Even the stuff that can be easily fixed is normally tossed instead. People don't want to take the time. I guess in big business you have to ask yourself whether you make a quality item that might cost $20 or $30 more than your competitions thow-away and sell less of them, or make it cheaper and sell more and not have the cost of having customer service deal with replacement parts. Most are picking the later option.
They win, and when most people see the cheap cost they think they win also, but in the end they lose big time.
Still alot of "throw-away" items out there that are fixable, sometimes you can pick something up curbside that needs a part and find it on another one in a week or two with something else broken and cannibalize.
I have a set of Proto torque wrenches and some sockets that have served me well, good quality. I normally snatch up Craftsman, Proto, Snap-on, and S&K when I find them cheap.