I agree!
It boggles my mind when I see people paying a small fortune for particle board cr@p that won't last or retain value when they could spend about the same amount on a solid wood or antique piece of furniture or cabinets.
This outsourcing of everything, particularly furniture and stuff like that, can have a positive impact in certain areas, craftmanship will see an upswing. Look at all the DIY programming on television. Once people get bit by the bug, their creativity is awakened. I know for myself, I don't like to shop anymore, I like to make stuff. It allows me to put my stamp on things. I quilt, do some refinishing of antiques, and a few other crafty things.