> Most people (at least in USA) are encouraging the race to the bottom by caring only about price, consequences be damned.
Are you serious? People have cared mainly about price since the dawn of history. Obviously people have particular quality level they want, but once that's met if it's a tradeoff between quality and price, price virtually always wins.
Firstly, I limited it to USA because that's what I am familiar with. Secondly, please note the "consequences be damned" proviso, which flatly contradicts people having a quality level they want. What I've seen indicates to me that the quality of mass produced goods has steadily declined (at least in my lifetime), and the only benefit gained seems to have been a slightly lowered price. Market pressures, combined with the fact that most people don't really think long term, can easily explain this phenomenon. People will gladly pay $10 for a pair of shoes that will last a year, rather than $50 for a pair that will last 10 years.
Are you serious? People have cared mainly about price since the dawn of history. Obviously people have particular quality level they want, but once that's met if it's a tradeoff between quality and price, price virtually always wins.