Chinese products
I have never been a fan of Chinese products. Let me get that out of the way right now. I find that they are very often poorly made, use inferior materials and are often lacking in the design department, both in functionality and general utility.
That being said, I find the large amount of news stories about garbage Chinese products to be quite interesting. Would you like lead paint on your children's toys? Toxins in your toothpaste? Unsafe tires? Or just some food unfit for human consumption?
It's a neverending story really. It's nice to see that the media has finally caught on about the garbage being shipped over by the containerload to this continent. Just what we need, more landfill. Is our society not wasteful enough?
In our mad rush to get a great deal, we're effectively saving ourselves to death. I would love to see an end to the Wal-Mart mentality, but I'm not sure that will happen anytime soon. That mentality spans the consumers, the retailers and the suppliers. Everyone is so greedy, either wanting the best deal or to make the most profit that they cut corners, using unsafe materials or designs. It's pathetic, and it needs to end.
When are people going to realize that going the "cheapest" route really is more expensive? It's the same old thing: price vs value. The lowest price is not always the best value. Sure, you could buy $10 shoes from China every month, but they kill your feet and eventually your back. They're landfill in short order. Why not buy some European shoes for $200 or more that will actually last you for several years? I've got some I still wear and they're over seven years old. Back then I paid $175 for them. They're cheaper and better in the long run.
It's funny that people are so pissed about the dangerous products coming over here. I guess nobody believes the old saying: you get what you pay for. Perhaps we're getting more than we bargained for in terms of toxic landfill though.
That being said, I find the large amount of news stories about garbage Chinese products to be quite interesting. Would you like lead paint on your children's toys? Toxins in your toothpaste? Unsafe tires? Or just some food unfit for human consumption?
It's a neverending story really. It's nice to see that the media has finally caught on about the garbage being shipped over by the containerload to this continent. Just what we need, more landfill. Is our society not wasteful enough?
In our mad rush to get a great deal, we're effectively saving ourselves to death. I would love to see an end to the Wal-Mart mentality, but I'm not sure that will happen anytime soon. That mentality spans the consumers, the retailers and the suppliers. Everyone is so greedy, either wanting the best deal or to make the most profit that they cut corners, using unsafe materials or designs. It's pathetic, and it needs to end.
When are people going to realize that going the "cheapest" route really is more expensive? It's the same old thing: price vs value. The lowest price is not always the best value. Sure, you could buy $10 shoes from China every month, but they kill your feet and eventually your back. They're landfill in short order. Why not buy some European shoes for $200 or more that will actually last you for several years? I've got some I still wear and they're over seven years old. Back then I paid $175 for them. They're cheaper and better in the long run.
It's funny that people are so pissed about the dangerous products coming over here. I guess nobody believes the old saying: you get what you pay for. Perhaps we're getting more than we bargained for in terms of toxic landfill though.
posted by Alain Saffel at
9:07 AM
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