Reddit_was_funWhat do the wealthy have now that will roll down to the rest of in the next 10 years?
breadsmasherPotentially, nothing. There has been a concerning trend with some car manufacturers. The first buyer of the car buys optional extras, and then when the vehicle is resold those features are disabled again.
Other companies are introducing subscriptions for certain services. The car has the features built in from the start, but you have to pay/sign up for a subscription to unlock them.
companies are introducing subscriptions for certain services
I wish buyers wouldn’t accept such things.
AI advancements will hopefully unlock a lot of services that only the rich can currently afford
Most lower income people may skip getting ad hoc legal counsel, personal fitness trainers/nutritionists, party planners, financial advisors, etc.
But if AI allows for even halfway decent substitutes, these services could become affordable for everyone.
Ever see the movie Elysium?
I think we could definitely be moving towards that kind of world, maybe without the literal rich person spaceship, but with AI defended compounds and AI controlling the population so their position in power could never be threatened again.
Action Until someone figures out a “Grandma Exploit” and uses it to send that rich person’s vehicle hurtling off a cliff side.
RegnaHouses right on the sea shores or partially submerged by sea water.
0xbNot necessarily wealthy but developed countries have access to really amazing prosthetic limbs. In third world countries obviously injuries that cause people to lose limbs are as common or maybe even more, but it’s very rare to see people with prosthetics and pretty much impossible to have one of those modern with all the new features. In this countries losing a leg or an arm it really means so many things are over.
This applies to basically all of the newest health breakthroughs but I just happen to notice the prosthetic thing a lot.
I hope in a few years this will become more accessible to more people everywhere, this would really change so many lives.
It’s my understanding a lot of new things you see on cars were mandated by law for safety, or will be soon. Backup cameras were brought into law in 2008, but not required until 2018.
dedaleNo to be too much of a downer, but I see it happening the other way around.
Things available to the middle class that will be reserved to the wealthy. Like house owning, swimming pools, cars, plane travel, maybe even personal computers.
Things available to the middle class that will be reserved to the wealthy. Like house owning, swimming pools, cars, plane travel, maybe even personal computers.
It really depends on what you define as a luxury. How much is a pineapple in your local supermarket?
Back in the 1800's they were a luxury item reserved for only the wealthy because they were hard to transport from where they grow natively. They were so exotic that the middle and upper class would literally RENT pineapples for parties as a sign of wealth/prosperity.
These days thanks to modern refrigeration and distribution networks, the average commoner in many parts of the world can enjoy this delicious fruit (which I'll admit still tastes better when ripened on the plant before harvesting lol)
Yes, other "luxury" things like home ownership, travel, etc are becoming an unobtainable dream for many people in first-world countries around the globe.
But to the OP's point, look at other technology like satellite phones - once a mythical device mentioned only in fantasy novels a few decades ago and now many newer iPhones can send an SOS signal to overhead satellites and one can buy a bluetooth device so any phone can communicate with satellites (assuming you have a subscription).
Although if you look at things a different way, 100 years ago it wasn't uncommon for a horse to be one's primary means of transportation and an automobile was reserved for the wealthy. Now many people (in America) own a car (albeit often in rough condition, but still running somehow lol), but owning a horse is a sign of wealth haha.
Nothing. Trickle down has always been a lie so the wealthy could steal vast amounts of assets from the middle class and the poor.
Great job being cynical.
Is it really cynical if it's the truth?
It's not the point of the discussion. It's about technology getting more accessible over time.
So in this context the statement isn't true, no.
So in this context the statement isn't true, no.
atlhartTrickledown wealth, yes, but the spirit of OPs question is “stuff”. “Stuff” does generally get cheaper over time.
I bought a 55” Plasma TV in 2008 for $2100. Last year I bout a 65” OLED for $1600. Much better picture, much thinner/lighter, much lower power consumption and heat generation.
This is the spirit of OPs question.
Why on earth did you buy such a massive television?
You know why. You’re just trying to be smug.
It’s fine if you don’t want a large television, but someone else isn’t CRAZY for making different choices.
You know that won’t happen, people are people.
A $2000 computer from 10 years ago is about as powerful as a $200 smartphone today. Things get cheaper over time.
I bought a small car last year, the Seat Arona, it has all these features as a relatively inexpensive upgrade. More expensive cars still have a few more features, like automatic lane switching or automatically setting the speed limit, but other than that it’s basically on par.
UsernameblankfaceWhole house backup battery systems. Whether it's a self contained unit or a control unit to diy such a set up with a collection of second hand batteries, these seem to be coming down in cost per kWh over time.
Trouble is, owning a home to install such a system is getting less and less affordable. Renter friendly units may be the way backup power becomes affordable.
Also, I think large backup generators will be sold relatively cheap by people who bought a battery pack and home solar.
I think the price will come down rapidly as lithium ion batteries get swapped out of EVs. Usually they're still plenty usable, just not energy dense enough for a car anymore. Honestly, I hope that becomes how we "dispose" of used batteries in the future, or at least part of a longer chain.
That's right! I do hope it's the default second use for ev batteries.
russjr08Probably VR/MR, such as Apple’s Vision Pro. I’m not usually one who really cares that much about Apple devices but the Vision Pro looks intriguing, but at the current price that is well far outside of my range.
Tigbitties