Money inflation?

Question

if food is getting more expensive and computers, tv, dvd player ect or getting less expensive does that mean that in say 50 years times a hamburger is going to cost more than a tv or a computer

Answer 1

Maybe. Lame answer, I know. Think about 50 years ago, it was 1957. TV hadn't been around long and a 9" screen cost hundreds of dollars. A car also cost hundreds of dollars. Fast forward to today. A car averages $20,000. A TV doesn't. Note that the TV and the car both don't look much like their predecessors and are both much more efficient, have better features and last longer. Technological advances helped push the price of the TV down.

Look at a calculator. In the late 1960's or early 1970's a basic calculator could cost $100. Now you can buy them at Wal-mart for $1. You can buy a double cheeseburger at McD's for $1.

You have assumed in your question that the pace of technological advances (and therefore cost reduction or feature enhancement) will remain the same in the electronics industry. It may or may not. If it does, then in 50 years a hamburger might cost more than a TV or a computer.

Answer 2

It means this, with everyone so gung-ho on computers, the day will come when you can get a fully loaded, multi-giggaflopped computer for $19.95, and when your faucet leaks it will cost you $2500 to get it fixed by a plumber. Computer programmers and geeks will have to take public transportation and will live in welfare hotels, while plumbers will drive Mercedes and live in huge mansions.