Not weighing in on Will’s broader question, but his post inspired me to finally figure out when my old all-metal stapler was manufactured. Apparently between 1960-1963 according to Google. I put that sticker on it probably around 1980. Still works great
Will StancilI 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