Here is an interesting take on how the world works.....Or doesn't work...:roll:
YouTube - Story of Stuff, Full Version; How Things Work, About Stuff
YouTube - Story of Stuff, Full Version; How Things Work, About Stuff
The Story of Stuff
- Thread starter #juan
- Start date
Right on!! Thanks, Juan.
Been saying for years that we aren't citizens anymore, we are consumers in NorthAm. Gotta love big biz. And it's really gotten worse faster, I think, since early 80s. Back then people like me rebuilt alternators. Can't do that now, because if one part breaks or wears out, the entire thing has to be thrown away because the part that's no good is integrated with the rest. The case is molded so that several parts are all one piece or some similar idea. Unicersal joints that you can't add grease to. Headlamps you can't change bulbs ($7 or $8) in so you have to buy en entire headlamp- housing and bulb ($300 to $400). Auto makers say your warranty is no good if you replace parts with aftermarket, rebuildable products. And then they turn around and add more unreplaceable parts to vehicles every year. Higher price, more parts, more repair labor, etc. Gotta love big biz.
Been saying for years that we aren't citizens anymore, we are consumers in NorthAm. Gotta love big biz. And it's really gotten worse faster, I think, since early 80s. Back then people like me rebuilt alternators. Can't do that now, because if one part breaks or wears out, the entire thing has to be thrown away because the part that's no good is integrated with the rest. The case is molded so that several parts are all one piece or some similar idea. Unicersal joints that you can't add grease to. Headlamps you can't change bulbs ($7 or $8) in so you have to buy en entire headlamp- housing and bulb ($300 to $400). Auto makers say your warranty is no good if you replace parts with aftermarket, rebuildable products. And then they turn around and add more unreplaceable parts to vehicles every year. Higher price, more parts, more repair labor, etc. Gotta love big biz.
The point that struck me was the $3.95 radio. The people paying for it are those poor sods working for next to nothing to build them so that we pay a ridiculously low price. If these people were getting fair wages the radio would cost a hundred and fifty dollars at least.
I doubt it. But I could believe $30 or $40.
Thing with places like China is that resistors, diodes, circuit boards, etc. are pennies to build or buy, assembling takes maybe 15 minutes, and labor, as you say, is cheap.
Thing with places like China is that resistors, diodes, circuit boards, etc. are pennies to build or buy, assembling takes maybe 15 minutes, and labor, as you say, is cheap.