How can I put this .......
OK, here's a try. In the past machines were made with pride, out of materials that would last 4 lifetimes. People had little disposable income and when they shelled out that very hard earned money the things they bought had to work and to last.
Sewing machines are a prime example.
There was the great depression that crippled our country for a while. The old machines that were being used labored on.
Then WW II and 5 years of more hardship.
After that things changed. Prosperity happened. Jobs, manufacturing, income it all increased as our economy boomed. Lots of people had more money than they knew what to do with. Why use the old treadle Gramma had, I'll buy a new machine.
Because of the manufacturing advances made during the war things began to be made cheaper. Just look at the stamped metal and plastic that came about not 15 years after WW II. The quality and longevity of things began to diminish and many were just tossed aside as they aged and no longer worked.
Over the years this mindset has gotten ingrained into the last two generations. Young people today have more disposable income than their parents or grand parents or gggrand parents did, and have lost the pride of ownership. Why try to fix it, I'll just go buy another one, it's cheaper. And that brings me to now. With a small group of exceptions, modern sewing machines are nothing to be proud of. Plastic, stamped metal, crude castings. Throw away junque. The electronic or computer controlled ones are the worst. When one dinky little electronic thing dies, they cost so much to fix it's not worth it. Junk, junk, junk for the most part. No pride left in our manufacturers and nothing to be proud of owning.
This attitude is passed on to those older machines, young folks by the large have no sense of history or of what lead us to where we are now. They live for the day and couldn't care less about yesterday.
I look at my old machines and wish they had the ability to tell their stories. Especially those made before the wars. Machines that made clothes, curtains, bedding, diapers, napkins and so forth. Machines that I am refurbishing so they'll last another lifetime. That is, "IF" I can find someone who cares, to sell, give, or bequeath to.
Other than those on the several sewing forums that care for the antiques and vintage machines I know nobody personally to pass them on to.
My wife and I are not getting any younger, all I can do is hope that when we're gone those old machines we still have will be passed on to someone who cares.
Now I've made myself depressed ......
Joe