Jump to content

Materialism in this day and age.

mr moose

So my youngest son's friend was around and he had a remote control helicopter.  I told him he should play with it outside because if he keeps banging it into the furniture it will break and be useless.  He said nah this is a good one, I bot it from target it won't break too easy,  I've had it a week already.  :unsure: 

 

 

Is this what constitutes good quality for kids today, anything that lasts longer than a week is "good quality" and it doesn't matter if it breaks you just go and buy another one? Hell I've heard about engineered obsolescence but this is taking it to a whole new level, where consumers are being groomed into accepting that things break and you just buy a new one.

 

 

After talking to my son and his friend for while on the topic it appears society is moving towards a "don't care just replace" mentality.  Do people not see the value in looking after things?  can this materialistic position be a precursor to many of the social problems we now face, where people say if it doesn't work out just walk away and try again?

 

 

Discuss,  I am keen to hear people thoughts on all this.

 

 

Grammar and spelling is not indicative of intelligence/knowledge.  Not having the same opinion does not always mean lack of understanding.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

i predict a shitstorm

Are you new to the forums???? read the Code of Conduct HERE WANT SOME AWESOME LTT THEMED WALLPAPERS??? check out XTanksSlayerX's wallpaper thread HERE 

"May our framerates be high, and our temperatures low" - PC MasterRace

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

its called how the economy works. sadly.

Thats that. If you need to get in touch chances are you can find someone that knows me that can get in touch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

 

He said nah this is a good one, I bot it from target it won't break too easy,  I've had it a week already.

 

I wasn't there to hear the actual quote, obviously, but it sounds like his rationale is: "it's lasted a week already, therefore it's probably sturdy enough not to break if used inside the house".

 

Sounds like he's overestimating build quality, which doesn't strike me as a "don't care just replace" mentality, IMO.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

I dont want to get into a complicated thing about this topic but frankly if you live in a household where you can afford to just replace things if they break and its no big deal so be it. I am no one to tell anyone how to spend or value money. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

Most of the stuff that's sold today just seems to be designed to break the second the warranty runs out. 

 

Also. Kids should play outside.

Especially with RC helicopters.

That's just my opinion

====>The car thread<====>Dark Souls thread<====>Placeholder<====
"Life is like a raging river, Its gonna get rough downstream. And people's gonna piss in it" 

"Who discovered we could get milk from cows, and what did he THINK he was doing at the time?"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

Kids are idiots. 

 

My drone is now 1500 dollars, thats just a 450 sized platform, and I treat it like the weapon of mass destruction that it is. I could never treat it in any other way beyond treating it with respect and valuing it. 

 

But like I said, kids are idiots. They don't get the concept of value and worth the way adults might get it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

It's just economy. I still can't wrap my head around the fact that we accept the fact that your smartphone lasts 2 years at most. Household electronics aren't what they used to be, they break easily now, as soon as they are out of their warranty.
And the worst part is, we don't bother fixing things ourselves, we just go like, I'll just buy a new one/ pay an insane amount of money to a repair man for an insanely easy fix.

What happened to being a handy man around the house???

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

It's just economy. I still can't wrap my head around the fact that we accept the fact that your smartphone lasts 2 years at most. Household electronics aren't what they used to be, they break easily now, as soon as they are out of their warranty.

And the worst part is, we don't bother fixing things ourselves, we just go like, I'll just buy a new one/ pay an insane amount of money to a repair man for an insanely easy fix.

What happened to being a handy man around the house???

Wondering what happened too.. Most of the guys i know don't even know how to wire up a plug. 

====>The car thread<====>Dark Souls thread<====>Placeholder<====
"Life is like a raging river, Its gonna get rough downstream. And people's gonna piss in it" 

"Who discovered we could get milk from cows, and what did he THINK he was doing at the time?"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

Kids are idiots. 

 

My drone is now 1500 dollars, thats just a 450 sized platform, and I treat it like the weapon of mass destruction that it is. I could never treat it in any other way beyond treating it with respect and valuing it. 

