam you with massive numbers of ads if you didn't pay for premium service.
Yes so true.. I remember watching TH-cam with mum in 2009 and it was so blissful. No ads, easy to use and no influencers, nsfw and click bait crap
@@crueltyfreecolorist1025 At 360 or 480.
@@crueltyfreecolorist1025and you will be happy !
I had to watch 5 ads before getting to this video. I think because its clothes YT algorithm hammers you and the cheery on the cake is we get in-video sponsorship like insurify. So , yes, sh*tfication of YT videos as well.
Even if you have premium service the influencer regularly has their sponsors diatribe to do. It's still a ripoff. To those I unsubscribe or scroll past it.
The longer I live, the more I want to become a Luddite, tune out, and just spend the rest of my days enjoying the birds.
Yep consumerism is failing. Nature makes us smile not more junk.
Well said.
Luddite but with internet 🙂
The Amish were right all along.
Everyday: Do I need this junk ? I am buying this to impress myself or someone else ? Why not purchase what you really need from someone who lives closest to your town. Geroge Carlin says it the best:
th-cam.com/video/KLODGhEyLvk/w-d-xo.html
My parents bought their first dishwasher about 1980, their second in 2020 and their third in 2022. Yes, the first one lasted 40 years, and the second one only 2. An absolute disgrace.
Planned obsolescence
I handwash dishes for this reason. Even a $1000 dishwasher lasts 4 years at best and doesn’t even do a good job.
You are so spot on! Everything is disposable now, very little quality. Part of job is purchasing a lot of different items and I have seen first hand how poorly things are manufactured now. The amount of marketing that is done to get everyone to believe consumerism is the only way, is unreal. I really enjoy the honesty here, great video. It is so accurate. Thank-You!
My German friends refer to this phenomena as “scheisseflation” or “shit-flation”. We all know about inflation and shrinkflation, but this is referring to using cheaper and cheaper components, ingredients and materials but keeping the price the same. Chocolate that used to be made from cocoa and milk are now made with modified palm oils and the like. A washing machine is lucky to last 8-10 years at best, whereas my old Whirpool in the basement I bought 30 years ago is still soldiering on.
Then there the old story- maybe it’s an urban legend- that Coke introduced “New Coke” so that people wouldn’t notice the substitution of HFCS for cane sugar when “Coke Classic” was re-introduced.
When it's finally said and done, matter itself will be obsolete. And we will have to pay to manifest the material world.
Yup, that's a thing now in English too...
I'm from Germany and I have never heard the word
" scheisseflation " 😂
It's also hard to pronounce and does not sound good in german 😂
Today everything is made of shit because it breaks fast and you buy new again and again and again and AGAIN 😂
That's called hardcore capitalism 😂
Back in the days in Germany everything was of good quality
You buy things and they last
I remember when I was a kid in the 90s in west Germany people sold or gifted away their old things like kitchen machines
Not like today because they broke or did not work
NO 😂
Because they wanted to buy a new version
The old stuff was heavy and always working but had a oldfashioned design
That's why it was cool to buy something new
Now with everything made in China it's just pure trash and they talk about climate and sustainability 😂
My ass ! 😂
Nowadays there is 100x more trade than 30-40 years ago and also more waste and destruction of nature
That does not count
Only thing that is important that the rich is to forbid normal people to drive old cars or trucks or to use anything old if they could enforce it
Buy new to save the world 😂😂😂
Yaaa Fuck you rich motherfuckers 😂❤
Old stuff is for free almost that's why they hate it 😅
the thing that bothers me about this take is that it is putting all the blame on consumers. Prices have NOT stayed the same. There is some truth to it but corporations also actively try to produce a lower quality cheaper product to increase profit. Also, for various reasons consumers will buy a slightly shittier version of a product. Could be brand loyalty, convenience, only a slight difference between brand x and brand y. And when people start getting used to a shittier product than the other companies have to also make a shittier product to compete. It's an arms race to the bottom.
Old lady here. Last Levis i wore a year. Seams opened up, thread disintegrated. I am teeny tiny so it wasn't stress on seams. Just garbage!!!
Levis used to be made in the USA too.
@@ThinkDifferentishThey're made in India 🇮🇳 now !!
Had a guy come in to repair the washer or dryer and I asked if I wanted to get new ones what brand would he recommend.
he said to keep these old ones going as long as possible. The new ones are not good. He should know. He had older ones in his own house - for a reason.
The older ones will outlast the new ones in years by a long shot.
i fix appliances. My washer dryer combo machine is 20 years old out of a remodeled apartment. The next model up was ok but the post 2020 models are JUNK. the intentionally did things to them that make them unrepairable. seriously i made a youtube video on how to modify it so you can tighten the belt. they took away the adjustment in 2020. unbelievable
Find a good used appliances store with old whirlpools.
We were given the same advice recently, by the guy who came to repair our washing machine. "Keep it as long as possible," he said, "the new ones are rubbish."
@@williambrennan5701 Nice work! How can we find the video? As a hobby, I fix things also, and even make house calls. I've revived even those low quality Samsung appliances. Sometimes the repair involves replacing a single 20 cent transistor or other electronic component.
Guy who repaired my 30 year old washer said the same and told me when the gov made appliances go to energy effcient in early 2000s should have the efi logo on it thats when they really went to crap and there is a market for older stuff.
Hi Nicole! I saw the title of this video, watched it, and subscribed immediately. I've watched several more in the last hour or so, and am pleased to report that I genuinely appreciate your content and the mindset behind it. For example, years ago, when Amazon began to cause the closure of brick & mortar bookstores, Barnes & Noble in particular, which started not long after I became acutely aware of the loss of locally owned stores caused by Walmart, I decided to make every effort to avoid doing business with corporate entities whose growth model was focused not just on their own success, but on causing the failure of their competitors, both large and small. I enjoy having the option of shopping at physical retailers and knew that I would feel a great sense of loss if and when that became a thing of the past, and concluded that even though my choice would never be enough to halt the inevitable ruination of the world that Amazon, Walmart, and the like would engineer, I wanted to be able to look myself in the mirror and honestly say that I was not at fault. A small comfort to be sure, but one that I felt was necessary to maintain my integrity. I am proud to say I have avoided doing business with Amazon completely and never will. I can't say the same for Walmart, but I've come to terms with that and decided not to let that failure tarnish my feelings toward the Amazon win, lol. TLDR: your content and message is so relevant and important for anyone who is seeking some measure of clarity and peace in life, as well as a tool which can be used to keep one's cognitive dissonance to a minimum. It will also be a source of reason that I can direct others to when I don't have the time or opportunity to explain the importance of this pratical approach to life to them myself. I hope you see this comment and know that I mean it in all sincerity. Thank you so much for your effort, keep up the good work, and best wishes to you in all things in the future. Have a great day! Peace.
