When did all the fun stuff go upscale? (Possible @)

[Velar Fricative]

Jul 17, 2023 10:22:07 GMT -5 wanderingback said:

This is how I somewhat justify living in a hcol haha. Probably doesn’t make sense, but I could probably spend zero dollars on entertainment for the rest of my life because there are so many free things that happen here on a daily basis. Museums, concerts, sports, classes, etc. Plus there’s public transportation so if you want to go out to the suburbs for other entertainment or the beach for the day, etc, you can get there. At least that’s how I justify paying $5300 in rent per month haha.

I was just going to point this out about living in NYC. There is so much free or low-cost shit to do here. BUT, you then have to be able to figure out a way to afford living here. However, when people question why poorer people just don't leave if they can't afford to not share an apartment with multiple families or live in substandard or public housing...well, that goes back to the free or low-cost access to services, transportation, free education starting at age 3, culture, etc. 

[Velar Fricative]

It is really awful. Services (including leisure) are basically the one area where inflation doesn't appear to be abating according to reports I've read/heard.

It seems like companies are taking advantage of the post-covid desire to travel and do fun things again.

[Velar Fricative]

Jul 17, 2023 11:24:45 GMT -5 waverly said:

@@@@

I grew up in rural lower to mid middle class. Until about age 13, we did not eat out maybe once every 3 months and we did not attend events. For 1 thing there were no events within driving distance unless we wanted to drive at least an hour. My parents stayed within their budget. We camped every summer for family vacation and this meant staying at the campground no tourist outings, and my grandparents paid for us to go to Florida to visit them every winter. I did dance once a week, girl scouts, and piano one year. No majorly expensive sports.

Nowadays, I live in a middle to HCOL suburban area. 99% of people are constantly posting pictures of their activities and vacations. No one is ever home and constantly going to activities whether it is club sports, rec sports, museum, zoo, family activities more more more. Being busy is a badge of honor. I don't have an issue being busy. But, I also love just chilling at home and doing nothing and that is very much outside the cultural norm in our area. We don't do a ton of activities, but if we do it adds up to $100 a pop pretty much immediately.

I think the fact that people post it is the visual wealth thing. But I think that they either feel pressure to constantly entertain themselves and their kids because kids can be annoying constantly at home and not busy, but what I've found is that if others are constantly trying to entertain themselves also then the kids don't have anyone to play with because the family is gone all summer. I've noticed it is more pronounced in the summer as people travel more. So we have some neighbors who are around and the kids are available to play and others that low key ghost us until September again.

For everything we are talking about in this thread so far but particularly to your points, I blame social media for warping our sense of what's necessary and creating this huge sense of FOMO. And yes, Reagan too lol. 

[dontlook]

Jul 17, 2023 11:55:35 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Jul 17, 2023 11:24:45 GMT -5 waverly said:

@@@@

I grew up in rural lower to mid middle class. Until about age 13, we did not eat out maybe once every 3 months and we did not attend events. For 1 thing there were no events within driving distance unless we wanted to drive at least an hour. My parents stayed within their budget. We camped every summer for family vacation and this meant staying at the campground no tourist outings, and my grandparents paid for us to go to Florida to visit them every winter. I did dance once a week, girl scouts, and piano one year. No majorly expensive sports.

Nowadays, I live in a middle to HCOL suburban area. 99% of people are constantly posting pictures of their activities and vacations. No one is ever home and constantly going to activities whether it is club sports, rec sports, museum, zoo, family activities more more more. Being busy is a badge of honor. I don't have an issue being busy. But, I also love just chilling at home and doing nothing and that is very much outside the cultural norm in our area. We don't do a ton of activities, but if we do it adds up to $100 a pop pretty much immediately.

I think the fact that people post it is the visual wealth thing. But I think that they either feel pressure to constantly entertain themselves and their kids because kids can be annoying constantly at home and not busy, but what I've found is that if others are constantly trying to entertain themselves also then the kids don't have anyone to play with because the family is gone all summer. I've noticed it is more pronounced in the summer as people travel more. So we have some neighbors who are around and the kids are available to play and others that low key ghost us until September again.

For everything we are talking about in this thread so far but particularly to your points, I blame social media for warping our sense of what's necessary and creating this huge sense of FOMO. And yes, Reagan too lol. 

