Consumerism
In the past, I've often bought computer parts in the USA. Once, a whole computer! It was $20 from a library and came home with me in a big box as luggage. (And, yes, it had a tower case.) US society used to dictate that anything that wasn't new had (almost) no value. 5+ years ago, many secondhand items (and even new items on clearance) were 1/3 the cost in the USA, despite our dollar worth bugger all.
Now, the whole situation has flipped over! Old P4 computers that you can pick up for $20 at home sell for $60+ in the States. 19" LCD monitors that cost us $30 or so are triple that in the USA.
I'm sure many of us have read about how the consumer-driven US economy has been hammered, but I hadn't seen evidence of it to this level until this visit. Significant numbers of people must be actually keeping their old stuff! Amazing. I wonder if rampant US consumerism is dead, or just resting?
Now, the whole situation has flipped over! Old P4 computers that you can pick up for $20 at home sell for $60+ in the States. 19" LCD monitors that cost us $30 or so are triple that in the USA.
I'm sure many of us have read about how the consumer-driven US economy has been hammered, but I hadn't seen evidence of it to this level until this visit. Significant numbers of people must be actually keeping their old stuff! Amazing. I wonder if rampant US consumerism is dead, or just resting?