« Tabarrok, DeLong, and Contract Law | Main | On Foreign Intervention» Don Boudreaux
August 24, 2004
A Dark Lining Around a Silver Cloud
Don Boudreaux
This morning on NPR, correspondent Susan Stamberg interviewed Susan Strasser, author of Never Done: A History of American Housework. (Originally published in 1982, this book is now back in print.)
Listening to the interview was an exercise in controlling my frustration. I gather from the discussion between Ms. Strasser and Ms. Stamberg that everyone agrees that housework before the 20th century’s gift of electrical household appliances was ceaseless drudgery borne almost exclusively by women. In addition, everyone agrees that “big, shiny appliances” (as Ms. Stamberg kept referring to them) released women from this back-breaking drudgery, as well as made households much cleaner and more sanitary. Ms. Stamberg and Ms. Strasser agreed also that no modern woman (including themselves) would want to return to the pre-appliance days of yore.
And yet these two women, searching diligently, found the dark speck in this bright, blue sky.
For example, when women had to hang their laundry to dry, they had greater chance of encountering their neighbors doing the same in their respective backyards. A good conversation resulted. Today, according to Ms. Strasser, women are more isolated – and made so by electrical appliances, kept in their basements by the convenience of an automatic clothes dryer. Also, mindless, repetitive tasks are often a blessing, according to Ms. Strasser. Having, say, to iron wrinkled clothing or darn socks “roots us” or “cements us.” (I forget her precise words; the link to this interview won’t be posted before tomorrow.)
This interview is evidence that bright people can find the downside of any piece of good fortune – but that the same bright people do not necessarily possess the wisdom to weigh the downside properly against the upside. It’s as if a very ill child was completely cured by a talented physician, and the parents of the child, admittedly grateful, focused their discussion on the fact that now their little one will grow into adulthood and have to pay bills, suffer heartbreak in love, find a job, and encounter the many trials and tribulations that every adult endures. These are downsides, to be sure, but they hardly count against the blessing of seeing your child saved from death.
There are downsides to greater convenience and greater household cleanliness. But how weighty are they?
Posted by Don Boudreaux in Standard of Living | Permalink
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d834518ccc69e200d834218feb53ef
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference A Dark Lining Around a Silver Cloud:
» Tuesday's Daily News from The Club for Growth Blog
Relevant News and Commentary Bring On The ‘Price Gougers’ - J. Jacoby, Townhall.com CBO’s Taxing Report - D. Lambro, Human Events Middle Man Mess - A. Kling, TCS A Dark Lining Around a Silver Cloud - D. Boudreaux, Cafe Hayek... [Read More]
Tracked on Aug 24, 2004 10:30:48 AM
» The "Price" of Opulence from Law, Legislation, and Lunacy
A closer look at Ms. Strasser's book and a disturbing trend in modern society: a fear of success. [Read More]
Tracked on Aug 24, 2004 9:45:28 PM
» The grass was greener yesterday when I had to mow it with scissors from Julie Leung: Seedlings & Sprouts
The other day Don Boudreaux critiqued this interview described by NPR: Innovations like the washing machine may have made housework easier -- but by raising standards of cleanliness, they also created more work. NPR's Susan Stamberg concludes her serie... [Read More]
Tracked on Aug 30, 2004 11:32:44 AM
» Full Albums Archive from MP3 Album Finder
Enter Artist or Song or Album name to search: ... Download VA - –усска€ коллекци€ 4 «олотой шл€гер 70 х (1973 1979) mp3 ... [Read More]
Tracked on Apr 5, 2006 9:31:06 PM
» MP3 Downloads, Full Albums, Latest Hits, MP3 Search from Global Media Search Engine
Big Mp3 Archive, Mp3 Search, Mp3 Albums, Mp3 Songs, Mp3 Software, Mp3 Traffic Exchange, Advertising... [Read More]
Tracked on Apr 5, 2006 10:47:56 PM
» Europages, European directory from Open Directory Project
Multilingual european business directory, 600000 european companies, european company directory and business opportunities, trade leads, ... [Read More]
Tracked on Apr 29, 2006 11:20:08 AM
» Dictionary Search Page from Dictionary Search
An unabridged dictionary from aalii to zymurgy, including a pronunciation guide... [Read More]
Tracked on May 22, 2006 11:53:50 AM
» Onion Radio News: Palmolive Attacks Dawn For Coddling Grease from iles/radionews/05-114-coddling-grease_M.mp
iles/radionews/05-114-coddling-grease_M.mp3 [Read More]
Tracked on May 25, 2006 5:13:56 AM
» 13-Year-Old N.J. Girl Wins Spelling Bee from Making Her Fifth
Making Her Fifth Straight Appearance at Scripps National Spelling Bee Wins Event [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 6, 2006 8:22:53 AM
» Internal Audit: Resources for Internal Auditors from Audit Company
Internal Audit - is the Web portal and online community for the internal audit profession provides free audit work programs, ICQ's, checklists, ...
[Read More]
Tracked on Jun 7, 2006 8:56:20 AM
» Web Site Lets You See What Your Home -- and Your Neighbor's -- Are Worth from ounders of Travel
of Travel Site Expedia Turn to Real Estate and Create Zillow [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 7, 2006 6:11:06 PM
» Cheap House, Costly Commute - Gas Prices Hurt Affordable Areas from urban and rural
ESRI Business Information Solutions helps to see patterns to compare how urban and rural communities are impacted [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 12, 2006 4:06:23 AM
» Daily Dose: Which Vitamins Help, Harm? from hey May Be Big
hey May Be Big Business, But Not All Supplements Will Make You Healthier [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 16, 2006 4:01:50 AM
» estate loan real
from consolidation loan student
Loans Home Equity Loans - Home Mortgage Student Loans [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 18, 2006 12:28:22 PM
» Kofi Annan Awarded for Work Ridding World of Land Mines from presents Kofi
presents Kofi Annan with award recognizing his efforts to rid the world of land mines. [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 18, 2006 5:35:08 PM
» Major powers to meet over Iran on July 12: US - IranMania News from Stalls AXcess
from the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany will meet on July 12 to assess Irans reponse [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 30, 2006 1:33:07 PM
» Jack Looking Forward to Starting Gig from Blazers point
the two discussed rumors that Blake might be traded to Milwaukee. It sounded like water-cooler talk at the time. [Read More]
Tracked on Aug 7, 2006 3:33:37 PM
