Overpriced things
Who would pay $169 (2 pack) or $79 for toothbrushes? $199 or $89 for shavers? These are not a good buy despite being sold at Costco. Something that I’ve noticed again and again is how much things cost in the United States while offering less value, such as housing near schools in major cities (with roommates) going for $1500 per month compared to a higher quality apartment going for $400-$800 in German cities. Though there is an income difference, Americans get shockingly low quality for how much they pay.
Philips toothbrushes have become enshittified over a generation. They’re lighter (smaller battery to cut costs) and the vibration feels cheaper too, yet it’s sold as the same model. It doesn’t even come with a wall plug now.
Xiaomi now offers a very competitive toothbrush for less than half of the price of Philips, but it doesn’t seem to be found on Amazon. It charges with USB-C (no base, so better for travel) and is high quality. This is five times less than the cheapest Costco toothbrush which comes bundled with a bunch of random features that nobody uses.
Will other countries still maintain a similar level of quality in their goods? That is to be seen. But it is clear that the rent extraction phase is ongoing in the world. IKEA and Uniqlo have all gone down in quality.
Most things aren’t that expensive, people just make bad decisions
You can get grass-fed meat for $4 to $5 a pound if you know where to look and buy in bulk. You should buy meat based on the health of the animal, not based on the cut (Prime cuts make no sense in this framework).
People tear down trees and nature and put up manicured lawns that cost money.
People remove quality hardwood and put in shitty laminate flooring that looks like plastic and has this terrible sheen to it.