There’s
a proverb called ‘old is gold’, which meant that old things are valuable as
gold and what’s happening with things produced these days proves that quality
is something we lost in the past and what’s in the production today couldn’t
deliver the best and anything we take is out of content and quality. I’m not
denying quite that all things made are useless but less in quality and
quantity. The manufactures produce more than enough things these days and we
aren’t in lack of getting things but do they all make feel content? Lately, I
feel more the quality is something sacrificed on almost everything we purchase. Because I
could obviously see the difference in quality on things bought back (at least
in less than 10 years) and now. For example, my new wheelchair is just 7 months
old and the front wheel tyre is torn out!
I am
using power wheelchair for more than 9 years and until I get the new one lately
I was constantly using a power wheelchair (which was my primary) purchased in
2007. The wheelchair is in good working condition and I use it sometime to keep
in touch and sustain with its comfort, even though its tyres are worn out there
isn’t a piece of damage to them and the joystick is still doing well for even
the wheelchair manufacturers to amaze! Because, they themselves admit the
joysticks provided these days couldn’t last more than 3 years. And I don’t want
to say anything more on it. Even though the technology has advanced they
couldn’t sustain the quality make feel worse.
Other
days on my evening outing in wheelchair I spent some time at my uncle’s
workshop and was amazed to see the plastic chair that was bought in 1990, when
they started the Maruti workshop, still exists without damage. Only its legs
have shortened due to long and excess use. I have seen the chair used for all
sort of activities and many a time the chairs have supported the car engines
during reassemble. But with today’s
chairs we are supposed to be beware sitting, because the chairs aren’t strong
enough like before and a small drag will see its legs bending. So was the
quality of plastic used these days. We had couple of chairs and a stool from
90s and until I got my fracture in 2013, I used the stool for bathing and even
the color of the stool was faded and it came with a damaged leg, but continued
to support without a mishap. We had searched for a similar stood but couldn’t
get a strong one alike anywhere.
I know
there are different kinds of mirrors in market to see our face, in colourful
frames and design… but do u believe I still use an old car wing mirror to see
my face daily. Yes, it was a side view mirror that broken
from a car door, long back, at uncle’s workshop and we have dropped it down
number of times but haven’t see a damage or fading mirror. I mentioning it
mainly because the plastic and the mirror where such standard piece and I
didn’t need a change as any mirror do the same. Another thing that makes me
believe the quality has lost its foot was the Air con machine (split a/c); we
bought at the same time I got my first wheelchair (2007).
Our LG
A/C is more than 9 years old and only last year we are forced to change the
indoor unit due to gas leak but the outer unit (compressor) continues to work
well supporting the second hand Samsung blower unit. I know few people have changed couple of ACs during this period. Ours was so far raised only minor issues and the AC was under annual maintenance contract
(AMC), though it is one of the reasons for its long stability but that alone is
not enough I believe, because if the unit wasn’t a quality content it’s impossible to survive. We bought another AC for my brother in 2013
and before completing a year it witnessed a major problem and the enter coil
unite was changed in the outer unit. And about a year from then, the compressor
goes off and made a huge sum for mending. It all makes clear what kind of
standard we are living.
Could
we replace the Nokia 1100’s stability? Though I know today’s mobiles are
sophisticated but when it comes to calls I think the former is best. Even
though we could manage with certain things that support life from outside, the
food that lack quality is impossible to digest. I really want to say I fear to
intake anything got from the tiffin café or hotels and eat with hesitation that
nothing indigestion should happen. I have experienced trouble having food from
the hotel, but I think its normal thing to happen sometime and another thing I
like to put front is the taste and quantity of food served.
Almost
restaurants have raised their price tag, perhaps, due to economic growth and
increase price of grocery, but why do they reduce the quantity of food? When
the price increases, at least the amount of food should have sustained, right?
The couple of idly and vada got from the hotel couldn’t feel me content and
taste different from one time to another. Though it was perhaps the intention
of restaurant owners to reduce and increase certain things, the naturally gown
Apple deceives me to feel bad. I eat an apple per day and I find the apples
aren’t tastier and easily chewable these days.
We used
to buy apple and other fruits a familiar woman who sells them from a roadside
stall and being a well-known, she only gives us if the fruits were good enough.
The apples don’t expose any damage or insect bite and sometime comes in
delicate pink and dark in red, but until we cut-off we couldn’t guess the
quality inside. Sometime it’s very hard to nibble and taste similar as pears and
futile to eat. I know everything has a market in this world, and there could be
some people projecting what kind of apple should be grow in what quality and
quantity. I believe it’s the hybrid cultivation that keeps the nutrition away…
the apple industry (and any kind of farming these days) seems to focus on only
high yield and don’t care about the quiddity. I feel the content of eating an apple is
possible only if we eat more than two apples… but when I can’t eat a one, how
could this possible.
The complaint
about quality has been in trend for long but I feel it more lately compare with
things available around. I feel very imbalance with this kind of trend where
things become costlier but the quality and quantity couldn’t reach that height.
Thanks for taking time to read my
frustration…
I have often felt that things are no longer made as well as they used to be made. My parents bought a refrigerator when they first got married, and it was still working 70 years later. I don't think a modern refrigerator could come close to that.
ReplyDeleteWe get things for cheaper rates now and many brands have come in all gadgets, either it is TV, fridge or washing machine. But I feel the 'long time use' purpose is not there now. All are 'use & throw' gadgets. Nothing can be repaired for using for a longer time.
ReplyDeleteYour frustration is right.
I think it's the cost of living. We keep increasing the cost of living so fast that manufacturers are forced to make more money by sacrificing quality. That has also created a culture of use-and-throw which damages the environment severely. Most problems can be traced back to our greed.
ReplyDeleteDestination Infinity
I agree, Jeevan. The quality in products has taken a dip downwards. It's like people have lost their sense of pride when they make a product. Like "good enough" is satisfactory them to cash their paychecks and go home at the end of the day. Sad, really.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree Jeevan
ReplyDeleteI hear you loud and clear.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, increasing the price, while not maintaining or improving the quality, is one way to increase the profit :(
Very true. All products especially electrical things lost their quality nowadays...
ReplyDeletesadly, manufacturers are cutting more and more quality materials and replacing with ones that 'just barely get by' to cut costs, improve profit margins. we have become very much a disposable society and it is sad.
ReplyDeleteYou are good at observations of the market today. Over here they raised the price of food and the amount of food. They make more money at the higher price and the customer sometimes just doesn't take the leftovers home with them. Fancier cafes tend to keep shrinking the food size think we are impressed with their fancy presentation. We bought a new waffle iron for nine dollars and that had only gone up a couple of dollars from the one we had bought fifteen years ago. I didn't mind that. It actually is a better waffle iron.
ReplyDeleteJeevan, well written. Just for your information, I am working with people with disabilities. The quality of the materials used 15-20 years ago is nowhere to be found nowadays. Sometimes its really disheartening to see poor parents spend thousands in purchasing things like walkers, manual/powered wheelchairs, buggies etc only to realise that the price does not come with quality. Technically many things have improved, thank you for the researches conducted and improvised technology. But, somewhere along the line, there are 'bloodsuckers' who suck every man's sweat and blood, and trying to erase the very little hope that people with disabilities have on mankind. Capitalists market, capitalizes on another man's desires and pain; but please give a good quality for whatever bargain made.
ReplyDelete