@@@it is SO hard to feel like we aren’t having a lame summer but I just can’t keep up.

The zoo is $87 for me and 3 kids. Bowling is out of the question. We only go the movie on Mondays because it’s $4.50 a ticket. The kids get a small $5 small pack each (popcorn, candy, drink).

We swim a lot because summer passes are $20 per person.

I want to take them to an amusement park but the cost plus the high likelihood that one of my kids will be crying at any given moment isn’t worth it.

I’m saving for the state fair at the end of the summer because it will easily be $300.

I’m asking for memberships for birthdays and Christmas so we can have stuff to do next summer.

I’m basically over it lol!

[cap]

Jul 17, 2023 11:55:35 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Jul 17, 2023 11:24:45 GMT -5 waverly said:

@@@@

I grew up in rural lower to mid middle class. Until about age 13, we did not eat out maybe once every 3 months and we did not attend events. For 1 thing there were no events within driving distance unless we wanted to drive at least an hour. My parents stayed within their budget. We camped every summer for family vacation and this meant staying at the campground no tourist outings, and my grandparents paid for us to go to Florida to visit them every winter. I did dance once a week, girl scouts, and piano one year. No majorly expensive sports.

Nowadays, I live in a middle to HCOL suburban area. 99% of people are constantly posting pictures of their activities and vacations. No one is ever home and constantly going to activities whether it is club sports, rec sports, museum, zoo, family activities more more more. Being busy is a badge of honor. I don't have an issue being busy. But, I also love just chilling at home and doing nothing and that is very much outside the cultural norm in our area. We don't do a ton of activities, but if we do it adds up to $100 a pop pretty much immediately.

I think the fact that people post it is the visual wealth thing. But I think that they either feel pressure to constantly entertain themselves and their kids because kids can be annoying constantly at home and not busy, but what I've found is that if others are constantly trying to entertain themselves also then the kids don't have anyone to play with because the family is gone all summer. I've noticed it is more pronounced in the summer as people travel more. So we have some neighbors who are around and the kids are available to play and others that low key ghost us until September again.

For everything we are talking about in this thread so far but particularly to your points, I blame social media for warping our sense of what's necessary and creating this huge sense of FOMO. And yes, Reagan too lol. 

I agree with pretty much all of this and the impact of social media - it's like keeping up with the Jones on steroids. It also makes me think about the over-the-top themed parties for any sort of event with all sorts of custom-made things that cost a lot and will very likely only get used once. It's crazy, both because of the cost and the environmental impact. We also don't do a lot of activities because of the cost. We probably could afford to do more than we do, but we'd prefer to save and/or spend our money elsewhere. 

[noodleoo]

@@@
Yes!!! Thank you for saying this because I always feel like we are so cheap compared to everyone else we know. We don’t do much and I whenever I try to I get sticker shock. My kids are still little (4.5 and 8) and mainly with DD2, it isn’t worth spending so much on activities yet since she’s still so young. Yet many of my friends da with similar aged kids have done Disney multiple times, several international trips, Broadway shows, etc. Even the town pool is $1200 for a membership that’s good for basically 2 months (short summer in NE). I have no idea how they afford it and my theory is parental financial help.

I keep saying we will do more stuff when the kids are older, but then I feel guilty putting things off after Covid shut down life for 3 years. It sucks and I have been depressed this summer wondering if I should go back to work full time so we can make more money. We spent $1k on a hotel to go to the beach for a weekend and then it rained the whole time. I feel like we can’t win.

[Velar Fricative]

Even the Mouse is feeling the hurt with smaller crowds: www.cbsnews.com/news/disney-world-cost-attendance-down-ron-desantis/

[eddy]

I also will admit this is where social media is bad for me. I absolutely experience FOMO when I see other people's experiences. I LOVE seeing people's trips for example. Genuinely enjoy following along. But it definatley impacts me in thinking I should also be out doing all the things.

H and I have increased our income by a good amount since covid plus got rid of some regular bills like student loans, car loans etc. But we definately are feeling squeezed more financially. It is travel we have finally realized and we now have to cut back, which is depressing. All of our trips have cost way more than we anticipated each time. We unfortunately can't keep it up. We also are upper class according to those calculators and have pretty modest fixed costs. The difference is what we are spending on travel these days despite not elevating the types of trips we are taking. Since it doesn't appear these costs are going to let up, we just have to adjust our expecations on what we can afford.

