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What do you think about Cubans keeping cars from 1950s running for as long as they did? It seems to me that maybe we live in a society that is overly permissiv

What do you think about Cubans keeping cars from 1950s running for as long as they did? It seems to me that maybe we live in a society that is overly permissive of replacing items.

a1371 2y ago
This kind of argument ignores the real cost of having to upkeep a 50s car: the human suffering. Cubans are forced to use this option and their society suffers from it.
- skhunted 2y ago
  From an environmental perspective it’s a good thing. Don’t know if that makes it worth it but we are creating far too much pollution.
  - constantcrying 2y ago
    Cars from the 50s are less energy efficient and require more overall resources to maintain than a new car. They are also significantly less safe.
    - skhunted 2y ago
      I imagine the mining of materials, waste from discarded car, etc. makes up for these things but I don’t know. I do think overall we are a very wasteful society and we cause way too much pollution.
      - bluGill 2y ago
        A scrapped car is recycled for the metals in it. So if you recycle the old car you can count much less costs against the new car.
  - babypuncher 2y ago
    Keeping an old car functioning is only better for the environment up to a certain point. If your cars are staying on the road long enough, eventually it makes more environmental sense to replace a 50 year old car that gets 18 miles per gallon with a new one that gets 45 and can last another 50 years.
syntheticnature 2y ago
Cars from the 50s and 60s were comparatively less complex and easier to maintain and repair. Of course, they don't get the gas mileage or meet the same emissions criteria, and in a crash they aren't as survivable because they don't compress to reduce force on the occupants.
bluGill 2y ago
They did that at great cost - the cars are not very close to factory original - most parts of been replaced multiple times. Those are not the original engines. It would have been much less labor to just replace the cars with something more modern. However Cuba had plenty of low cost labor and no ability to import anything else so they did it anyway.

What do you think about Cubans keeping cars from 1950s running for as long as they did? It seems to me that maybe we live in a society that is overly permissive of replacing items.

a1371 2y ago

This kind of argument ignores the real cost of having to upkeep a 50s car: the human suffering. Cubans are forced to use this option and their society suffers from it.

skhunted 2y ago
From an environmental perspective it’s a good thing. Don’t know if that makes it worth it but we are creating far too much pollution.
- constantcrying 2y ago
  Cars from the 50s are less energy efficient and require more overall resources to maintain than a new car. They are also significantly less safe.
  - skhunted 2y ago
    I imagine the mining of materials, waste from discarded car, etc. makes up for these things but I don’t know. I do think overall we are a very wasteful society and we cause way too much pollution.
    - bluGill 2y ago
      A scrapped car is recycled for the metals in it. So if you recycle the old car you can count much less costs against the new car.
- babypuncher 2y ago
  Keeping an old car functioning is only better for the environment up to a certain point. If your cars are staying on the road long enough, eventually it makes more environmental sense to replace a 50 year old car that gets 18 miles per gallon with a new one that gets 45 and can last another 50 years.

syntheticnature 2y ago

Cars from the 50s and 60s were comparatively less complex and easier to maintain and repair. Of course, they don't get the gas mileage or meet the same emissions criteria, and in a crash they aren't as survivable because they don't compress to reduce force on the occupants.

bluGill 2y ago

They did that at great cost - the cars are not very close to factory original - most parts of been replaced multiple times. Those are not the original engines. It would have been much less labor to just replace the cars with something more modern. However Cuba had plenty of low cost labor and no ability to import anything else so they did it anyway.