Best mis-matched pair...

[lordkenmore]

> when they bought things, they took care of them to make them last

Yes. And once upon a time, people seemed to be more willing to repair something that was broken, which also accounts for things lasting. A lot of times now something breaks, and the immediate reaction is "why bother fixing? Let's just buy new!"

 

[delaneymeegan]

" A lot of times now something breaks, and the immediate reaction is "why bother fixing? Let's just buy new!""

So, what came first, I wonder.
The throw away attitude of the consumer,
OR
the manufacturers push to make products that were essentially throw-away.

People change as generations evolve. Even if a product doesn't change. Newer generations tend to take for granted products that their relatives thought were special.