The most efficient labor-saving device is still money.
—Franklin Pierce Jones
I laughed out loud at this one, but is money a “device”? Would you use another word? Do you have a favorite labor-saving device?
January 20, 2020
Labor-Saving Devices
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I am not sure it is my favorite, but it would be very near the top, if not at the top and that is a washing machine! Imagine all the work that saves. I have had to scrub a few things on the washboard when I was home and that is not fun. But then there are so, so many…and I love my sewing machines…though I love to sew by hand, I always look at the dresses/costumes of actresses on westerns and some of the older type movies and think about back in the day, all the stitching that was done just to have something to wear. A woman’s work was never done for sure.
The comments on this one is going to be fun to come back and read…great question.
I’m afraid I take the washers and dryers in our laundry room for granted, but you’re right. I keep thinking of my mother in the old days. She didn’t wash by hand, but the old washer didn’t spin dry the clothes — she had to use the wringer, then hang them up on a line to dry. It was a lot more work then than now. There was also a lot of ironing to be done. Now we can get by without much of that if we want.
so many really! I mean if you want to get right down to the nitty gritty.
every time I just turn up the thermostat when it’s freezing… and I don’t have to cut wood and keep the stove going to keep warm or heat my coffee and food!
and to turn the faucet to the left to have hot water for a shower! or just to HAVE clean water for that matter! 🙂
BUT… I suppose if I didn’t have the money to buy those things… is that what Mr Jones means by money being the labor saving device? I especially appreciated it when it was 103 degrees in the summer and I could pay money to have my lawn mowed!
I think he was talking about being able to hire someone, like the fellow who mowed your lawn, but who knows? I agree we shouldn’t take all our modern amenities for granted. I would add air conditioning to the list.
I would have to say the automobile/truck, walking or riding a horse/bicycle all those distances would change our lives completely. Probably better for the environment and our health though.
There wouldn’t be nearly as many of us without good transportation and trade. Most of us would be hunters and gatherers or farmers doing all the work by hand.
water that comes from the city reservoirs, flows along pipes, arrives at my place and with a swift turn of a tap, or the lever in the bathroom, out comes “water” with hot or cold…
electricity that powers things…a good many gadgets. At the moment the bathroom fan is on, back from the gym an hour ago, hot shower. Then the refrigerator that gave me chilled water to make a recovery drink. Later the stove element to give the wok some heat…
and as Rose mentioned our washing machine, press a few buttons, set the dials or whatever, plug it in and push “start” … I don’t have a drying machine, so out to the manual pegs and the rotary clothesline or hooks under cover on the back step.
Of course power for these communication tools…
And finally I do have the labour saving device/money to pay the lawncare guy who whizzs around my yard in what seems a millisec…
but yes I guess “money” is the biggest labour saving device because none of these other devices come cheap or zero$
Yes, we need money to pay for all the conveniences. We are incredibly lucky.
My favorite device/toy is my robot vacuum cleaner. My old one was getting too heavy for me to push around, and the Roomba whizzes around by itself. All I have to do is empty it and check the brushes from time to time. I love it.
LOL, that’s a good one but yes, device doesn’t really seem to be the right word.
There are lots of things that could be considered labor saving devices especially if you compare to how jobs were done 100 years ago
It makes us appreciate what we have, doesn’t it?
Wow, so many labour-saving devices to choose from. Washing machines, ovens, cars, phones, vacuum cleaners, word processors, the internet – the list is endless. I think I would single out washing machines, as washing everything by hand was incredibly laborious and time-consuming. Like you, I remember my mother doing washing by hand and putting it through the wringer. What a palaver!
We are so lucky to have been born when we were.
My favorite labor-saving device is my WIFE!
😀
Labor saving aid? Yes, my house cleaning service. Best gift I ever gave myself.
My daughter feels the same way.