Profits over common good as there is a lack of competition between manufactures

[bullfrog]

I hate not being to be able to fix simple problems with products because the manufacture has by design made it difficult for the average person. Manufacturers do this simply to make more money and sell you a new one as the old one becomes to difficult or costly to fix. They are creating an even more wasteful society instead of recycling which would benefit us all. Like for example I need to change a fuse which has a fuse cover with security screws that require a special socket. I hope soon there will be rules for manufactures or enough competition that will not allow this to happen. It is done with all sorts of manufactured goods. There is a large group finally getting peoples attention but it is long over due.

 

[TravelingZombies]

That's why I hate vehicles with computers that control everything. If it messes up you have to get specific parts that aren't interchangeable.
If you have an older vehicle then the parts you need may have been discontinued or have to be custom made by a shop.
I've experienced both spectrums and I'll choose old over new when possible.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Chinese will love that.  Won't even need to reverse engineer anything.  Just demand repair documentation and have all the information they need to start manufacturing.

 

[bullfrog]

^^^just hope that is the case but it seems we have already gotten beyond that as they now have their own design and R and D as well as forced labor. Quality doesn't really matter if you don't make it here. We need to educate our work force and become competitive again. Made in the USA needs to mean a quality, repairable and life long lasting!

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Great. We trade good paying American jobs for cheap Chinese knock-offs. But hey, they are fixable with cheap Chinese repair parts that may or may not work.

 

[nature lover]

I think my comment is related but if others don’t you can take it off. We Americans take so much pride in how we’ve been cleaning up our environment all these years rivers are cleaner the air is actually cleaner in many areas. All you have to do is visit Pittsburgh PA and see the difference between now and 75 years ago when the steel mills were rolling. Pittsburgh is cleaner but some other cities in China are so dirty that those people wore masks long before there was Covid. There’s many other examples. But we’re proud Americans are now buying everything we used to manufacture here, that created our poor environment, from China India and other countries Who are destroying their environment and eventually ours also. I am guilty of that too. Try to find a pair of shoes that were manufactured in America and there are countless other examples. The reason we don’t pollute in America as much as we used to this because we’re paying others to do it for us. I’m a stop now because I have to make a trip to Walmart.

 

[bullfrog]

^^^Yes instead of solving the environmental and other problems we chose the cheap way out that provided the most financial profit, now everyone is paying for it. We stopped making quality goods that were repairable because other goods that were not, were available to us that were cheaper from outside of the USA and allowed to be offered for sale in the USA. We have lowered our standards to meet those that supply the products in other countries, think maybe that's a problem?

 

[crofter]

Same with real estate market, price fixing to eliminate rural residents, similar to the clearings in Scotland.
-crofter

 

[desert_sailing]

^^^Yes instead of solving the environmental and other problems we chose the cheap way out that provided the most financial profit, now everyone is paying for it. We stopped making quality goods that were repairable because other goods that were not, were available to us that were cheaper from outside of the USA and allowed to be offered for sale in the USA. We have lowered our standards to meet those that supply the products in other countries, think maybe that's a problem?

It's probably a highly inconvenient truth amongst many here but the condition we are in has been a direct result of the decisions of the boomers.

They have flexed business and political power having come to age in the 60s and still wielding the power of numbers.

the 80s, 90s, 00s, 10s the past 40 years of policy belong nearly exclusively to them due to group think and numbers.

I have a feeling they are going to go out kicking and screaming.

That generation is leaving the world worse than when they got it. There are some that have tried hard to resist and care about those they are soon to leave but the vast  majority are still the overindulged petulant child from the 50s.

You don't have to take my analysis.... there are many writings about it...

It is what it is. But the "we" that you mentioned... ya they don't get to walk away whistling.

 

[nature lover]

Mankind is an invasive species.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Mankind is an invasive species.

ALL species are invasive.

 

[bullfrog]

Problem is in this case it seems people are allowing/causing other people to get rich charging too much for inferior products and causing manufactures that built quality products to go out of business.

 

[MrNoodly]

The point of capitalism is to maximize profits. All businesses are — or should be — in the profit making business. Whatever goods or services they sell are just a means to that end. So the products or services need to be only good enough to attract customers.

 

[bullfrog]

I guess my point is that it seems companies seem more interested in using advertising and low prices to convince enough people to buy throw away goods that they managed to get rid of the competition because of a lack of standards. Standards that not only result in longer lasting goods but prevent a waste of resources and in the long run protect the environment. It is to a point now we are forced to buy their products as they have formed monopolies. Because the public no longer is able to buy quality goods we continue to waste our resources and destroy our environment. In my opinion that needs to change. Have you noticed how much high priced quality gear is being sold in the USA that is imported from Australia? Shipping costs are high and yet those goods are not being built in the USA. Why? This a common theme in industries in the USA, look at almost anything sold in the USA today, prescription drugs. Why do they cost more even after being produced in India, shipped and sold in the USA than in other North American countries? Why are high quality, repairable and long lasting goods not being produced and sold in the USA? I think people in the USA need to wake up and realize what has happened and change it or maybe buy everything from Australia! Lol!!!