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Re: How Washing Machine’s Changed The World
Okay then. 😉
What he forgot to mention was that the general incomes in the Western World as it’s known have increased since his mother bought a machine.
But, the price of consumer goods, washing machines, TVs and other stuff have all fallen in real terms.
A washer in 1985 was £300-400-ish… which is about £900-1000 today. Even at £1000 for many people today, it’s not a massive purchasing decision.
But then you can now buy one for less that £200.
That opens up ownership to a whole range of consumers that, back then, simply couldn’t afford one or a lot of the other stuff he talks about.
His point however, that automation has opened up avenues for a lot of people is probably sound though.
I could go on, but no-one gives. 😉
K.
Re: How Washing Machine’s Changed The World
kwatt wrote:
I could go on, but no-one gives. 😉
Its an age thing, it will come to you sooner or later, 😉 8)
Jim.
Re: How Washing Machine’s Changed The World
True that the price of high-tec items including washing machines has fallen in real terms continuously for about the last fifteen years. I don’t think you can blame Rosling for leaving that out of his presentation. It was aimed at an audience to inform / entertain / stimulate interest and he wouldn’t have wanted to over-complicate things. There’s only so much people can absorb at once. I think the piece wasn’t really about washing machines so much as about the changing world economy in general.
Anyway, I’ve discovered there’s a repeat of his excellent, “The Joy of Stats” tomorrow at 11.20pm on beeb2. Well worth a look if you haven’t seen it before; and maybe even if you have.kwatt wrote:I could go on, but no-one gives. ;)K.
No, they do but your observation was not so obvious as you thought. Some of us would like you to go on 🙂 .
Mike.Re: How Washing Machine’s Changed The World
leavemetogetonwithit wrote:Some of us would like you to go on .
Mike.Here here!!
Personally, I thought the guy was talking as much about environmental effects as about the washing machine.
George
Re: How Washing Machine’s Changed The World
Its an age thing, it will come to you sooner or later, 😉 8)
Some would say (not sitting far from me) that I’m an antique as is! :rolls:
Stats are great Mike, if you can actually read them and understand what they’re telling you. Many people don’t. Probably most sadly.
It’s like simple percentages, the cast bulk of people don’t understand an APR or suchlike let alone what a 30{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} saving is, they just think it must be good as, that’s a lot. Never think to look beyond that number.
Environmental stuff I really could go on and, on and, on about. I really would bore you to death.
My problem is that most things aren’t that simple though Mike. I’d much rather have the whole truth than just a snippet of it and you’re absolutely correct that, in real terms, the price of “stuff” has dropped and opened up a much larger market or markets. It’s also true to say that people, in our world at least, are earning more so can afford to buy more of that “stuff”.
So more buying power, lower costs = greater consumption.
Greater consumption = more waste.
More waste = more harm to the environment.
How you frame all that and explain it is, to me at least, interesting.
But my argument has been and remains, that more consumption is far, far more damaging than saving a couple of kwh per annum.
K.
Re: How Washing Machine’s Changed The World
kwatt wrote:
Stats are great Mike, if you can actually read them and understand what they’re telling you. Many people don’t. Probably most sadly.
K.
Which is exactly what Rosling is good at. He uses modern graphics to bring statistics to LIFE. His lectures (well the two I’ve seen so far anyway) are just mesmerising. And inspiring. They make you think. They stimulate your own ideas.
Mike.Re: How Washing Machine’s Changed The World
i think a quote from one of our modern day icons spring to mind
boring
lol ally
Re: How Washing Machine’s Changed The World
kwatt wrote:
Some would say (not sitting far from me) that I’m an antique as is! :rolls:
The thing is, when you are very young you don’t give a damn, you think you are invincible and all these dates thrown at you seem so far away as to be of no consequence.
When I was watching England beat West Germany in 1966 I wasn’t concerned about Orwell’s 1984, partying until 1999, Kubrick’s 2001, etc.In those days even having to “Wait until September” seemed a like a lifetime.
All of those dates have come and gone, now when people mention things that are due to happen in the future I think oh dear, chances are are won’t be here to see that anyway, so you do become glassy eyed and once again in most cases don’t give a damn. 😥
I am hoping to see if Zager & Evans observations come to pass though. 8)
Come to think of it a lot of them are already here. :rolls:
Jim.
Re: How Washing Machine’s Changed The World
kwatt wrote:
Environmental stuff I really could go on and, on and, on about. I really would bore you to death.
That’s improbable but we all will die of something anyway. 🙂kwatt wrote:It’s also true to say that people, in our world at least, are earning more so can afford to buy more of that “stuff”.
So more buying power, lower costs = greater consumption.
Greater consumption = more waste.
More waste = more harm to the environment.
How you frame all that and explain it is, to me at least, interesting.
But my argument has been and remains, that more consumption is far, far more damaging than saving a couple of kwh per annum.
K.
That is not inevitable. Everything has a lifespan. In nature lifespans range from a day (typical bacterial cell) to several millenia (certain coppiced trees). Yet nothing is ever wasted. I think it possible that we will learn from that.Mike.
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