I've been seeing a lot of commercials about recycling old electronics [outdated computers, cell phones, video games systems etc] & I've kinda come to the conclusion that I know why they want you to do it. From what I know, the circuit boards in all of that stuff has small amounts of gold in them, & that's the only reason I could think of for that to make sense. I'm sure there are those of you who already knew this could be the/a reason [if it really even is, like the title say...it's "just a thought" ]. I thought about this, since I see so many "Turn in your gold for cash" commercials also. I'm just curious to know what others think on this...

Or I'm just over-analyzing everything.......

It's worse than that! I was actually thinking about something similar this morning.

I've decided I will no longer watch golf. Why? Well, have you watched golf in the last ten years? If you have, answer me this - what is every other commercial about?

Erectile dysfunction!

Now, the point of advertising is to make me buy their product. But first, they have to make me want their product, right? And what do I have to have to want their product?

Erectile dysfunction!

As far as I know, you might be able to mentally give yourself erectile dysfunction. I'm not about to go out and get me some erectile dysfunction just so I can be like the laughing old men in those commercials!

So men - if all your body parts are working just fine, don't watch golf! It could be a plot to make you convince yourself that you're not normal unless you have erectile dysfunction!

RodeoSchro said:

It's worse than that! I was actually thinking about something similar this morning.

I've decided I will no longer watch golf. Why? Well, have you watched golf in the last ten years? If you have, answer me this - what is every other commercial about?

Erectile dysfunction!

Now, the point of advertising is to make me buy their product. But first, they have to make me want their product, right? And what do I have to have to want their product?

Erectile dysfunction!

As far as I know, you might be able to mentally give yourself erectile dysfunction. I'm not about to go out and get me some erectile dysfunction just so I can be like the laughing old men in those commercials!

So men - if all your body parts are working just fine, don't watch golf! It could be a plot to make you convince yourself that you're not normal unless you have erectile dysfunction!

I've never really watched Golf in my life, but I do find that pretty funny that they'd use such a tactic. Subliminal messaging galore I see......

You're not too far off with your theory. It's not really about gold, but they just want to reuse the metal parts. It's far more efficient to reuse the metal parts from computers, TVs and so on than to actually run an old-fashioned mine. It's not that I don't support recycling, but there's an ugly side to it as well.

Trying to get rid of old electronics is also a pain in the ass if you don't happen to have a car (I've never even wanted one myself). Just a year ago I had to try to get rid of 2 old tube televisions, 3 old tube computer monitors, 3 PCs with printers and other similar crap. No recycling center would even take them anymore as they had so much of that stuff already. The only place where I could take that shit was located 15km away (and apparently I was supposed to take a bus).

novabrkr said:

You're not too far off with your theory. It's not really about gold, but they just want to reuse the metal parts. It's far more efficient to reuse the metal parts from computers, TVs and so on than to actually run an old-fashioned mine. It's not that I don't support recycling, but there's an ugly side to it as well.

Trying to get rid of old electronics is also a pain in the ass if you don't happen to have a car (I've never even wanted one myself). Just a year ago I had to try to get rid of 2 old tube televisions, 3 old tube computer monitors, 3 PCs with printers and other similar crap. No recycling center would even take them anymore as they had so much of that stuff already. The only place where I could take that shit was located 15km away (and apparently I was supposed to take a bus).

I've kept broken electronics just for the parts [I had to use one broken ps2 controller to fix another ps2 controller just today as a matter of fact] . I just feel that something is weird about that whole aspect of recycling electronics, but I can understand the metal recycle parts too...I still can't help but think about the tiny bits of gold too though ....

[Edited 7/5/12 0:03am]

Yeah, it's true that they'll collect those too if they can.

RodeoSchro said:

It's worse than that! I was actually thinking about something similar this morning.

I've decided I will no longer watch golf. Why? Well, have you watched golf in the last ten years? If you have, answer me this - what is every other commercial about?

Erectile dysfunction!

Now, the point of advertising is to make me buy their product. But first, they have to make me want their product, right? And what do I have to have to want their product?

Erectile dysfunction!

As far as I know, you might be able to mentally give yourself erectile dysfunction. I'm not about to go out and get me some erectile dysfunction just so I can be like the laughing old men in those commercials!

So men - if all your body parts are working just fine, don't watch golf! It could be a plot to make you convince yourself that you're not normal unless you have erectile dysfunction!

that's because most people that have hime to sit down and watch golf are old and retired

not u tho...... u just have loads of free time i guess...