[eddy]

Jul 17, 2023 12:17:40 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Even the Mouse is feeling the hurt with smaller crowds: www.cbsnews.com/news/disney-world-cost-attendance-down-ron-desantis/

We went in November and legit spent twice as much as when we went in 2018. Pretty similar trips and actually the 2018 trip was one day longer.

[wawa]

So...yes, inflation, etc etc.  But that's not really the same as the kind of thing that they're talking about in the OP link though.  That businesses are focusing on their upscale offerings because there's enough demand to make their money without "catering to the masses" so fuck offering a cheap ticket with less perks, everythign is just $100+ out of the gate.

The car issue where companies aren't even MAKING an affordable little hatchback that still has power windows. 
The issue where every condo being built is a "luxury unit" because who in their right mind spends millions upon millions on a development project to build just like....houses.  theyr'e all LUXURY houses.  (unless forced to build MPDU's, and even then...doesn't help the middle class folks above those income cutoffs who just want a normal place to live with 3 BR's and 2.5 baths and a normal kitchen)
The (less of a pressing) issue where there's no dollar or $5 tables at a casino because it's all $100 min bets.
Movie theaters have real food and reclining seats instead of cheap ass popcorn and terrible folding chairs and tickets cost $25+ instead of $12.  (hell...we had a dollar theater when I was a teen.  man, that place was STICKY.  but cheap!  we went all the time!  Even in the time of streaming I'd still go!  Movie theaters are fun dammit)

The actual offerings have changed in a lot of ways, and the entry level option with fewer bells and whistles just doesn't exist anymore.  

So inflation is why the normal janky minigolf place at the shore with the broken dino is $150 for a family of 4.  But this other issue...this weird luxury is now standard thing, is why topgolf is growing like crazy.


(@ some whining re: the inflation thing though - Shorti is slowly outgrowing the kid menu and Sizzli isn't far behind her, and OMG it's a big sticker shock to go from two adult meals and two kid meals to four fucking adult meals when we go out on top of the general inflation of food/restaurant prices.)

[sonrisa]

Another cultural pressure was the "experiences not things" plus minimalism push a few years ago. It switched people's mindset to the idea that an expensive activity is worth it, even though it's fleeting. Add to it the rise fo social media and now any experience can be something you share widely and brag about, also making it seem less fleeting (especially the FOMO of seeing other people's experiences can feel more constant and less fleeting). The pendulum has swung back to more things, but people still expect to do a lot of activities.

[Jalapeñomel]

Jul 17, 2023 11:24:45 GMT -5 waverly said:

@@@@

I grew up in rural lower to mid middle class. Until about age 13, we did not eat out maybe once every 3 months and we did not attend events. For 1 thing there were no events within driving distance unless we wanted to drive at least an hour. My parents stayed within their budget. We camped every summer for family vacation and this meant staying at the campground no tourist outings, and my grandparents paid for us to go to Florida to visit them every winter. I did dance once a week, girl scouts, and piano one year. No majorly expensive sports.

Nowadays, I live in a middle to HCOL suburban area. 99% of people are constantly posting pictures of their activities and vacations. No one is ever home and constantly going to activities whether it is club sports, rec sports, museum, zoo, family activities more more more. Being busy is a badge of honor. I don't have an issue being busy. But, I also love just chilling at home and doing nothing and that is very much outside the cultural norm in our area. We don't do a ton of activities, but if we do it adds up to $100 a pop pretty much immediately.

I think the fact that people post it is the visual wealth thing. But I think that they either feel pressure to constantly entertain themselves and their kids because kids can be annoying constantly at home and not busy, but what I've found is that if others are constantly trying to entertain themselves also then the kids don't have anyone to play with because the family is gone all summer. I've noticed it is more pronounced in the summer as people travel more. So we have some neighbors who are around and the kids are available to play and others that low key ghost us until September again.

Also, it was ingrained in us as kids that if you aren’t busy, you’re lazy. There’s really no middle ground, it seems.