Important point: It's NOT just "free market capitalism." That CAN be good. It WAS good, for decades. It's CORPORATISM that's the problem. In the old days, most businesses were small, or small family-owned chains. Huge corporations were few, and societal pressure made them behave. People don't believe in morality anymore, though, so that pressure is diminished; and huge corporations have BOUGHT our politicians and regulatory agencies. They now run EVERYTHING and are stomping small businesses out of existence.
I think you mean corporatocracy. Corporatism is an entirely different thing.
It all boils down to jews.
As somebody put it: stakekeholders and owners are no longer same people. Great German engineering brands were effectively FAMILY BUSINESS, with family name firmy front and center. So was once Bechtel.
🎯🎯🎯🎯
Bingo and congress needs to be held responsible for allowing these corporations becoming so huge! Especially the corporate media
The price of manufacturing is really not the issue here. Shittification (or planned obsolescence) is done by design, to increase corporate profits. This stuff has been taught in business schools for decades. Also, as the real wages of low income and middle class people in most western countries have been stagnant for at least three decades, there's no way the average person can pay the double for their clothing.
No competition to force fair play. Its not capitalism, its corporate greed.
Railroads did the same thing. Buy the competition and give worse service👍
Consumers continue buying the shitty products. Take your dollars elsewhere and the problem is solved. There’s plenty of competition. Consumers simply need to make wiser choices and quit rewarding bad companies for making garbage. Take responsibility for your decisions within a massive and varied marketplace.
@@adamc1966Happened with airlines too. We only have 4 majors now. Seems like businesses have become cartels and monopolies
@@michaelrains64295That's not how it works medium per capita income and typical wage has been reduced by 55% over the last 45 years consumers can't buy higher quality.
Not just corporate greed, but consumer greed too. Everyone wants it all for the lowest price. It's been a race to the bottom, and we have arrived.
Yes! You’re right! My mom who is 73 is saying the same. This vide came recommended and I’m happy to be a new sub! 😊
One thing that I've noticed recently: medium quality goods are very difficult to find anymore. The market seems to have only crap quality goods and luxury goods. Decades ago, department stores and car companies would have several grades from cheap to luxury grade items.
But even the luxury goods aren’t actually great quality. The extra money you pay goes towards marketing and slightly better customer service.
I remember my aunt and uncle owning a small clothing store in MO for many years. After his death, she felt she got out just in time, as WalMart came into the community - and it did NOT improve the community. She made sure that she clothing for the working men and women who came into her store, not just the fancy stuff. She knew many worked hard for their money, and needed reasonably priced good quality clothes. Her and my uncle worked six days a week for years running that store.
@@FRETW1ZARD Great point. Some luxury goods are still excellent quality (Lexus, Rolex, etc.), but most are just marketing (Coach, Chanel).
@@appleimacdude Yes, that's the way it used to be before big box stores and private equity took over businesses. Made in America meant something, and you could support a family on one decent paycheck.
Exactly! And the only reason the crap exists is to make the luxury goods more appealing! We could just have reasonable quality goods and that would be the only tier of quality necessary but that would be too socialist - socialism and capitalism are literal opposites heh
I've got a washing machine and gas dryer that are over 40 yrs old. I've had to replace a knob, clean the exhaust and a belt. The elderly repair guy, nice fellow by the way, responded when I said, "I probably should replace them both" he had a look of shock on his face and said no, no don't do that you'll regret it. He said you have metal gears and the new ones have computer chips and plastic gears, etc. You can't repair them, etc. That was 8 yrs ago. I'm glad I listened to the old man. I've had friends replace some of their appliances 3 times in 8 yrs. I hope a lot of people head your advice, great video.
That is the same for us. Stove, refrigerator, washer and dryer bought years ago all more than 25 years ago some thirty. Stove went out had to replace and are on our 3rd new one! New washing machines do not use enough water and do a terrible job!
Yes, even to repair stuff the quality of the parts is poor and expensive
I still have my mom’s 1971 EATON VKING washing machine. Top loading, basic, no fancy extras, large tub and has never needed service. Still works…I was 21 when it was bought….Im now 74! I wouldn’t even sell it now for $1000. Now that’s a Quality product! that I will never see again!❤
That’s amazing, no quality now in items.
You can totally still get that. You just have to be willing to pay the price. Like she said, you can't just compare prices 1 to 1. Adjusted for inflation, you need to spend thousands on a washing machine. A good Miele will totally last.
Part of this is the basics of the machine. Your mother also likely didn't overload it.
This 53 y.o. machine probably wasted more water and electricity than it should. So you've paid it in an another way
@ NOPE…..it Didn’t & Doesn’t! We used it properly and adjusted water level according to load size. Didn’t do laundry several times a week for small things ,like many do today. My close friend and young next door neighbour has a beautiful Samsung washer and dryer ($2400) she bought 3 yrs. ago. Goodness..looks like a beautiful grey Cadillac all shiny chrome & every feature you can think of…..& uses it almost daily for the smallest number of things. Has had service called in twice since. Always some minor issue. So my friend….in my defence..I say, it’s how u use an appliance…Laundry done once a week at my end. Yes, I do have a dryer….but also hang dry many small items..when I can. I’m just another old school boomer…..and environmentally aware. ☺️ I hereby defend my Eaton Viking washer!😊
Congrats on 105K!! I enjoy your videos mostly because I'm learning from you, I agree with soooo much of what you say, because it's the truth. I'd like to be well rested and catch up on some viewing, absorbing, and see how some of these things can work for me. I'm worn out from my retail job tonight. It sucks and I need to change it up for the better. Big time. I don't play lottery normally and I've been playing a little maybe once or twice per month. I think it means some hopelessness has crept in and I play lottery to feel hopeful again. I know everyone says this but if I win more $$$ than I can comprehend I will absolutely help people. MANY PEOPLE and feel so much joy in blessing others!
It’s not just the goods that get shittier every year. It’s the govt policies, greed and price gouging to. I also see the healthcare industry workers becoming less and less competent. Actually that is happening in most professions.
I knew a woman who was studying nursing and also happened to love weed. That does not inspire confidence.
You could say that again. I'm living it.
It's the Idiocracy Effect.
DEI in full force.
