I think there's an accidental old-vs-new comparison which is causing a conflation between the (a) low up-front cost vs low per-use cost and waste (b) convenienc

I think there's an accidental old-vs-new comparison which is causing a conflation between the (a) low up-front cost vs low per-use cost and waste (b) convenience and ease-of-use vs products that require slightly more attention from their users. E.g. some here are saying "multi-blade cartridges are easier and faster" ... which is true. Users of old-fashioned safety razors often have a little learning curve when they adopt, and have to be a bit more careful even after they've on-boarded. But that ease of use doesn't come from the cartridge per se -- it's from the multiple blades and pivoting head. Recognizing this allows for the possibility of low-waste multi-blade pivoting-head safety razors (e.g. leafshave.com but I think they're not alone). Lower cost-per-use and lower waste doesn't have to get rolled up with some nostalgic return to products as they existed decades ago. But I think both consumers and systemic corrections (e.g. we should tax externalities associated with waste streams, and with carbon) need to nudge companies away from making disposable or short-lived products.