 

But like I said, kids are idiots. They don't get the concept of value and worth the way adults might get it.

Most kids/teens don't. I got taught that value by my dad when I was young, I wanted to get an expensive toy, so he agreed to pay me for working with him, I agreed. We worked for an entire day, he did the brain work and I did the running around, getting tools etc. (tasks a kid could do) and at the end of the day I was expecting to get enough for the toy and to have cash left. I roughly earned 1/10th of the toy costs, he explained to me that the work I did get's paid that much, he didn't trick me or lie, it does get paid that much, and he let the reality sink in of how much money is worth, how much hard works it takes for someone to afford that toy and how much I should appreciate it.

A valuable lesson indeed. Even though my parents always gave me everything I wanted, ever since I was 18 my dad told me he would get me stuff, but if I wanted a high end gaming PC, a high end phone or anything of that nature he will support me, but I will have to earn it myself, I worked several jobs, freelanced etc.

It's not cruel, I'm glad I was raised this way, I find it awesome to earn my own cash even now that I'm half way thru college, I like having MY OWN money that I worked hard for. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

I personally have a fairly down to earth view on the value of things, even though I'm 17, because I buy a lot of my stuff these days and I value and look after them as my own hard earned cash goes into it, but I see a lot of people my age and below who just so happen to break the screen on their 3 week old iPhone etc and just say "oh it's fine, my dad bought it for me." Because they have no concept of the value, which almost everyone else seems to be lacking as well.

PCs

Spoiler
Spoiler

Branwen (2015 build) - CPU: i7 4790K GPU:EVGA GTX 1070 SC PSU: XFX XTR 650W RAM: 16GB Kingston HyperX fury Motherboard: MSI Z87 MPower MAX AC SSD: Crucial MX100 256GB + Crucial MX300 1TB  Case: Silverstone RV05 Cooler: Corsair H80i V2 Displays: AOC AGON AG241QG & BenQ BL2420PT Build log: link 

Spoiler

Netrunner (2020 build) - CPU: AMD R7 3700X GPU: EVGA GTX 1070 (from 2015 build) PSU: Corsair SF600 platinum RAM: 32GB Crucial Ballistix RGB 3600Mhz cl16 Motherboard: Gigabyte Aorus X570i pro wifi SSD: Sabrent Rocket 4.0 1TB Case: Lian Li TU150W black Cooler: Be Quiet! Dark Rock Slim

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

Wondering what happened too.. Most of the guys i know don't even know how to wire up a plug. 

In the UK at least, stuff used to (few decades ago) come without a plug, just a cable, so you'd have to wire your own.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

Wondering what happened too.. Most of the guys i know don't even know how to wire up a plug. 

Same, most of my male friends don't know the basics from changing a tire, fixing small electronics problems (even thought we were in the same classes, we learned about the same electronics and computer subjects), any car maintenance (one of them didn't know petrol engines have spark plugs that need to be replaced/maintained).

I wouldn't make such a deal out of this if it wasn't things that they use on a daily basis, cars, PC's, household electronics... Some of them will gain an engineers degree without even knowing how to hold a screwdriver properly... :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

It really depends on how old they are, if they are really young then you wouldn't expect them to know any better.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

I dont know about toys these days, but white goods are made at a lower quality.

my fridge died after 5 years and the fridge mechanic said it had a good run?, my grandmother has an old steel fridge that's been running since the early 80's.

 

I think the mentality is shit that is made now doesnt last as long so its a two way street

Its all about those volumetric clouds

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

In the UK at least, stuff used to (few decades ago) come without a plug, just a cable, so you'd have to wire your own.

Lights still do that here^^.. plug not included though.. Which is a bit shit

 

Same, most of my male friends don't know the basics from changing a tire, fixing small electronics problems (even thought we were in the same classes, we learned about the same electronics and computer subjects), any car maintenance (one of them didn't know petrol engines have spark plugs that need to be replaced/maintained).

