An incredible paradox

We have about an order of magnitude more material resources than our Depression-era parents and grandparents had, but those in the Depression era seem to have had far more things that would last long enough for children and grandchildren to fight over once the patriarchs had moved on or passed on. Here's a little column about the subject; isn't it neat how our grandparents accumulated so much that their children and grandchildren are willing to keep, and on wages that we would scorn today--even if inflation were accounted for?

I dare suggest that we've got something to learn here. Personally, I've noticed that the furniture I've received from my parents and grandparents seems to hold up a lot better than the stuff you can get at Wal-Mart or Target. Maybe filling the McMansion with the new stuff (and paying through the nose on the mortgage) isn't that good of an idea after all.