This is a problem with modern society’s disposable goods mentality. Used to be that clothes were mended, vehicles fixed, toys made by hand. Nowadays, clothes are thrown out at the sight of a loose thread or a lost button, vehicles are scrapped after a check engine light comes on, and toys are made with cheap plastic that breaks in less than a year of regular use.
I’m 36, and my wife, who is older than me, “hates” that I fix everything. I grew up with a single mother who worked three jobs to keep a head over my brother’s and my head. We mended our own clothes, wore shoes until they fell apart, and fixed our toys when they broke. If we went back to the mentality of resilience and self-sustenance, we might realize savings over the long haul, but Americans are so conditioned to just throw away things that aren’t like new, I doubt we’ll ever see the old days again excepting maybe a severe depression.
[I’m 36, and my wife, who is older than me, “hates” that I fix everything. I grew up with a single mother who worked three jobs to keep a head over my brother’s and my head. We mended our own clothes, wore shoes until they fell apart, and fixed our toys when they broke. If we went back to the mentality of resilience and self-sustenance, we might realize savings over the long haul, but Americans are so conditioned to just throw away things that aren’t like new, I doubt we’ll ever see the old days again excepting maybe a severe depression.]
Depression Part 2 is coming. I, too, hate seeing everything thrown out. I’ve already been hit hard by this “economy” which is a whole lot of outsourcing and H1’B stuff. “Hard” is an understatement. People are so used to things going “as normal” that they’re not as prepared for when the music stops.
I wasn’t prepared enough. And when things changed, it changes quickly and you’ve got a lot less power to do something about it. As an aside, you find out real quick, who are your real friends (including family) and who are not.
What frustrates me, is cars. You can barely do ANYTHING anymore outside of a full-up mechanic shop.
And my dealer HATES that I have an OBD2 tool, and already KNOW what needs fixing. . .
” I doubt we’ll ever see the old days again excepting maybe a severe depression.”
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My brother and I were born in The Great Depression,my father died in The Great Depression.
Like you I had a single mother who worked to give us a better life,
My grandchildren (late teens-early 20s) have no idea what real struggle is.
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