When I was growing up, I was continually fascinated by all the labor-saving devices and gadgets coming out: new vacuum cleaners, electric can-openers, snazzy mops ... you know, that kind of thing. It was only later that I realized that all of these were being made for my mom and housework, and I never really got it, because she never had a moment to herself. How did that work?
We've never really gotten out of that mode ... at least as far as the propagation of the idea is concerned. It used to be household gadgets, now its robots and automated production, and the like. Somebody decided bigger is better and we've upped the ante considerably. Let's face it, robots are more efficient, they don't complain, they don't get sick, they are willing, compliant ... well, slaves, actually, but they do cost a bit to get, but they're apparently worth the effort and investment. There's money to be made with labor-saving devices.
The money saved isn't because the things we then get to buy are cheaper. I don't know many people just socking away their paychecks because of how low the prices are on everything. In fact, there are a lot of people ... too many, in my book ... not socking anything away at all because they spend most of their time looking for a new sock. Theirs is getting a bit threadbare, if you get my drift. It turns out that the labor that was saved, was theirs.
No comments:
Post a Comment