Americans increasingly prefer replacing broken items instead of repairing them due to the convenience, affordability of new products, and a shift away from a repair culture. This change was accelerated by postwar consumerism and modern advertising, which have fostered a throwaway mentality. With looming tariffs and inflation concerns, repair may become a more attractive option. However, changing ingrained habits of replacement poses a challenge, especially as new items are marketed as cheaper and more innovative compared to traditional repairs.
The long and short of why we don't fix things anymore is that it's easy not to. New is often cheaper, faster, and more exciting than repairing the old.
This throwaway replacement mentality has definitely increased dramatically," said Nathan Proctor, who heads a right-to-repair campaign for the US Public Interest Research Group.
When our phones, washing machines, or jeans show even a remote sign of wear, the path of least resistance is to replace them.
If Americans want to avoid tariff-driven price jumps, they may want to put down their credit cards and pick up some duct tape or a screwdriver.
Collection
[
|
...
]