I wouldn't make such a deal out of this if it wasn't things that they use on a daily basis, cars, PC's, household electronics... Some of them will gain an engineers degree without even knowing how to hold a screwdriver properly... :(

With the way some things are designed.. I'm not surprised about that last part.

Cars are the worst part. Had to go help a friend that was stranded at the side of the road with his car. He described the problem as "It's been grinding for a while. Then it got worse and it stopped". So i asked "When did you last check the oil?". To which he replied "Check the oil?" Genuinely curious as to what i meant

Four years.. That's how long he had owned that car..

====>The car thread<====>Dark Souls thread<====>Placeholder<====
"Life is like a raging river, Its gonna get rough downstream. And people's gonna piss in it" 

"Who discovered we could get milk from cows, and what did he THINK he was doing at the time?"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

I dont know about toys these days, but white goods are made at a lower quality.

my fridge died after 5 years and the fridge mechanic said it had a good run?, my grandmother has an old steel fridge that's been running since the early 80's.

 

I think the mentality is shit that is made now doesnt last as long so its a two way street

I have to say people want new stuff all the time, therefore companies make it so that products only last as long as people want them...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

Most of the stuff that's sold today just seems to be designed to break the second the warranty runs out. 

 

Also. Kids should play outside.

Especially with RC helicopters.

That's just my opinion

Yep. Even the tiny ones could injure someone.

Our Grace. The Feathered One. He shows us the way. His bob is majestic and shows us the path. Follow unto his guidance and His example. He knows the one true path. Our Saviour. Our Grace. Our Father Birb has taught us with His humble heart and gentle wing the way of the bob. Let us show Him our reverence and follow in His example. The True Path of the Feathered One. ~ Dimboble-dubabob III

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

It's just economy. I still can't wrap my head around the fact that we accept the fact that your smartphone lasts 2 years at most. Household electronics aren't what they used to be, they break easily now, as soon as they are out of their warranty.

And the worst part is, we don't bother fixing things ourselves, we just go like, I'll just buy a new one/ pay an insane amount of money to a repair man for an insanely easy fix.

What happened to being a handy man around the house???

reminds me i gotta try and find that mosfet for my laptop

Its all about those volumetric clouds

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

Lights still do that here^^.. plug not included though.. Which is a bit shit

 

With the way some things are designed.. I'm not surprised about that last part.

Cars are the worst part. Had to go help a friend that was stranded at the side of the road with his car. He described the problem as "It's been grinding for a while. Then it got worse and it stopped". So i asked "When did you last check the oil?". To which he replied "Check the oil?" Genuinely curious as to what i meant

Four years.. That's how long he had owned that car..

Hahahahahahahahahaha that's just pure gold xD I wouldn't know if I'd start laughing or crying! :D A friend of mine changed hes TNG filter after 80k km, only because I insisted and it didn't cost much. The mechanic said that in hes entire career he has never seen a filter in this condition, he asked to take pictures and keep it as a souvenir! :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

Yep. Even the tiny ones could injure someone.

To hell with the people.

I recently put up new wallpaper. The amount of damage an RC helicopter could do to them is beyond belief

====>The car thread<====>Dark Souls thread<====>Placeholder<====
"Life is like a raging river, Its gonna get rough downstream. And people's gonna piss in it" 

"Who discovered we could get milk from cows, and what did he THINK he was doing at the time?"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

back in my day, hot wheels cars were made out of stuff that can break your toe if you dropped them. 

Space Journal #1: So Apparently i  was dropped on the moon like i'm a mars rover, in a matter of hours i have found the transformers on the dark side of the moon. Turns out its not that dark since dem robots are filled with lights, i waved hi to the Russians on the space station, turns out all those stories about space finding humans instead of the other way around is true(soviet Russia joke). They threw me some Heineken beer and I've been sitting staring at the people of this forum and earth since. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×