I guess my question is, when was the time that consumer goods were mostly high-quality, durable, and a good value for the price? What decade was the ideal time to be a consumer in America? Not saying you’re wrong but I’m inherently suspicious about any kind of declinist narrative like this
Michael SmithPeople obviously prefer cheap and convenient. It’s not some conspiracy by the capitalists. Those prefs tho have 100% led to a secular decline in the quality, longevity, and aesthetics of essentially everything. Rational choices can, and often do, lead to sub-optimal outcomes in the aggregate.