[Velar Fricative]

Yeah, per wawa 's post,the main point is you have to pay "luxury prices" to do or buy anything that didn't used to cost luxury prices, increasing the gap between the haves and have-nots even further. Because let's face it, most of us here on these boards are still keeping up to some degree whether we can actually afford to or not. We're just stomaching these increases and potentially cutting other things (or accruing debt). This is probably why Shein and Temu are all the rage these days.

ETA: Also I'm giggling about the sticky movie theaters. So true though.

[penguingrrl]

Jul 17, 2023 12:19:42 GMT -5 wawa said:

So...yes, inflation, etc etc.  But that's not really the same as the kind of thing that they're talking about in the OP link though.  That businesses are focusing on their upscale offerings because there's enough demand to make their money without "catering to the masses" so fuck offering a cheap ticket with less perks, everythign is just $100+ out of the gate.

The car issue where companies aren't even MAKING an affordable little hatchback that still has power windows. 
The issue where every condo being built is a "luxury unit" because who in their right mind spends millions upon millions on a development project to build just like....houses.  theyr'e all LUXURY houses.  (unless forced to build MPDU's, and even then...doesn't help the middle class folks above those income cutoffs who just want a normal place to live with 3 BR's and 2.5 baths and a normal kitchen)
The (less of a pressing) issue where there's no dollar or $5 tables at a casino because it's all $100 min bets.
Movie theaters have real food and reclining seats instead of cheap ass popcorn and terrible folding chairs and tickets cost $25+ instead of $12.  (hell...we had a dollar theater when I was a teen.  man, that place was STICKY.  but cheap!  we went all the time!  Even in the time of streaming I'd still go!  Movie theaters are fun dammit)

The actual offerings have changed in a lot of ways, and the entry level option with fewer bells and whistles just doesn't exist anymore.  

So inflation is why the normal janky minigolf place at the shore with the broken dino is $150 for a family of 4.  But this other issue...this weird luxury is now standard thing, is why topgolf is growing like crazy.


(@ some whining re: the inflation thing though - Shorti is slowly outgrowing the kid menu and Sizzli isn't far behind her, and OMG it's a big sticker shock to go from two adult meals and two kid meals to four fucking adult meals when we go out on top of the general inflation of food/restaurant prices.)

I was just thinking about that recently. The cheap movie theater by me is still inexpensive, but only shows indie films instead of being the later release place for blockbusters. Seeing a mainstream film requires going to the place that has upscale food and huge comfy seats and a massive price tag, so we just don’t go. But it stinks because I love going to the movies. All the middle grade theaters have closed so either you can afford $$$$ or you’re left out.

My lease in my vehicle was up and we decided to downsize and it was hard to get smaller and cheaper. I ended up with a mini copper (which I love) because nobody else offered a small 4 door hatchback, which was what I wanted. Everything said that 75% of cars sold in the US this year would be SUVs but I think that’s because that’s all that’s offered, not necessarily because it’s what the public wants. And really, it’s also related to there still being limits on chips so manufacturers are prioritizing the most lucrative models for them, not prioritizing the needs and budgets of customers.

But every new housing development is also billed as luxury, and the squeezing out of regular people just feels so visible.

[waverly]

@@@

Jalapeñomel, this is true. I took it to mean busy as in working at job or cleaning the house, but I can see how people interpret it even farther as if they aren't "busy" with their kids that they are lazy parents or the kids aren't busy then the kids are lazy. I do like keeping the kids a little busy so they aren't on screen time all the time, but a better approach might just be stricter screen rules.

We did every free hike/ walk available in our area during Covid, so not a ton of interest in those free outdoor activities at the moment. DH in particular struggles with relaxing at home. If we are home, he immediately turns it into chore time.

I also agree with the experiences not things cultural push.

[Velar Fricative]

Jul 17, 2023 12:34:13 GMT -5 penguingrrl said:

Jul 17, 2023 12:19:42 GMT -5 wawa said:

But every new housing development is also billed as luxury, and the squeezing out of regular people just feels so visible.

I think they were banking on people living in less luxurious homes upgrading to these luxury homes to then free up those older less luxurious homes for people trying to enter the market, buuuuuuuuuut as long as interest rates are the way that they are most people are staying put, especially if they don't have a significant true need for additional space or amenities. Also, buying, selling and/or moving sucks - I'd never do it if I didn't absolutely, positively need to. 

