Joyika
108261
2096
66
Aug 25, 2020 5:18 AM
Joyika
108261
2096
66
elvira1971
My father use to say "I am not rich enough to buy cheap things"
makethefrogblockthelog
IKEA PTSD intensifies
NaturalbornChemist
"The poor cant afford to buy cheap" is a finnish saying. Quite fitting.
Sagromus
Same for education in the US.
pzummo
Isn’t the goal for them to work their way up so that they don’t need boots at all?
Ninjoo
GNU Terry Pratchett.
strongp
My mother-in-law was raised on a farm in Ukraine, survived famine and war - she used to tell my wife "we are too poor to buy cheap things"
iamfamous
revolution, now.
tonymcPrince
Try “The Ragged Trousered Philanthropist”
JollyJokzr
The real thing here is paying rent and interest vs earning them
literallymike
So I only need to buy a new iPhone when the most recent iOS stops supporting the more affordable ones. Got it.
MuffinProof
Shoes are an investment
Groostav
This has been posted 4 times in the last few days. Stahp.
Zeboku
I normally always upvote Terry Pratchett, but I've seen this quote more than 5 times in the last seven days. Please stahp
NotaCPA
I've been getting into his discworld series and love his writing style. don't you @missymischief13?
missymischief13
Yup sure do!!!
innocuousnonsense
Also medical bills.
Joyika
Well in UK we have NHS which benefits the poor more than the wealthy due to deprivation causing disease.
134baxJumper
As Dolly Parton says " it cost a lot of money to look this cheap".
k98aj01
When I read this book I took a picture of this section, & kept it for awhile. I’ve actually done it with a few of the series.
DoktorLurker
He was a genius author all right.
Tamttai
This is simply not true in my experience. E.g. individually handcrafted shoes cost 10x as much as regular shoes and last about 10x as long.
VinnieJonesDiary
Those are designer shoes, not just well made ones,I had a €150 pair of boots that lasted 10 years & 3 for €50 that lasted about a year each.
NotaCPA
No No, proper cobbled work boots cost upto $900. but you can buy mass manufactured ones for 200-400. The cobbled ones are lifetime use.
alecdshope
That doesn't even begin to account for life without refrigeration. You can't buy a dozen eggs; everything has to be canned or eat-now.
Ninjoo
You store eggs in the fridge where you are?
alecdshope
They last longer. I've heard if you coat them in vegetable oil they don't need it but, yes. Refrigerate eggs.
Ninjoo
Interesting. We can store them safely outside of the fridge in the U.K. afaik.
alecdshope
I bet you don't have a lot of 90-degree days in the UK.
Tminus1622d
I dont know enough about the setting, but irl, for dry feet, there have been many fairly cheap solutions. Such as strap on wooden soles.>>
Tminus1622d
Ofcourse it's a metaphor and all that, but the issue remains that he struggles because he wants to wear boots, trying to keep up with the>>
Tminus1622d
Joneses is a trap and is what holds a lot of people down. Yes yes, there's also fundamental unfairness, nobody is arguing there isnt.
BigGoblin
Isn't this common sense ... I have a mate who used to be homeless, he would make sure he spent 150-300£ on his boots or his jacket for ...
BigGoblin
... precisely this reason. Also, quality thick shirts, 30£ minimum ... and theres me never having spent more than 15£ on a shirt in my life.
CountessPatagium
This is an excellent example, but don't take it too literally. Eating well is more expensive, housing is more expensive,...
CountessPatagium
And if you fall behind enough to need credit...
HonestCommentFarmer
Aside from the bottom tier of food, you can do pretty well for yourself on the cheap. Homecook, buy produce from farmer's markets, etc
HonestCommentFarmer
Yeah, Ramen and such will always be cheaper but I've lived off of minimum wage before and still could home cook.
MajorSession
The problem comes with having enough money to afford the rent on a place with a kitchen and buying the cooking utensils.
winternal
Vimes actually prefers the cheaper shoes though. They let him read the streets with his feet even with his eyes closed.
thatdamnrat
the fact he had adapted to the bullshit, doesn't make it any less bullshit
jonnyc78
Until his missis mends his socks
OrdinarilyBob
I would have upvoted your comment, but you were at 69 points. Sorry. Can't do. Another time, maybe.
winternal
Acceptable
OrdinarilyBob
I appreciate your understanding.