A general, Downward $piral of $ociety...
imagine what "Things" will look like in 20-30 years!
As someone who thrifts and flips clothing, I've noticed a degradation of quality over time. I buy pre-90s true vintage stuff and it's getting harder to find, and I have to dig through a lot of crap. But I've trained my eye to spot the good stuff quickly, it really stands out.
I’m old enough to flinch when I hear that stuff from the 90s is “vintage”. 😂
Same. I refuse to buy new clothing anymore. All my secondhand clothing is now early 90s at the latest. With shoes, no later than 2005 but the bulk are from the 60s-70s. I'd rather resole and restore a 1970s boot than buy new today.
@@LucyNation-e3c If you can, try some 1940s shoes. Amazing quality. You can condition and occasionally resole them forever.
I had this shirt that I got for Christmas a year ago. It had a great big electric guitar on it and it said rock and roll will never die. I washed and wore it twice in a row. I put it back in the washer a third time and it got promptly shredded. I went to replace it and found that it was over $25. My hands froze for a full 15 seconds over the keyboard then a certain finger slowly began to raise as I realized this was probably not an isolated incident.
@@recynd77I'm only in my 30s and hearing that 90s stuff is now vintage is giving me a moment in time oh well, 20 years makes a classic. Find out where to find CDS because the radio is about to go, oh somewhere else.
I have a 35 year old pair of British made Dr. Marten boots. They were worn daily for 15 years. They still look BRAND NEW. I bought a new Chinese made pair for work in 2015 and the sole peeled off after 3 months. They cost $240. They are in landfill now.
I still wear (tho not often) my first Doc boots that I got in 1991 😊
Worn daily for 15 years and still look brand new? Pull the other one, mate.
oh....found one! yes OLD DOC MARTENS are my obsession as well, my all time favorite footwear are vintage docs, the new ones did not even last 3 months for me at work, more like a month! complete garbage, they are even worse now than 10 yrs ago too, they are made in some really weird place and the new 14 eyes look alien.
My 25 year old British Dr. Marten shoes have seen near daily use and are only now starting to legitimately wear out. Like you, I tried the modern replacements, two different pairs, one the standard Chinese type and the other from the 'premium' line that is still British made. Both were so uncomfortable there's no way I could even wear them a day let alone 3 months. I threw them on Ebay instead of the landfill so at least I got something back.
Same with the Aussie brand Blundstone boots, I had a pair that lasted me about 15 years and wore them nearly every day. They used to be made in Tasmania, but then they moved their manufacturing to India. If you can get 12 months out of a new pair of Blundstone boots now, good luck as they are awful now!
Girl eveything you said was the hardcore truth. Excellent presentation, I will be sharing this to everyone I know
This is so true with car parts now days. You could do the job 2-3 times because the part is either bad right out of the box or fails in short order.
Buy vintage car. Still you can find replacements if you look around and if you can keep it in good dhape you not only have the feeling of a real car but you can sell it for collectors for a good price
I could be wrong, but if STANT buys out competitors, and uses cheaper rubber, then it doesn't matter if the thermostat says "MOTORRAD" or "MURRAY". We'll be replacing them every year. (I own two third-gen 00-02 plastic Saturns.)
And the part was imported. That is the key.
You beat me to this comment. Replacement auto parts are a terrible joke nowadays.
Don't be fooled by name brands. They aren't what they used to be. They are riding on their old reputation.
This video is so true that I now look for used stuff that is in good condition to replace my old worn out stuff.
I had a tour of a levis factory around 1988 in college. The machinery and the process they went through for the fabric and stitching was phenominal. They dont use those factories anymore and probably cut costs by sourcing out. By 1995 many factories were closing and made in china started slowly creeping in. Poor quality unfortunately.
Cone Mills in my town of Greensboro NC were the last to have the vintage selvage looms used to make high-quality denim. They closed down a few years ago, and I believe all those looms were shipped to Japan to produce jeans that cost $300+.
A lot of deals were signed during the Clinton administration that did _not_ benefit American citizens.
Yup they exported it. I used to shop at the levi’s store in Portland Maine. They absolutely have gone to 💩 just like everything else
I’m Gen X and I can remember when things started taking a turn for the worse. I remember my mother showing me an article in 2008 where it said the new thing was making products that were designed not to last so people keep replacing things in order for companies to turn a profit. Now we’re just inundated with crappy things
It started way before then. The term 'planned obsolescence' was coined in the mid-1950s, and had been a strategic practice in various businesses for at least 30 years at that point. The change you're recognizing coincides with one of the big lunges toward globalism and desertion of manufacturing in first world countries.
The billionaires need more money.
@@ExaltedDuck Then how come things like appliances lasted 30 years? And over the last 15-20 years they don't.
yeah, I got a new furnace and air conditioner for my house in 2010. Recently, I had a couple of years in a row where I had emergency services for both the heating and cooling season and I started looking at getting a replacement. Not only are the cost of units crazy but two of the people that were giving me bids were mentioning that these things are only made the last 10 years. and that the unit that I would be buying to replace my old one would be inferior quality.
Your mom taught you well.
I'm very happy to have found this channel.
Honestly, my old appliances and clothes have started to feel like treasures. I'll never give them away cos I can't replace them with quality items.
Yep I’ve learned my lesson after Covid to not throw anything away!
I was looking for a used speed queen washer. A used one will cost more than a brand new one that will last 5 years. The dryer came with the house and is prob 30 years old. I put a $4 fuse in it last year, and something else a few years back that cost under $20.
Exactly 💯
Couldnt agree more
appliances are worse now because of environmental regulations. the best tech is now against the law to use.
True story: back when I was in the 8th grade, around 1964, I bought a sort of expensive button-down shirt from one of the local high end stores. I'm not sure about the fabric, but I think it was some sort of lightweight, tightly woven cotton. Anyway, I wore that shirt forever. I couldn't even count the number of times it was in the laundry. And it always looked perfect. Like it was still new. Fast forward to when I finally retired at age 55, over 40 years later. I finally donated it to charity, along with a bunch of my other clothes, including a lot of nice three piece suits and expensive ties and shoes. I was still wearing the shirt once in a while, and it was still in perfect condition.
TOTALLY!! I have a handful of Lands End dress shirts from the EIGHTY'S!! 'Cept for my fat ass (lose the SUGAR!!) they are still PERFECT!
