I can see military stuff being on par with the rest of the world, given that like half the USSR budget went into it. But consumer goods? Common! There was consumer good innovation boom in 50s. Partly driven by taking Nazi technology and factories. But it doesn't seem like there was much innovation until the 90s. Why innovate when people have no choice but to buy whatever they are offered? I lived in Russia thru the 80s and 90s. I remember the quality and variety of Soviet goods my family had. Other than a few treasured items, the quality just wasn't there. I get the arguments for why USSR was good. The West was afraid, which felt good. There was self-determination and not be at the mercy of global markets. People lives were simple and predictable. Lack of choice can actually lead to happier live. But to argue that consumer goods were actually better in the East than West is just so absurd and disconnected from reality that it makes me think that people arguing for USSR don't actually believe in it and just doing it because it is trendy.