Krugman on 1950s Kitchens

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I mentioned this in class today.

Tyler Cowen responded:

http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2011/01/the-kitchen-test.html

And I have to agree with some of these observations – what is the big deal about an electric carving knife?

2 thoughts on “Krugman on 1950s Kitchens”

  1. The author definitely made a good point in his claims that our technological changes haven’t been as transformative for ordinary lives since the 1960s. An explanation for this may be just quite simply that the focus has gone from improving everyday life to a focus on creating technology to extend human life, treat chronic diseases, and fuel our technology that’s already in place. That really divides our current focus into biotechnology, environmental technology, and advances in internet and consumer technology. While there hasn’t been a boom of invented devices and patents with potential to change everyday human life (though over a longer time period). Research and experimentations going into biotech and environmental technology for example do have the potential to change everyday life and average life expectancy though perhaps not in this generation.

    Other than that,

  2. When one speaks of change is he or she just looking at tangible things? If so, then the change is more dramatic when making comparisons between the 1920’s and the 1950’s.However tangible those changes are their significance lies in what was to what actually is.But if you look at where we are today one can make the argument that if you do not directly see the changes in front of you you cannot diminish their importance whether it be good or bad.

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