@@ckle2685 I'm wearing an old Lands End Sail Rigger shirt as we speak. Always washed on cold, still looks almost new. IDK, it's maybe 30 years old? Have a bunch of old Hyde Park OCBD shirts too. Still look fantastic. Same thing with a whole bunch of old 100% cotton LL Bean oxfords. The new stuff is garbage and everything has elastane (spandex/plastic) in it. Junk.
@@kenbuffie2877 sitting in a dying, large mall with my wife on a people watching walk/visit. A bit melancholy as we think about the lost quality and the demise of the "mall". Saw a pair of tennis shoes at a store - - - $150. Sad - but I think we're headed towards big change and chances are it will be painful. Over 65 here and glad we're at this stage of life...
@ At 63, I'm right behind you. You and your wife enjoy a happy and healthy retirement. Be well 😊
Have a couple of my fathers Arrow brand shirts from the 50s, washed a million times. Still fit me. Look great...made in a Union Garment factory in Pennsylvania, according to the tag.😅
Yup. Imagine 60 years ago when things were built like tanks and there was a repair shop for nearly everything. Now, the factories are far away, there is nearly no live human customer service, very few things are repairable or needs a brand specialist, and you're offered out of pocket warranties from insurance companies at the time of purchase. Who benefits?
Not us.
I was a kid in 1970’s NYC. We had milk delivered by the milkman in glass bottles that he would take back. We had a man that came to the neighborhood about 3 times a year. He was in a horse drawn cart and would ring a bell. Our mothers would load us with pots and pans that had loose handles or dents that needed to be beaten out, and knives and scissors that needed sharpening, and we’d rush down the tenement stairs and wait in line. He would fix everything and sharpen the blades on a foot powered sharpener. We’d get a little scrap of paper to bring upstairs a d our mothers would give us the money to pay him.
I also remember bringing every new pair of dress shoes to the cobbler to get rubber taps on the heels and soles on the forefoot. Those days are long gone!
@@DepDawg I remember milk delivered, too. And kids coming around to offer to rake leaves, or shovel snow from your sidewalk and driveway. Kids delivering the daily paper. Teens mowing the lawns. I guess these things are now considered dangerous, too difficult, or akin to slay-very.
The jews
@@StarCityFAME Born in 1969. I remember neighborhood girls, in competition with each other, for babysitting services! The boys fought for lawn mowing territory!
Man, used to make pretty good money shoveling snow! I averaged from $2 to $5 per driveway - which isn’t much - but if I hustled, I could pull down close to 30 bucks in 5 to 6 hours. Back in 1981, that was a lot!
Nicole, you are so refreshing to listen to. In this day and age it is hard to find anything that is worth paying money for when it comes to clothing and style...Doesn't matter your age, it isn't going to look good for a price you can even afford. I try to find new clothes and end up buying non-styler jeans from Tractor Supply (men's dept) because they fit, don't break the budget, and last for several years. Heh, I look like I just fell off the tractor, but at my age, the alternative for what is supposed to be stylish is an abomination. Leggings, a long overblown sweater or shirt (seasonal wear), expensive tennis shoes, with bangles dripping from ears and wrists; OH, and don't forget the year-round giant sunglasses... Nope. Thank you for this well researched and informative post. (And if you were wondering? The answer is 72.)
I would argue that a lot of people don't actually notice because they no longer can assess quality unless they have a direct comparison right in front of them.
This is the goal, isn`t it?👹
Yep. You have to know what to look for in the first place.
Yep and the cheap camp has gotten very good at cheap imitations & knock offs , that are so close to the real deal, with their cheaper price tag, they become a steal, or at least an awesome deal for those of us on budgets, that just can't afford to buy the best brands.
You completely nailed it. I had this exact same conversation with my 17 year old daughter a week ago. I'm sending this video to her.
My parents have a 1980s refrigerator. Still running perfectly. The door handle broke around 2000 and my Dad replaced it with a new (identical) part. When that handle broke around 2020, I repaired it with a metal bracket so it will definitely never break again. They were thinking of getting a new refrigerator; I told them that was crazy. If the old one still works, it's far better to keep it.
Yes. They were made to last. I know a woman that bought the latest and greatest stainless fridge. It looks gorgeous and rich and stunning, but it has its breakdowns and has since she bought it. The ole one did not, it wasn't as pretty as the stainless one, but it didn't break down.
Made to last, yes, but when you look at power consumption that may not be the right choice these days. Like American cars from the 1980s are far less fuel efficient than cars today.
@@dkhnova literally can’t find a fridge that works and wasn’t already returned for not cooling properly
@@justgivemethetruth So just buy a new refrigerator every 4 years? Even if new refrigerators were powered by a pinwheel that turned with air movement every time you walked past it, the savings on electricity wouldn't be enough to offset the cost of quadrennial refrigerator replacement, not to mention the time and inconvenience.
I am a teacher. I have a little mini fridge I bought back when I was starting my career. It's still going strong and I'm retiring this year. I will leave it for the next generation...
What happens in years to come when resorses start to run out they will have to make things last longer but at what price?
I gave away a whole bag of Levi’s Jeans in 2021 that didn’t fit anymore because I gained weight from eating too much processed food. The irony😣
I decided to loose weight when my jeans got too tight. Seems like a healthier option.
@@kennykuhns9843 dnt you mean they got loose
Funny. That's all I eat and I'm the same weight I was two years ago.
I could have made at least $150 selling that bag
@@kennykuhns9843*lose
The worst thing about rampant consumerism , is the effect on our environment. Where does all that broken stuff go when we throw it out and buy new? I doubt it all gets recycled.
Every disaster turns communities into piles of trash. Where does it all go?
Absolutely. I need to declutter some things, but I hate knowing that most things are not recyclable and finding someone that wants your junk is also hard as everyone is obsessed with new, up to date stuff.
We ship it to SE Asia. Ironically, the origin.
Yeah. Makes me feel sick to think about it all😢
Where do all the old solar panels and dead old batteries go?
Our dryer was a housewarming gift from my parents when we moved in to this place in 2008. It recently started making a howling noise, so I decided to pull it out and take the back off. Not surprisingly, it was fully of lint and hair balls, especially when I opened up the fan housing. I cleaned it up, put new weather stripping around the fan housing, and it works great again! That old dryer is so simple yet well-made that it will probably go another 10 years. I'm never getting rid of it if I can help it.
Driers are easy to repair. Should last many years with some DIY repair
Not the new ones.
I have a washer and refrigerator from my grandparents, probably bought in the 1980’s, still run great. I don’t think I’ll ever get new ones because the quality is so bad now, as everyone has stated here. Forgive any mistakes, I’m dyslexic.
@@ldphotodude They’re not worth their money & they’re a PIA. I rather go to the laundromat, where the washers are twice as fast, than to have to jack with all the options & then wait on the machine to finally start washing.
Brand? Make/Model, please?
Started with NAFTA back 1992. Thanks Bill.
Reagan. or maybe you're too young to know any history.
Oh it started way before that. It’s intentional, called planned obsolescence and they have been working on increasing it since the 1950s or even earlier.
@@juliegeneric042before Reagan.
@juliegeneric042 wrong. Clinton signed NAFTA on December 8th, 1993. Maybe you're too lazy to do research
Clinton signed NAFTA in 1993, but otherwise you are correct
I think customer service is becoming even worse.
If it even exists
You get customer service? BTW congratulations on your inauguration.
Not worse, just rarer. AI now handles most complaints - which go nowhere.
@@secretagent86 yep almost gone, along with common sense and critical thinking skills.
I bought a JC Penny digital clock radio from a friend in 1982 and it hasn't missed a beat to this day. But yea I agree everything is shit.
I still have my 40 year old digital clock I had when I was a kid.
So true! Im 56, and when my husband and I were in our 20's, he would only wear Levi's jeans. He'd go to the store, pick up his size, pay, and bring them home. Now he can't do that. He has to try on every pair because even though they are the same size, they all fit differently!! Some are too short, some are too long etc.
Also, the refrigerator that belonged to my grandmother was still in the house when it was sold almost 40 years later. Meanwhile, we have probably gone through 7 since we've been married!!!!
So true. Now size is "suggested" number; give or take 2 sizes up / down
This is one reason us guys never want to mail order any clothes. We try before we buy.
We don't want to end up in the return cycle...which just takes more time and aggravation.
My mother's Fridegaire from 1953 was still working fine till 2023 when it was given away. 70 years!
Thought I was the only one going nuts!!) Should say try them on and find one that fits!!!
I have the same issue, I have the same brand of work pants, from the same place, but they all fit differently, there's no consistency, so I have to try every pair before I buy. It doesn't matter where I go, it's the same issue with clothing.
Thanks! I didn't realize this was going on. Keep it up.
I was an adult in the 1980s. We used to be able to get things repaired at a reasonable price. If your TV broke, there was a repair shop that could fix it. If your hairdryer broke….etc. it is so frustrating to me to not be able to get things fixed. Things were considerably better made in the past. My travel hair dryer is from the ‘80s, still works. I have a calculator from 1979, still works. My $800 iPhone will not last ten years, and if it does, Apple will cease to support it. A long way to get around to yes, planned obsolescence is a real thing, started in the 20th century and has gotten considerably worse in the 21st. Many people get around the clothing problem by practicing “slow fashion”, making your own. Not everyone can do this, but if you can I encourage you to do so.
All the gadgets we buy are basically obsolete when we walk out the door with them. Sad world. And the same companies that are all doing this will claim to be targeting for "net neutral". It is all pathetic theatre.
Those items were easily fixed because they were not as complicated as they are now. TV's consist of complex circuitboards that TV's of the 80's didn't have. If a capacitor blew on an older TV, you could solder a new one in place. If a capacitor blows on a 4K TV today, you'd need a magnifying glass just to see that capacitor.
I like to make my own clothes and make them better quality but one thing I have noticed is that even fabric is poorer quality now than it used to be. And vintage fabrics are often sort after making them unaffordable :(
Except now, it's getting harder and harder to find fabric anymore. Once JoAnn's shuts down (which seems inevitable at this point 😢), I won't have a place to go.
Or have torn clothes and bags stitched and patched together. May not always look pretty, but I'm sick of corporate robbery and badly made consumer goods.
2:07 'how is it possible that the price stayed the same?' The quality went down; shrink-flation under another name. You are correct. Out sourcing to China has lead to poor quality of everything.
And destroyed our own manufacturing businesses
Or to be more explicit, relying on cheap Chinese slave labour
Corporate greed
Shareholder greed
Consumer screwed
It is that simple
It really is that simple.
That's what happens when you tie the economy to the stock market! All it does is make the top 1% of the wealthy control everything!
Corporations have always been greedy, this is not a new phenomenon. Same goes for shareholders. If its really that simple, than are you saying that somehow 20-30 years ago corporations weren't greedy for gain? The main culprit is inflation, which is caused by government spending and printing based on debt. This causes the value of your money to go down and the cost of everything to go up. If you look at the money supply and US debt in the past 10 years, it will be obvious that it has increased drastically. Since corporations can only raise prices so much, they instead move to cheaper quality parts and raw materials that don't last as long and are cheaper to manufacture.
@@AntonXChigurhFacts. Great Explanation.
@AntonXChigurh yes. It is that simple. The more money they make, The more they want. The greed consumes them and it grows like wildfire.
It's gotten worse. And it will continue to get worse as the years go by and the greedy get more greedy.
It's that simple.
I'm not just talking about corporate greed. I'm talking about our own Government. They are the beginning to it all!
Excellent video. You hit the nail on the head. Something I’ve always suspected & now you confirmed it for me. ☹️👍🏻
My 1995 Electrolux vacuum cleaner still works every time! Many people shun it because of its size and think the plastic uprights are better until they see one in action. You can still buy the old school type brand new..
Yes, unfortunately the don't fit in trunks of cars so house cleaners can't take them to clients with any kind of ease. Can't afford a car big enough. I tried SO, SO hard to find a good quality vacuum for my business, but the owner of an actual vacuum store that I drop over 30 minutes to go to to get a good quality vacuum told me there are no options on the market to fit my needs, I can only buy cheap ones and go through a vacuum every 9-12 months or so. It's really sad. I was ready to spend several hundred, but there was nothing I could afford that had the furniture tools and hose attachments I need for houses under $1300, and carrying something that costly around could make me a break in target even if I was willing to pay that much, and would that even last me 8 years or so to make it worth it?
Probably the best talk I have witnessed regarding modern life in a very long time. Very well done. Thank you.
I bought a K&M mic stand, made in Germany, known for its durability. It cost $107 and feels like it could be a weapon. Neumann microphones, also German, are similarly reputed for their quality. Germany seems to be doing some things right. High-quality goods are still around but finding them requires navigating through a sea of flashy junk and insidious marketing tactics.
Yes, Sennheiser too build mics that stand the test of time
And they all cost a small fortune ...