WarlordPipsqueak
Yeah, but he now has the option to choose. The poor have no choice.
winternal
I didn't mean it as critique, I'm just a big fan and it came to mind.
Darko31
Uhumm... We call that a Poverty Trap. (Economist)
Darko31
I see so many nowadays in the US, there is no easy way out, and one probable outcome is revolution, hope it doesn't come to that.
henrikpetersson51
Like what? Honest question, because it seems to me that these days, cheaper stuff doesn’t necessarily break or get worn more easily.
TheFrenchGirl
Lol in French
Hyero
Hon hon hon
henrikpetersson51
Le lol.
HonestCommentFarmer
Just because you change who the bourgeoisie are does not solve the problem of wealth inequality.
chicagochick
We need a human rights movement in the US which encompasses social safety nets like labor rights, Universal health care and edu reform
underestimated37
Problem is every time someone over in the US tries it their people scream communism and it gets shut down
chicagochick
US history shows even after Rights are passed, Fed has to intervene and enforce State/Local and Private industry compliance.
Vaars
Being poor is expensive
walkingoneggshells
For real for real
drGrafenberg
It really is, and that is often because someone needs to make even the bad boots and they also want to earn a living.
drGrafenberg
...and that, kids, is why high taxes and social safeguards are good.
Grier2217
Read it again
channelranger
Being poor means you can only afford low quality, low quality stuff breaks, now you need more low quality stuff, repeat...
Akakaputo
Solution: second hand stores.
HandoB4Javert
Never for shoes.
Akakaputo
I've bought several good pairs.
ThatTransformersDude
And most people just go with it because they're so busy trying to focus on surviving and saving up they think they're saving cash instead >
ThatTransformersDude
Just look at umbrellas. A $5 retractable umbrella will fall apart in months, but you don't think about it much and purchase it again
Se7enPr1me
Im pretty poor and i still find myself investing in certain quality products like shoes because im not an idiot
channelranger
The problem isn't stupidity- it isn't just shoes that can fall apart faster when you don't have the cash to buy better.
Se7enPr1me
Theres all sorts of ways to acquire a reliable pair of shoes for a decent price. The sales section at jc penny with a coupon for example
Se7enPr1me
some people want it to be quick and easy and if it isnt than they assume it must be impossible
Se7enPr1me
Basically im saying the quality of your life depends on how resourceful you are. The catch is just cuz it's simple doesnt mean it's easy
JaromirAzarov
On the other hand, nowadays things being more expensive doesn't necessarily mean they last much longer or are functioning significantly /1
LottaVibrata
Now you just gotta lie on the commercials and show people having a goodtime with said product.
lightswitch
I think this still applies if we're using boots as the product.
JaromirAzarov
I don't think so. I bought different boots for roughly the same price before. One pair lasted years, the other I could throw away after one.
Se7enPr1me
Which is why i will argue that the sennheiser 280pro headphones are the best headphones for cost and durability and quality
horusheresay
Quality still costs more money though
Borgham
it's a gamble! Quality can be cheaper than bad, and vice versa, I have numerous examples in my wardrobe
Fumbleskunk
I mean... this is a metaphor for financial instruments and Healthcare at this point, but cheap beater cars that gobble oil and 1/
Fumbleskunk
spare parts are a good fit for the theory too. I don't think luxury goods really were part of this theory
tinytyrant
boots are just the example of a principle issue.
CountessPatagium
Sure it does if you're interested in longevity and read the consumer reports.
JaromirAzarov
longer available as they've been replaced with a successor model and who can tell if the new product lasts just as long? /2
JaromirAzarov
Depends on the product. The problem is that consumer reports usually never cover longevity and if they do, those products are often no /1
Yorghe
This is the mindset of why Luxury items sell for insanely high prices. You create a brand, you become known for quality abd value (1/?)
Yorghe
Side note: we have a culture of "if its more expensive, it's better" among our consumerism, and it is exploited greatly.
Yorghe
Once you have achieved that status, almost always, someone comes in and says "hey, I can save you a ton of money on your product... (2/?)
Yorghe
"If we just altar a process/material..” and then the quality goes down, but you still have the reputation, so you still sell well (3/?)
