The myth of the indulgent flatscreen TV society

homelessskilledworker

Joeskeppi wrote: »

Sigh, always the same.

Bah as in, I wasted my time posting it.

Don't sigh

I do appreciate the fact that you ackowledged it this time:)

Small steps

FTBFun

homelessskilledworker wrote: »

I would sooner pluck my armpits.:)

What a strange euphemism.

Loughton_Monkey

homelessskilledworker wrote: »

Can someone remind me again how flatscreen TV's are preventing young adults from buying their own home, I have just picked up the most amazing TV ever for less than a mornings work.

Well despite having enough money to buy any reasonable thing I want, I still have the old 18" deep Samsung 25 inch in the corner of our lounge....

The answer to your question, though, might be what's underneath. In my case, it's a Virgin Cable box for which I have to pay £17 a month (for the TV, in addition to about £50 for broadband and telephone). Those on benefits can, of course, afford to pay a lot more for Sky Sports, and probably another couple of boxes in the kids' bedrooms....

Of course I have 3 or 4 other TV's in other parts of the house, all of which are flat screen, but £99.99 is top whack I will pay and I get new not second hand. Why buy a second hand TV that may have been contaminated by Eastenders or any other soap?

System

The worst thing about CRTs was lifting the !!!!!!s. I had a 28inch ish one that weighs the same as a small car. It's still in the shed, I doubt I'll ever muster the energy to get it to a tip.

chewmylegoff

homelessskilledworker wrote: »

I have just picked up the most amazing TV ever for less than a mornings work.

pretty sure that a 32" flatscreen that cost £100 second hand is not "the most amazing TV ever". i feel pretty confident that if i go down john lewis with £10,000 then i will be able to land something better.

Percy1983

THe young people can't afford houses due to xyz tech arguement has always annoyed me, yes many young (and old) waste money on iphones etc. But as a general rule tech gets cheaper and better so deal with it.

I can confirm my 40" LCD never stopped me buying a house, it just got relegated to the bedroom once in the house to make way for a 47" 3D LCD.

J_i_m

With any of this kind of pop tech it's possible to get something at a "cheap" price be it via eBay, charity shops, 2nd hand shops or simply getting a relatively basic no frills example from your local supermarket.

The reason you can get a relatively basic no frills model brand new from the local supermarket is that the manufacturers are constantly developing and upgrading the technology with indecent regularity. Therefore things are superseded very quickly hence their quick depreciation in value and "not being built to last".

Invariably the latest models of such tech are still quite expensive often with eye watering price tags that any reasonable person would admit could be better spent on the essentials i.e food, utility bills etc.

Inevitably though being seen with the latest tech becomes a bit of a status and fashion thing and people sometimes ending up buying things that they can't strictly afford hence taking out credit, selling previous tech to fund the upgrade or the more extreme example of spending benefits on top sized plasma flat screens, mobile phones and playstations for the kids instead of using it to pay the rent and bills.

I think this may have had something to do with the origin of such terms as "indulgent flatscreen TV society" because although their prices may be "cheap" to you the majority of people probably aren't in the position of earning £500+ for a "mornings work".

But yes it is indulgent and no, it's not needed.

Eellogofusciouhipoppokunu

Graham_Devon wrote: »

Though amusingly, my nephew the other day pointed to my CRT upstairs and said "what's that?!".

What was your young nephew doing in your bedroom?

wotsthat

homelessskilledworker wrote: »

Can someone remind me again how flatscreen TV's are preventing young adults from buying their own home, I have just picked up the most amazing TV ever for less than a mornings work.

Why would anyone be prevented from buying a house because they'd spent £100 replacing an aging CRT TV?

Sounds like you're trying to counter a point that hasn't been made.

Eellogofusciouhipoppokunu

homelessskilledworker wrote: »

Can someone remind me again how flatscreen TV's are preventing young adults from buying their own home, I have just picked up the most amazing TV ever for less than a mornings work.

Can anyone remind me again how an empty plastic cola bottle on my office desk, next to my orange and banana peelings that I am just about to put in the bin are preventing young adults from buying their own home?

Anyone? I thought not. :cool: