6 ms·

Right, but in the context of this discussion the cost primary function of the car (moving my butt from one place to another) has increased, or, in the best case

• mercutio2 7y ago
  Productivity is an economic term of art, which IS the context of this discussion. Productivity in the non—services sector of the economy has increased dramatically. You can buy much, much more stuff per inflation adjusted dollar. There remains rigidity in the market, which doesn’t generally make it easy for people to work 15 hour weeks to earn a 1940s income, but really, productivity for goods has dramatically increased.
  • heavenlyblue 7y ago
    >> You can buy much, much more stuff per inflation adjusted dollar. Is it the stuff that works a 1/10th of the time it worked before because today we can "optimise" for longevity?
• randomdata 7y ago
  Though, interestingly, the older generations, especially in rural areas, talk about driving as an event. Back in the day they would carefully plan trips into town once a week to gather supplies and run other errands. These days, nobody thinks twice about hopping into the car every single day of the week. The average number of miles per driver driven per year has certainly trended upward over the years. The total costs may be as much as ever, but the consumption is also higher. The productivity gains have been realized by moving your butt further and more often.