Yorghe
And this just keeps happening until you reach the point where people will notice, then you stop and look for other areas to do this (4/4)
jakeinthehood
Planned obsolescence is a thing. Many things are built to break after a certain period, requiring you to buy another or upgrade
jakeinthehood
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20160612-heres-the-truth-about-the-planned-obsolescence-of-tech
lrrc49
any of the high end foreign cars fit that category. I've never known a person who owned a benz, bmw, mini cooper, or audi to buy a second.
lrrc49
I should also preface it, but ppl i know are middle class but splurged on one then regretted it.
JaromirAzarov
This survey disagrees with your claim: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200825005175/en
lrrc49
I've owned high end foreign cars... money pits.
JaromirAzarov
Sucks to be you, but your personal experience is not statistically relevant...
MagicOrpheus310
(glares at Apple)
FlatPlutoSociety
I still see people using iPhone 5 from time to time. Haven't seen anyone using an Android device from 2012 in years.
PirateDickCheney
Yeah, just got rid of my 5 and it was working just fine tbh. Just low storage
BORG7000
I used to be an apple hater, but I've never had a laptop that has lasted as long as my MacBook Pro. It is pre-butterfly though, so...
JaromirAzarov
My wife's 350€ Acer Laptop from 2011 still works ok. It got a new battery and a SSD but that's about it...
FartmanMD
My 2011 MacBook Pro has never had any replacements and still works pretty much as new. Apple laptops last forever
CarlCrafts
Seriously. My 2012 MBP is still a BEAST. Put an SSD in it and more ram, almost performs as good as my 2018 i9 MBP.
Blumberton
At this point I'm amazed ppl still buy Apple. Quality and innovation is way down but prices keep going up.
HonestCommentFarmer
That was inevitable after Jobs died.
Nikolai5
Yeah aside from the processors they use in iPhones the rest of the tech is "old" compared to competition.
PirateDickCheney
In My experience, their phones genuinely last a very long time and have fewer problems than my friends Androids, various phones idk names.
Blumberton
Used to be the case with iPhone4 and those. Now adays almost everytime you see an iphone the screen is cracked from the smallest fall etc.
PirateDickCheney
Idk none of my friends phones are cracked apple or Samsung and I had my iPhone 5 for like 5 years with no cracks and plenty of drops
PirateDickCheney
Their computers on the other hand I am not a fan of
Thekindofkindlyman
JaromirAzarov
better to justify the higher price. It became a bit of a gamble... /2
KnifeKnut
IKR. Was pissed to find the welted (sewn on ) sole seams were just glued on decorative strips on a pair of shoes.
kenta89
It's not just about specific products, it's about not being able to invest in your future. Being poor cost more time and energy as well as €
longleggedbeastie
Man, I hate planned obsolescence so much
WhyILoveYou
Think about rent vs owning. Or just degrees of owning, higher credit score = better loan terms is the better boot analogy
ColonelColon
Eh. It was the same then too. $$ doesn't mean high quality, but high quality is $$, unless someone doesn't know what they have.
BBBandito
Then? When a turtle flew the earth through space?
wrincewind
No, in 1989 when Pratchett first wrote this.
DrBabyDanny
Depends on the market. Honestly the boots argument still holds up, a good pair of hiking boots with a lifetime warranty >>>>>> cheapies
JaromirAzarov
Yeah, if you get lifetime warranty, that's another thing. But often you don't so you pay more but nobody guarantees the product lasts...
TheBaconSurfingCanuck
I'm finding Warranties are full of loopholes for the companies now. Example: Memory Express, I had a 4 year replacement plan. Headset 1/2
TheBaconSurfingCanuck
had cracks in the frame meaning it would've fallen apart at some point. I took care of them. But magically... The store didn't cover 2/3
DrBabyDanny
True, like a cheap cellphone vs expensive. But I just found out Patagonia has a lifetime warranty, and if they can’t fix it they’ll give >
DrBabyDanny
You a prorated gift certificate towards new gear. I thought they were just expensive to be expensive, but they have good warrantied products
NotMyUsualOnlineName
A lot of things aren't designed to be repaired easily at home anymore, either. Cheaper to just buy a new one sometimes.
Goldensands
Apple
JaromirAzarov
You can't even get spare parts for many products after a few years and if you do they sometimes cost almost as much as a new product...
NotMyUsualOnlineName
Shit man, back in the early 2000s (03, 04, somewhere in there), Apple was still selling replacement hardware. It was cheaper to buy 2-3
NotMyUsualOnlineName
brand new Macs than it was to buy RAM from Apple. They wanted about $3500 for the same amount of RAM it would cost about $80 for a PC.