[tacokick]

I think the lack of lower end options is everywhere too. We have a small house with a limiting floor plan. I can’t get the giant plush wrap around sofa or the massive fridge or the jumbo tv and it’s really hard to find other options that used to be just standard if on the lower/middle end.

It was so hard to find a fridge without an ice maker so that would literally fit in our front door. They are all so big and with so many features! I always feel like it’s more to break too.

[krystee]

We bought concert tickets for the other week because they were on sale for $25. But when we got there, parking was $25 (it used to be free for most events at that venue) and H ordered a margarita, which didn’t have a price listed, and it was THIRTY DOLLARS. I about passed out.

We planned on maybe a $125 night with w $60 dinner, the $50 tickets and a drink, and that felt like a splurge for date night. Instead, we spent almost $240.

[wawa]

I thought this section of the article was particularly interesting (why is this happening):

Perhaps it reflects the ongoing bifurcation of Americans into two growing groups, rich and poor, and away from the postwar middle-class consumer society. That development has been cited as one of the factors behind the decline of popular and affordable department stores like Macy’s and J.C. Penney.



Companies may also simply be displaying a combination of corporate greed and short-termism, as executives laser in on their most lucrative offerings rather than the longer, slower process of grabbing market share.



But in other places, this upscaling may simply be a natural development as pent-up post-pandemic demand outplaces supply—at least temporarily, in businesses (like Vegas Strip casinos, theme parks, or auto plants) where it’s not that easy for new competitors to undercut established players.

I feel like the answer is probably D all of the above.  

But #1 and #2 definitely fall in the Fuck Reagan category.

[ssmjlm]

RE-cars, we were just having this conversation with my parents. My dad doesn't want a car that has a ton of bells and whistles and yet everything is a touch screen. Saftey features are one thing, but for example, cars default to music through your phone and he just wants the radio.

[rubytue]

Man, I haven’t thought about the $1 second run movie theater in years. But it was awesomely sticky.

Last movie we saw, we commented on the recliners vs the rat infested theater we use to go to (that wasn’t the second run). I do like recliners in the theater. And I’ll admit, I hadn’t really thought of how that makes the movies even more exclusive, just chalked my $40 tickets to inflation. Which is, I guess, what they want. The same way everyone blames inflation for the whole inflation, but yet corporate profits are also skyrocketing.

[wawa]

Jul 17, 2023 12:58:38 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

RE-cars, we were just having this conversation with my parents. My dad doesn't want a car that has a ton of bells and whistles and yet everything is a touch screen. Saftey features are one thing, but for example, cars default to music through your phone and he just wants the radio.

I'm goign to be really sad when our 2012 truck kicks the bucket and we no longer have a vehicle with a CD player. The process of buying our little camry was fucking stupid, and we ended up with a cheaper car than we'd budgeted for because we refused to pay for a package that included the upgraded 12" infotainment screen and giant rims because THEY MAKE THE CAR WORSE STOP IT. I'd have liked leather seats, but once you got to that level there were a fuckton of extraneous bells and whistles I didn't want or need.

I do have some level of hope that the touch screens in cars will start swinging back the other way. it's one of the (many) things that NHTSA has dropped the ball on, but those fucking screens are less safe than a knob or a button you can use without looking and they need to go away, at the very least for things like controlling the A/C and heat.

[EvieEthelGarland]

When I was a kid, my dad would would take me to about 12 MLB games a season. They were nose bleed seats, but we were there. My kid has been once on tickets I got for free from work. Otherwise, its minor league (which is a lot more fun anyway!). We'd go to Disneyland at least once a year and SeaWorld all the time with an annual pass, but there is no way I could do that now even though I make a lot more than my parents ever did. My first car was a $4500 toyota tercel I was given as a senior--vinyl seats, no A/C, 4 speed manual, no cupholders--and it was one of my favorite cars. I spent almost as much on DS's mountain bike. To buy him a car at the same price adjusted for inflation, I'm probably looking at something with 150k miles on it.

I am so grateful DS is happier being outdoors. I have a free lifetime national park disability pass that covers all federal lands and a $30 annual state park pass and together that covers the bulk of his recreation. I am so glad he never got into sports past the rec level and is done with daycamps now-the place we went has cut their offerings and charges 2.5 as much from pre COVID.

