[kristov]

Assuming old stuff is more durable than new stuff: I wonder why older stuff was made to a higher standard? If people had less disposable income back then, why wasnt there an incentive to make low quality cheaper things?

One possible reason is that it's technically difficult to build something that is just strong enough. In the past they were unable predict the failure moment to an accurate degree, so they over engineered everything.

[jdietrich]

>One possible reason is that it's technically difficult to build something that is just strong enough. In the past they were unable predict the failure moment to an accurate degree, so they over engineered everything.

That's mostly the right answer. Value engineering is a complex and constantly evolving discipline, with the most important advance being the proliferation of injection-molded plastics in the 1970s - a single injection-molded part can replace dozens of more expensive pressed, cast or machined parts, albeit often with a reduction in durability.

The other crucial factor is simply attrition bias - the past was full of terrible stuff, we just don't see most of it because it broke and went to landfill.

[mmcwilliams]

Older stuff that is still around was made to a higher standard. There has always been plenty of junk and low quality goods around, they just haven't lasted.