In a strange juxtaposition our culture has simultaneously become more materialistic while making everything more disposable. Clothes are thrown out instead of repaired. Many things--shoes, appliances, furniture, tools, etc.-- are designed not to be repairable. Single use items of all sort are all around us be they for food, comfort, or amusement.

To top it of planned obsolescence is a plague. I know nearly every item in a store had a team of people sit around it's design and debate how long to make it last at price point X so the customer would be satisfied and buy again. Lies and buzzwords fill marketing copy--not a new issue but I don't think anyone expects honesty anymore. Long past are the days of making the best product you can and having the quality attract new consumers.

Not to say I hate cheap things. It is great we can buy things inexpensively. I've even made many more expensive purchases because I've bought a cheaper version of a knife, tool, or garment to see if I like the style and function. Something I would not have been able to do before mass industrialization has taken place.

The balance between speed, quality, and cost has just moved away from it's ideal place. I think we care more about speed and cost than anything. I started making more things I needed by hand a few years back, it's definitely changed the way I look at the world and what I buy to interact with it. Past philosophers have talked about the importance of everyone working with their hands, even if they don't need to. They may have been on to something.