Those of us in our 40s got screwed, but those of you in your 30s are getting effed. How much longer can this hold?

[rubytue]

Jul 17, 2023 13:11:23 GMT -5 wawa said:

Jul 17, 2023 12:58:38 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

RE-cars, we were just having this conversation with my parents. My dad doesn't want a car that has a ton of bells and whistles and yet everything is a touch screen. Saftey features are one thing, but for example, cars default to music through your phone and he just wants the radio.

I'm goign to be really sad when our 2012 truck kicks the bucket and we no longer have a vehicle with a CD player. The process of buying our little camry was fucking stupid, and we ended up with a cheaper car than we'd budgeted for because we refused to pay for a package that included the upgraded 12" infotainment screen and giant rims because THEY MAKE THE CAR WORSE STOP IT. I'd have liked leather seats, but once you got to that level there were a fuckton of extraneous bells and whistles I didn't want or need.

I do have some level of hope that the touch screens in cars will start swinging back the other way. it's one of the (many) things that NHTSA has dropped the ball on, but those fucking screens are less safe than a knob or a button you can use without looking and they need to go away, at the very least for things like controlling the A/C and heat.

Yes yes yes! Haptic feedback is essential. These damn touchscreens where you have to concentrate on something off the road to, you know, open the glove box. Come on Tesla. 

[penguingrrl]

Jul 17, 2023 12:39:01 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Jul 17, 2023 12:34:13 GMT -5 penguingrrl said:

But every new housing development is also billed as luxury, and the squeezing out of regular people just feels so visible.

I think they were banking on people living in less luxurious homes upgrading to these luxury homes to then free up those older less luxurious homes for people trying to enter the market, buuuuuuuuuut as long as interest rates are the way that they are most people are staying put, especially if they don't have a significant true need for additional space or amenities. Also, buying, selling and/or moving sucks - I'd never do it if I didn't absolutely, positively need to. 

I always forget that people “upgrade “ their homes. We bought once ever and barring something catastrophic with Hs job we never plan to move again (we moved often as renters), and our parents were the same way.

[ssmjlm]

@@@

90% of the time we go to the movies early on a Sunday when it's cheap (and quiet). My kid doesn't care and it saves a little bit of money.

[sent]

Jul 17, 2023 13:26:36 GMT -5 rubytue said:

Jul 17, 2023 13:11:23 GMT -5 wawa said:

I'm goign to be really sad when our 2012 truck kicks the bucket and we no longer have a vehicle with a CD player. The process of buying our little camry was fucking stupid, and we ended up with a cheaper car than we'd budgeted for because we refused to pay for a package that included the upgraded 12" infotainment screen and giant rims because THEY MAKE THE CAR WORSE STOP IT. I'd have liked leather seats, but once you got to that level there were a fuckton of extraneous bells and whistles I didn't want or need.

I do have some level of hope that the touch screens in cars will start swinging back the other way. it's one of the (many) things that NHTSA has dropped the ball on, but those fucking screens are less safe than a knob or a button you can use without looking and they need to go away, at the very least for things like controlling the A/C and heat.

Yes yes yes! Haptic feedback is essential. These damn touchscreens where you have to concentrate on something off the road to, you know, open the glove box. Come on Tesla. 

We bought our Acura in 2012 and it had a dial. We said "oh, no touchscreen?" and were disappointed because it seemed like it should've been a touch screen. The sales guy said there was only 1 car at the time that had one, a Mercedes I think, and that they weren't really a thing because the dial was safer. And here we are, wishing for things to go back to the way they were. 

I feel like every new build in the NYC metro has been billed as a "luxury" house/apartment/condo/whatever ever since I was an adult. So that was in 2005, right around the time of the first run of "zomg so much money everywhere" in my lifetime. 

I haven't read the article yet so I will add more later.

Also wawa, I am dying at Shorti and Sizzli. 

[lilac05]

We have noticed & talked a lot about this as a family. We are not a “bells and whistles” family, and it’s getting harder to find just basic stuff.