$107 for a mic stand that probably costs $5 in steel and 5 minutes of machine time to make lmao
@ there was a mic stand from Amazon for $32 but I just went with the K&M and it looks like I'll never have to buy another mic stand again unless this one gets hit by a train, it's quite heavy and quite solid. Expensive yes, overpriced maybe not.
@@priestkng That is how the manufacturers were hoping you'd justify the price 😉
German here who owns a whole bunch of K&M mic stands, some of them 40+ years old. They all still work perfectly, and every single screw is still available as a spare part.
But I can assure you: for every quality product like this one, you will unfortunately easily find 100 junk products here too.
God bless my mother as she has been saying the exact same thing as you.. what a shame what has become of most everything that we buy..
Thank you for sharing this with us 🙏..😊
One of the items that has really gone downhill are recreational vehicles. TH-cam is full of horror stories about how trashy rv’s are. I just bought a 1965 aristocrat trailer, in prime condition. The lady had it in her garage for years. Everything works and the worksmanship is top notch. $3,000. Vintage is the way to go for just about anything, from kitchenware to vehicles. I’ll be towing that 65 trailer with my 70’s Toyota FJ.
I’ve learned that when I do buy something new to literally check everything. Snap every button, inspect every seam, and look for any other defect. Amazed how frequently I put something back on the rack because of some fault.
What a great tip! Sometimes I put a Postit on my credit card to remind me of things to check before I pay. When I buy eggs, I not only open the carton to check for obvious breakage, like everybody. I also spin every egg to see if any are broken on the bottom from manhandling. When I buy multiples of an identical item, I check the "best buy" dates on ALL of them, and also make sure the store didn't mix in the "fat free" or "no flavor" varieties with similar products. I also add up my purchases as I shop, rounding for simplicity. If the total doesn't come out close to my total, I challenge the sale. More often than not, I have picked up an item that was not what I intended; or the store's computer is at fault.
It’s never a good sign when the garment has loose threads on it when it’s brand new!
Its much easier to see if the product is made in china. Spoiler alert: it is.
I agree with you 100%. Many years ago if you spent your money on the best thing you could afford, it would last nearly the rest of your life. Now you’re lucky if it lasts for a couple of years.
But there are still quality options out there. I'm guessing she didn't walk the talk of her video when picking a washer.
It doesn't exactly look like a Speed Queen.
@@MyGoogleTH-cam WRONG, only the name is associated with quality but made in China junk!
@@MyGoogleTH-cam Wrong! Even Speed Queens are not nearly as good machines as they were, not too long ago! They are still better than other brands, but they are now significantly more cheaply made and much less durable, in spite of costing about two and a half times more!
@evorider3689
Ok. So now what? Wash your clothing in the steam because it's all junk?
Go a head and not buy a quality brand?
Buy the cheapest one available?
I guess I don't understand you're tack?
@ I was just pointing out that with some products, such as washing machines there are no longer quality options out there. There are brands that are better than others, (Speed Queen for example), but still not true Quality options no matter what you are willing to spend!
Ditto on our chest freezer, purchased in 1971 and still going strong! We have a second refrigerator in the basement from 1947 or maybe 1949. The door handle has been bungee-corded for decades to keep the door closed but it's otherwise reliable.
If you buy any electronics these days, plan on it going bad in a couple of years. Don't buy extended warranties, just get it at a good price, and expect to replace it. Nothing electronic is worth fixing. And there are no "mom and pop" shops that can do it.
There are some that do, you have to look for them. I am having my Ford stock radio/cassette and CD player sent out to be fixed - worth it, sounds good, and I don't have to worry nearly as much about someone breaking into my car to steal the sound system.
Often the repair cost is nearly as much as buying a brand new article...what's the point?
@@skyblazeeterno Often you can fix a product and make it far better than what you can buy today - watch some of the video's online, see what caused some products like tv's to fail, and often the repair is NOT too expensive - maybe a bad solder connection, bad capacitor, etc - in the case of my old dishwasher, almost as much to repair as to replace, but my old dishwasher is pretty much trouble free as compared to the troublesome appliances of today -
@@skyblazeeterno For common failure points, like the screen or battery in a smartphone, there'll be easy tutorials online on how to fix it. Replacement parts are cheap. 20 bucks could turn a brick back into a great smartphone for another 4-5 years.
Lots of small shops around that can do repairs, just don't buy a brand that sabotages that possibility (apple). Couple of repair places where I live that will replace a battery or screen or laptop fan no problem.
I have to say this post was absolutely spot on. Thank you for bringing this to light ☕️
A major issue is that salaries have not kept up with inflation, especially the inflation of non-discretionary items which have inflated faster than the CPI would indicate. I would estimate that my salary now is about 25% lower than it was in 2001 with about half of that loss coming since 2019. So even if I was willing to pay the 2001 price for something adjusted for inflation I might not be able to. I suspect that my situation is non no way unique.
CPI is CPLie, real inflation is like 8% using their own formulas from the 1980s- and it doesn't even math in energy food or housing- stop believing their garbage metricw
I agree with you 100%!!! It's not just clothes, it's everything! I'm a gigging guitarist, a bug part of my income is from performing. About a year ago, I had to get another guitar, the one I've been playing with for the last 24 yrs developed a problem with one of the tuners, since this guitar was made in Spain, the parts are different, so while I'm waiting to get this fixed, I bought another guitar from the same company ( only this guitar is made in China ) my original guitar was on sale for $900, 24yrs ago, my new one, similar model, was $700. My new one has some issues with tuning, & I'm waiting for new tuners for my original guitar. 2 similar guitars, same company, but the quality is definitely not there is proving the it seems they don't care, this is why companies lose business!!! GREAT video, glad you posted this, proving that we are not stupid & we notice this!!! You are AWESOME!!! Stay True, Rock On & God Bless.
Truth. Sadly, even big ticket items are poorly made-cars, RVs, homes, planes, roadways…
yeah, the planes don't stay in the sky...or the doors fall off. zoiks!
Cars are made like junk.
RVs are the worst. My relatives spent six figures on one. It's constantly breaking and in a shop. That's a problem when trying not to freeze at night or have a heatstroke during the day and other basic functions.
Do you think chinese child slaves can make well built products, pal?
I've not purchased a "new" pair of jeans in 12 years.... I buy them for $1.00 - $5.00 at thrift stores.. name brands, Levi's, Eddie Bauer, Carhartt etc...
This is good advice, also furniture, you can dining room table etc, and if you can live with the fact that it probably belonged to somebody that died, chances are it'll last a lot longer than something you buy new from amazon.