..... just analyzing

its because there is a shortage of gold ~ and because of it people with gold teeth are now 2 scared 2 sleep with their mouths open

..... just analyzing!!!

i was just thinking... and yes analyzing... (funny how the word anal is in analyzing... )

butt yes anyway...

do u think MacDonald's employees purposely hand around the window of drive through just so their customers can return the cardboard drink tray which of course will be used 4 the next drive through customer!!!

i bet 2 save money every MacDonald's store only have a couple of those trays.... i mean really!!!! who actually keeps them??????

ThisOne said:

its because there is a shortage of gold ~ and because of it people with gold teeth are now 2 scared 2 sleep with their mouths open

..... just analyzing!!!

ThisOne said:

i was just thinking... and yes analyzing... (funny how the word anal is in analyzing... )

butt yes anyway...

do u think MacDonald's employees purposely hand around the window of drive through just so their customers can return the cardboard drink tray which of course will be used 4 the next drive through customer!!!

i bet 2 save money every MacDonald's store only have a couple of those trays.... i mean really!!!! who actually keeps them??????

I've never even thought about that before actually...

Regardless of what it is that they want out of those things, it's better for the earth to have them recycled rather than simply trashed.

By all means reuse your own metal and mould it into other things, but I'm telling you, it's hard to do!

There are small amounts of precious metals in electronics, especially old PC's...but for the average person to try and extricate them and then try to sell it is just too big a pain in the @ss for the couple of dollars you'd yet in return.

Better to let people who do it in mass quantities stay in business so that these things don't end up in landfills.

This thread reminds me of the sudden rash of catalytic converter thefts from cars because they are made of platinum.

Folks aren't even getting their cars stolen any more because that one piece is worth more than the car in some cases.

paintedlady said:

This thread reminds me of the sudden rash of catalytic converter thefts from cars because they are made of platinum.

Folks aren't even getting their cars stolen any more because that one piece is worth more than the car in some cases.

novabrkr said:

You're not too far off with your theory. It's not really about gold, but they just want to reuse the metal parts. It's far more efficient to reuse the metal parts from computers, TVs and so on than to actually run an old-fashioned mine. It's not that I don't support recycling, but there's an ugly side to it as well.

Sorry, Don't understand what you mean

PurpleJedi said:

There are small amounts of precious metals in electronics, especially old PC's...but for the average person to try and extricate them and then try to sell it is just too big a pain in the @ss for the couple of dollars you'd yet in return.

Better to let people who do it in mass quantities stay in business so that these things don't end up in landfills.

Are you sure you're American?

PANDURITO said:

novabrkr said:

You're not too far off with your theory. It's not really about gold, but they just want to reuse the metal parts. It's far more efficient to reuse the metal parts from computers, TVs and so on than to actually run an old-fashioned mine. It's not that I don't support recycling, but there's an ugly side to it as well.

Sorry, Don't understand what you mean

It's a big business and there are plenty of people trying to benefit from it. Bad planning and forcing people to take part in such practices without any real choice is what I don't like myself about it (in my case, it would have been illegal to dump those electronic devices to trash cans). Of course, if you search the Internet you'll also find all kinds of arguments about the hidden costs and the real effectiveness of it.

PANDURITO said:

PurpleJedi said:

There are small amounts of precious metals in electronics, especially old PC's...but for the average person to try and extricate them and then try to sell it is just too big a pain in the @ss for the couple of dollars you'd yet in return.

Better to let people who do it in mass quantities stay in business so that these things don't end up in landfills.

Are you sure you're American?

PurpleJedi said:

There are small amounts of precious metals in electronics, especially old PC's...but for the average person to try and extricate them and then try to sell it is just too big a pain in the @ss for the couple of dollars you'd yet in return.

Better to let people who do it in mass quantities stay in business so that these things don't end up in landfills.

Should they not compensate us for them though?? I mean, Damn, just give it away for free? They don't even tell you anything of it's slight value either. I think that's kinda wrong. If we actually got paid to recycle electronics [like we do for (soda) pop cans], I think more people would be very willing to do it...or a tax write off even...

Tittypants said:

PurpleJedi said:

There are small amounts of precious metals in electronics, especially old PC's...but for the average person to try and extricate them and then try to sell it is just too big a pain in the @ss for the couple of dollars you'd yet in return.

Better to let people who do it in mass quantities stay in business so that these things don't end up in landfills.

Should they not compensate us for them though?? I mean, Damn, just give it away for free? They don't even tell you anything of it's slight value either. I think that's kinda wrong. If we actually got paid to recycle electronics [like we do for (soda) pop cans], I think more people would be very willing to do it...or a tax write off even...

I'm sure that with enough effort, you could find a salvage place that would pay you for your old electronics.

But I'd guess that the amount you'd get paid for a PC would be less than what you'd spend on gas getting there.

When my old minivan finally died a few years back, I had the option of PAYING someone to tow it away...or I called around and found a place that towed it away AND PAID ME for the value of the car as scrap/parts.