@@
We also talk about this, though, in terms of things like lemonade stands. Would you rather sell 20 cups of lemonade at $1 a piece or 40 cups of lemonade at $.50 each (or whatever it would be to have the same profit at a lower cost per item). Most places are choosing fewer people and higher profit per person than more people at less profit per person. Because the almighty dollar wins every time, and entertaining fewer people is easier and cheaper. They just keep raising the prices until they hit a breaking point. Disney may be getting close to hitting it. Between prices that continue to skyrocket (and ALL of the add-on options!) plus DeSantis’s involvement, it might be a little bumpy for a bit for them. (Enough people feel the need to keep up with the Joneses that they’ll just KOKO, but they’re already bringing back dining packages, which makes people feel like they’re getting a deal.)

We do have one movie theater here in town that is nice (brand new reclining seats), but keeps prices low. The owner makes no bones about it that he wants to make going to the theater still affordable for as many people as possible. I admire that. He could easily charge twice as much for the tickets and concessions and market the theater as a bougie locally owned boutique theater, but affordable family theater is his goal. It’s a true rarity.

[macmars45]

Jul 17, 2023 13:26:36 GMT -5 rubytue said:

Jul 17, 2023 13:11:23 GMT -5 wawa said:

I'm goign to be really sad when our 2012 truck kicks the bucket and we no longer have a vehicle with a CD player. The process of buying our little camry was fucking stupid, and we ended up with a cheaper car than we'd budgeted for because we refused to pay for a package that included the upgraded 12" infotainment screen and giant rims because THEY MAKE THE CAR WORSE STOP IT. I'd have liked leather seats, but once you got to that level there were a fuckton of extraneous bells and whistles I didn't want or need.

I do have some level of hope that the touch screens in cars will start swinging back the other way. it's one of the (many) things that NHTSA has dropped the ball on, but those fucking screens are less safe than a knob or a button you can use without looking and they need to go away, at the very least for things like controlling the A/C and heat.

Yes yes yes! Haptic feedback is essential. These damn touchscreens where you have to concentrate on something off the road to, you know, open the glove box. Come on Tesla. 

We have a Tesla and a Chevy Bolt. I vastly prefer the Bolt because I don't need to mess with a screen to open the glove box, change the temp etc.

[wawa]

Jul 17, 2023 14:16:48 GMT -5 lilac05 said:

We have noticed & talked a lot about this as a family. We are not a “bells and whistles” family, and it’s getting harder to find just basic stuff.

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We also talk about this, though, in terms of things like lemonade stands. Would you rather sell 20 cups of lemonade at $1 a piece or 40 cups of lemonade at $.50 each (or whatever it would be to have the same profit at a lower cost per item). Most places are choosing fewer people and higher profit per person than more people at less profit per person. Because the almighty dollar wins every time, and entertaining fewer people is easier and cheaper. They just keep raising the prices until they hit a breaking point. Disney may be getting close to hitting it. Between prices that continue to skyrocket (and ALL of the add-on options!) plus DeSantis’s involvement, it might be a little bumpy for a bit for them. (Enough people feel the need to keep up with the Joneses that they’ll just KOKO, but they’re already bringing back dining packages, which makes people feel like they’re getting a deal.)

We do have one movie theater here in town that is nice (brand new reclining seats), but keeps prices low. The owner makes no bones about it that he wants to make going to the theater still affordable for as many people as possible. I admire that. He could easily charge twice as much for the tickets and concessions and market the theater as a bougie locally owned boutique theater, but affordable family theater is his goal. It’s a true rarity.

That is an amazing resource.  Bless him. 

I think so much of how we are broken comes back to the whole approach of publicly owned companies and how they are run and governed.  The fiduciary duty of a board/ceo/whatever to maximize stockholder value.  Like, that's what they are  REQUIRED to do, because capitalism is a fucked up system.  I remember learning that was a real thing and it blowing my mind.  (a long time ago)  Like, somebody running a company could do the "right" thing and take a hit to their profits (but still run in the black) and pay their people more, and invest in the long term health of the company, and make a better product, and care about their environmental impact.....but then when they don't post record breaking sales quarter after quarter and the stock drops they'd get ousted by the board or the board would get ousted by the majority stockholders until they found people who DGAF about any of those things and want only to maximize profit like God intended.  Amen.

If somehow that could just go the fuck away, that'd be swell. I'm sure smart people have thoughts about how that could happen. Are any of them actually like...real things?  Like that somebody could propose a law about?