I buy a lot of my clothes from thrift stores, probably about half. I am somewhat into fashion so I do seek out new items as well. But something quite disheartening in the past 4-5 years especially has been the rise in terrible quality Shein and Temu clothes at thrift stores. It's getting rougher to find good thrifted items. Still possible, just harder.
Unfortunately...most thrift stores have jacked prices up to the point of diminishing returns
@@markbaum9615 my area is still golden. There are a couple of chain thrift stores that put high prices on name brand items. I know the good spots, me and my husband get Patagonia items for under $10
@@elijaprice Antiques are great!
Nicole, I have no idea how TH-cam decided you needed to be in my world. but It has been a looong time since I've stumbled across a TH-cam channel that I've found unique, interesting and well presented.... As diametrically different as we are, it seems somehow we are somehow cosmically consciously linked. The "Circle of Shitification" is something I would have thought only my slightly twisted brain would have ever pondered.... You have won over another subscriber. Keep doing what you do. And congratulations on 100k subs, you earned every one of them!
Love the concept and your term for it!
Speed Queen (made in the USA) make the best washers and dryers and they will likely last you 20+ years. In CANADA they are branded as Huebsch Washer & Dryer Set ... but you will pay 3400 for the pair. In my own case I am OK with that because I'd rather pay more for something that I know will last - but not everyone can pay that. Our Amana fridge, bought in 1992, is still going great. It had one repair over that entire period that was 300 bucks. I still have a stove with the round old fashion burners ... they last forever and are usually very easy to fix. The new ones with the printed circuit boards are pure shyt. If I can not fix mine for some reason, I'll go to a second hand appliance store and buy another old one. Great channel. BTW - there is a reason that old houses had small closets - back then people would only have 2-3 sets of "Sunday" clothes BUT these were very well made and last forever. Is it any wonder landfill sites are filling up ... WTF!
Speed queen was always junk when i was growing up. My mom had her Maytag washing machine for 40 years. Sadly Maytag was bought out years ago and just isn't the same.
Our 27 year old washer finally gave up, we just purchased a Huebsch washer and dryer pair after much research. When compared to other brands on the sales floor, it’s built like a tank and best reflects our old washer. 1hp motor vs 1/2hp on others, 7 year warranty vs 1 year on other brands. Built in the US, not over seas or in cheap labour countries ,Hands down the best choice.
"Ben's appliances and Junk" is a YTuber I follow. He's an appliance repair person and evaluates brands in terms of how many repairs they need. Speed Queen is the best washer.
Those are the brands you see in the laundrymat. That's a good sign. On the clothes topic, I heard that clothes would cycle down as the clothes got older. Clothes would start out as Sunday best. Then they were Errands clothes. Then they were house clothes. Then they were yardwork clothes. Then they were taken apart and made into different clothes, made into a quilt, used as stuffing for a pillow, woven into a rug, or just became rags/zokins for cleaning.
I own a Speed Queen washer and dryer. I've owned several old brands such as Norge and Maytag. I didn't care for the Maytag, but I loved my Norge. I had to leave it behind during a move, so I replaced them with my Speed Queen. I'll never use another brand. Most people don't care for the white color and simple look of them. They want the big stainless steel stuff that has a hundred options of cycles. Looks are deceiving. My clothes have never been cleaner since going with my Speed Queen. They are built to last, like the older ones we could get in the past.
Optometrist here -- The quality of prescription eyeglasses have taken an overall nose dive -- Cheap optical outlets sell poorly made eyeglasses with the prescription off. Half of my office time is taken up with rechecks with patients having filled on cost basis and prescription is not filled correctly.
Owing to ‘problems’ at pickup time, including scratches and errors, I’m suspecting that my high end optical office is dealing with out-of-country lens grinders. It’s very concerning.
Optician here, and I see the same daily. It’s a mess out there.
@@beth3535 Greetings Beth : I suspect its time to find a new eye care provider.
@ It may well be.
Honestly, I can get a pre-made pair of -1.5 glasses online for a tenth of what I pay for a crappy in-office pair. Does it have the bells and whistles? No, apart from auto-tint. Does it address my marginal astigmatism? No. But I can see to drive and watch TV. That's all I need.
New cars are also becoming like disposable white goods. Everything is becoming shit for big profits.
Guess why many car manufacturers have financial problems now
I inherited my dad’s older Mazda with 11k miles. Model not my style or color- keeping it for life! 😂
Blame salted roads...
@@Taryngracia Those mid-90s to mid-00s Japanese cars are indestructible. Look after them and get them serviced properly by a mechanic who knows what they are doing and they will last for many decades!
We have mostly older vehicles: 1992, 1992, 1997, 2012. The 1997 is a Ford Escort with nearly 280K miles. Still doesn't consume oil, the air conditioning still works great. I've done all the maintenance over the years, replaced the head gasket in 2020 @268.5k the engine looked really good under the valve cover and the cylinder bores still had nice cross hatching. These vehicles don't spy on us and report our driving habits to data brokers, although our phones likely do :(
I can't over how neat and minimalist your home is! I have a small home and I have way too much unfiled paper and junk that I think I need, some of it I do need though. I think to get my house to look as neat and minimalist as yours would take me a solid year. There are a few books out there and TH-cam's to get this done that I've seen some of them. Did u ever think of writing a book or putting your ideas about minimalism on a TH-cam Series? Thanks for the information!
Got a pair of pants for Christmas. I wore them 3 times, and they are already showing signs of wear.
A bag of chips has now been cut back to 7.5 ounces. I am starting to be amazed people still make the purchases. It's getting to the point I would rather just fry up a potato in the pan than pay $4 for one potato worth of chips.
Yep I fell for that one last night. Then again I intentionally bought the smallest bag of kettle chips in the store because I planned to finish it in one go. Good to know, I was trying to look into fried potato wedges recipes anyway I guess I'll be looking into chips recipes as well.
@@STEVSGONE You will never be able to make a product at home that resembles a commercial potato chip. Even a simple Lays Original potato chip. Not that you shouldn't try necessarily. Just that you should really investigate the realities of it so you know what you're trying to get into before you do it.
Might seem overly dramatic. It might *be* overly dramatic. But it ends up being a pretty lousy and expensive experience. Maybe cheaper than bags of chips, but there are a lot of factors to consider.
Probably better off just giving up junk food snacks like chips in the first place.
Exactly, the only way to win is to not play their game.
