[32-40win]

I think between the Blackrock type investors, the cost analysis engineers that have to answer to the BOD's profitwise, the gov't regulations that force a builder or mfgr to build something that requires all the extra materials to build whatever it takes, to meet the gov't regs in order to be able to sell a product.
Look at the wiring and electrical componentry that is in a vehicle now to meet safety and emissions requirements that did not use to be there even 25 yrs ago, alone 50 yrs ago.
The investors tell the politicians they can create an industry, fund a study to support it, lobby the gov't with their biased studies, and voila, a new industry is born, and the gov't requires it to be included in whatever the mfgr is building. Mfgr's have to pass on the costs, and what adds on, has to be reduced a little here or there elsewhere, as a compensation to the price point. They do it in the cost analysis engineering dept as cutbacks, in the products used to see what they can get away with where they can. Many cases where the assembly mfgr isn't really where the blame shud be entirely put, they are stuck in the middle. It's not all about the product either, it's also about what it takes to invest in the plant that builds it, safety regs, emissons and disposal and processing regs within the plants themselves. Bureaucracies like the EPA, Worker's Comp, NIMBY"s, lawsuits, warranties,etc.
We don't want to give up a lot of it, don't want to pay for it either, but, we do.