At that time many economists saw consumer goods in isolation, each one owned just for its function and utility and therefore easily replaced if a cheaper or better version came along.

当时，许多经济学家都孤立地看待消费品，每一种商品都只因其功能和用途而拥有，因此，如果出现了更便宜或更好的产品，很容易被取代。