Yes.....a bag of chips here is almost six dollars
I've been strengthening our fencing around our property done 30+ years ago. It amazes me the quality of then vs. now. Insane! But your video explains so much. Thanks, Nicole. Your quality keeps improving!! :)
This is so true. The lumber used in fences is as crappy as it gets. Watched a neighbor having to replace pickets within 3 years.
@@beth3535 It's because the government mandated a change in how outdoor "treated" lumber is treated. The new treatment doesn't resist rot nearly as well as the old, much more toxic copper and arsenic method.
Well done. Thanks for sharing Your efforts. Best Wishes.
The thing I find most interesting about you: usually I can’t stand negative people who constantly complain. But there’s something about your presentation that is compelling to watch. And I agree with almost all your observations.
Mememe... go buy something.
Ever think that many complaints are VALID???
Regarding the Samsung washer, I have heard from many friends and neighbors who bought them that they had problems in a relatively short time after buying them. The Kenmore my grandmother bought in 1968 still works. They are named now back under Whirlpool who manufactured the Kenmore brand for Sears. I miss Sears.
We had a Samsung washer also and the electronics fried despite having a surge protector on it.
Sears' downfall started when they sold off their tool manufacturing division and the quality immediately began to degrade.
I replaced motor in Samsung dryer. It works good now. But I understand that it's not like a dryer from 1990
I miss Sears too. Way back in the beginning they sold farm animals and even kit homes. The kit homes were great my mother had one. Sears was so well respected that people used to go to the clerks to discuss their financial problems. Back in the sixties, almost all the clerks were mature adults that knew their product ,and working at Sears was a career. Their all gone and replaced by teenagers that know nothing. Craftsman tools went from excellent to cheap crap. Kenmore was the best and is now just crap. Capitalism is slow failing but that's a rant for another day.
After Kenmore stopped designing their own washers and dryers they outsourced to Whilpool and then later to Samsung and LG as well.
The shitification is the reason why I own a lot of old things: my car is 20 years old, my iMac is from 2010, the first iPad and iPhone 3GS still work with the first battery and I still have old stereo equipment from the 90s, VCRs and old TVs etc… All of these things still work well and I only make sure I unplug very old things (like my radio from the 60s) just in case… I love technology but I started to realize that the more features a product has, the easier it is to break… The lack of quality nowadays is unbelievable… Thank you for making this great video!
I am good at accidentally breaking things. Laptop I tripped, dropped and blew out the corner of the screen. Phone a few years back, dropped into a water puddle and cooked it. Thats when my stuff gets replaced.
"my iMac is from 2010" RIP hardware vulnerabilities 💀💀
EVERYTHING, these filthy rotten GREEDY criminals pay others chump change to produce and their services are GARBAGE!!!
I collect old radios primarily from the 1960s, and a name brand made then (i.e. Zenith) will blow away 99 percent of shiitifed product made today.
I still have my 2003 Ford Explorer, because
(a) It still runs well
(b) It still looks good
(c) I can fix it myself
(d) It doesn't have annoying features like headrests that are angled forward too much.
(This has become commonplace because so many f**kwits lean their seats right back,
so safety regulations were brought in to protect these idiots from their own stupidity.)
You're kinda correct. The cost of manufacturing is supposed to decrease as automation increases. Cotton isn't hand picked just as thread isn't hand spun and fabric isn't hand woven. If it wasn't for greed they would decrease and maintain quality. Things use to be made by our mothers and grandmother's on equipment maintained my our fathers and grandfather's right here in the USA.
When I moved out of my home at the end of 2023, I had a gas-powered push lawnmower I had bought in 1996. It still fired up every single time. I seldom changed the oil or sharpened the blade. It was still running great, and I gifted it to a friend because I was moving into an RV. I also had a dryer that was purchased in 1995, which I gifted to my neighbor. The only thing I ever had to do to it was replace the heating element, which cost me less than $20, and I changed it out myself after watching a TH-cam video. Everything is built these days to be disposable. It's terrible.
I have an an American made LTD gas push mower made in 1993, with huge metal back wheels. It’s rusty, but it fires right up.
@sunshine3914 That's awesome! Mine came from Montgomery Ward. The paint was peeling a bit on the deck, but no rust yet. These days, they're made of plastic.
A few years ago I bought an old (1980's ?) Snapper professional mower for $25. The self-propelled wheels are literally driven by an all- metal gearbox. The bag is made of absurdly thick (1/8" ?) canvas. Hard to find any plastic anywhere.
"Yep, they still fit." Outstanding.
Great video I appreciate you discussing these things. We need more of these conversations
Yeah I noticed the same thing about Goodfellow jeans. Yet, I never had that problem with Guess Jeans and Wrangler. But the more newer companies are having problems with their clothes. Its not fair to people buying these jeans, and then less than a few months, they have to buy more jeans. TH-cam also recommended me to you a few minutes ago. I'm giving you a subscribe, and I am saying what's up to you from my home of NYC. Nicole, your very beautiful 💚
Same here in Germany. Newly bought Pioneer jeans last barely one year before they develop holes. My old jeans that I wore at school are still fine.
What country are those jeans made in?
@ Pioneer like Levi Strauss likely does not manufacture anything domestically. If they would, the price tag was well over 100 bucks. I suspect, the fabric is from China, Pakistan or India and the manufacturing sites are located in countries like the Philipines.
Found your channel recently and love the common sense and tips on money saving, etc...Thank you - you have inspired me to be more frugal and concentrate on the things that matter and saving for my future. - Phil, 41, UK
With the jeans they started to add spandex, then more spandex so the jeans would stretch. The problem with spandex it breaks down the original cotton does not. I have jeans from 20 years ago that I can still wear too.
Interesting. I don't wear jeans, I did not know this but now that makes sense.
I too noticed it's because of the spandex. I have jeans from high school over 20 years ago that have no stretch and they are still without holes, while newer jeans I get are very stretchy and get holes within a year. I tried finding jeans with no stretch but I can't find them any more. It's like they stopped selling them.
Also they’re a much lighter weight of fabric
It was then I noticed that the care labels had “low heat” for jeans.
Yes, the spandex or elasthane breaks down faster in a sense especially if you tumble dry them. The stretch jeans are also much thinner in fabric. Never tumble dry stretch jeans! I try to buy 100% cotton. There are still some brands who make them Levi for one. I do believe nudie jeans also have jeans without stretch. But even if the 100% cotton last longer they tear out more easily then they use to do.
You're absolutely right. I have lived in my house for 20 years and I have had to get a new hvac unit twice. The ac repair guy even told me those units were built to last 10 years so that the manufactuers could profit off of selling new units more frequently.