This is one of my biggest externality talking points. That $1400 VCR was made in the USA, could be serviced in the USA, and was built to last a number of years. The $40 VCR that presided over the sunset of the video cassette recorder was made in Puna, couldn't be serviced by anyone, and was built to almost but not quite live out its 90 day warranty.

Yeah - it's great that more Americans could buy more VCRs but they also have to buy more VCRs, which in the end benefits the shipping companies and the overseas manufacturers. 'cuz the inequality where the workers live is off the chain and the VCRs, while they're improving it a little, aren't causing as much global wealth increase as they're causing local wealth decrease.

Cars reflect a super-accelerated increase in standards but they also reflect a massive globalization and dilution of local markets. We might be getting a better deal... but a Yaris right now is a Cadillac in 1967. Shit be spendy. Adjusted for inflation a '66 mustang convertible was like $14k.