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Another thing that bugs me: many countries are taking "tech improvements" in inflation. For example: suppose a TV costs 2x now than what it did 10 years ago, b
by speeder 6y ago
Another thing that bugs me: many countries are taking "tech improvements" in inflation.
For example: suppose a TV costs 2x now than what it did 10 years ago, but it is also twice the size, for many countries this means 0% of inflation.
Problem is, you can't buy the old stuff.
For example, are cars now much faster, safer, etc... than cars of 1950?
Yes.
But, if you are buying your first car, you can't buy one from 1950, you either buy a car, or you don't, you either spend the 2020 price for the car, or you don't, thus this "correction" for technology development is bogus.
Or a personal anecdote:
My phone broke.
A phone now is ludicrously more expensive than it was years ago, but doesn't count in inflation because it also became a computer, that can do a ton of things.
Problem is, I don't need a computer, I need a phone, I want to do phone calls! But nobody sells those here, they only sell computers that happen to make calls, for the price of a computer.
- scatters 6y agoA 24" TV is $100 on Amazon. A Nokia 106 (unlocked) is $22. What did you pay for a TV 10 years ago, or for the phone that just broke?
- JMTQp8lwXL 6y agoDoes the fact you can typically find 5 year old technical gadgets (phones/computers) or 10/15 year old cars for cheaper than new via marketplaces impact the assertion here? There's tons of old tech, much of it going to landfills. If everyone wanted old tech, they could have it -- there is so much of it.
- akvadrako 6y agoYour examples are wrong. If you want a 10 year old TV you can get one for a few bucks at most second hand stores – there are tons of them. Phones are not that expensive. You can get a new decent Nokia dumbphone for about $20.
- sershe 6y agoHmm... The situation is quite the opposite I think. You can buy a car now for, inflation adjusted, 50ies car prices, that will be vastly superior to the 50ies car, especially if you buy used. Ditto for phones. Call-only phones (I have one for travel) are dirt cheap, they cost less than a decent steak.