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Quite so. Here's an article about a long-running strike that recently ended at an american factory specializing in trumpets, which has been unable to compete with those made in China: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/10/25/...

I have no doubt that years of experience can lead to a superior instrument, but the market for such a device is limited to the few musicians who are able to play at a superior level. you can also see this closer to our home in the commodification of computer hardware; the resolution ability audio technology (as used in soundcards) passed beyond the threshold of human hearing ability some time ago, so competition has shifted towards features, design and branding.

I do agree with the article's suggestion that economics should adjust to the idea of energy as the fundamental quantum of value, but given the general public's poor understanding of economics it might be argued that there's insufficient demand to drive such innovation in the shot term.




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