OK, folks, let’s see how well you understand Soviet mentality.
In the USSR, there were constant shortages of consumer goods. People had to come up with inventive ways to get all kinds of small household items.
At some point, people started selling burnt out light bulbs. New, functioning light bulbs were impossible to purchase so people bought burnt out bulbs on the black market.
Question: how did Soviet people use the burnt out light bulbs?
Clarissa's Blog 
Well, you’re not actually poor if you can afford to have light bulbs installed in all of those sockets, are you?
So a few of them are burnt out … big deal. 🙂
Now those people who are selling their burnt-out light bulbs, they’re actually poor …
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Bird feeders? Little terrariums/mini green houses? Just decorations? A painted light bulb can be pretty.
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Evelina ‘ s answers always betray a beautiful, creative personality that exists in harmony with the world. 🙂
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As candleholders?
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But where would people get candles? 🙂
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Ooops!
I put in the wrong e-mail address!
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“how did Soviet people use the burnt out light bulbs?”
For parts? That is they dismantled and reassembled them? Or is that too enterprising?
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The real answer is even more enterprising but not in a good, productive way like you suggest. 🙂
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Think you’ve already answer the question when you told the story of the dishwashing sponges.
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Do not underestimate the inventiveness of the Soviet people. ;-)))
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They take the old light bulb to work and swap it for an office light that works.
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You knew! Hello, compatriot. 🙂
Yes, this is precisely it.
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It is a little more complicated than this though, I think. If I work in an office with lots of light bulbs, I swap out any burnt out light that I have at home. In other words I already have the old bulb to trade with an office bulb.
What’s happening is the black marketer is selling both light bulbs that work and burnt out ones. If I don’t work at a place where I can steal bulbs, I pay a black marketer for a light bulb that works. Part of the payment is my burnt out bulb. The black marketer sells burnt out bulbs and buys good ones from office workers.
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