Why would anyone continuously live in such a way that confines them deep inside a status quo? Of the two evils of capitalism and consumerism, the latter is the far easier fix. Its just a shift in our Cultural desires. I can understand materialism because I enjoy my Corvette and theres no way in hell Im living without my Rancilio Silvia espresso machine! Is that wrong? Well, those two things have lasted me well over a decade even with the HARD abuse Ive put them threw. Then what makes me a non-consumer? Well, for one I shop around looking for the best deal I can get. Take the Corvette for instance. I could have just thrown some cash down on a stock used Z06 but I didnt because thats no fun for me. I loathe impulse buying. I got a 99 Corvette FRC with $110k worth of upgrades for $33k in 2003. How? I did my homework and for me thats the fun part of shopping. I got online and scouted out the Corvette forums looking for the best builders and tuners. Then one day after a year it happened ... just like it always happens with married guys who drive fast cars. New younger girl, the start of a messy divorce, and three weeks later his baby was my new obsession. When I see someone go into the most expensive specialty boutique in town and impulse buy something they could have gotten online for half the cost Ive got to question why they would do such a thing. The big difference between consumerism and materialism is where the reward system comes into play. If the fast purchase gets you high and you just put the item in the closet after one use then youre a consumer. If your reward system goes off every single time you use the item then youre a materialist. I like my widgets well engineered and built with quality so they last for ages. Case in point - the refrigerator I use came with the house. Its a 1970s model painted olive green and it works wonderfully. Even the ice machine functions beautifully which is rare for something as ancient as I am. Why would I go out and spend $1500 to replace something I already have? And I know Im not like everyone else but this is just how I am. I see esthetic value in how long something works not in how it appears. I have this great 1930s vintage Zassenhaus pepper mill thats quite the contraption! I like to drink my Americano in the morning outside on the patio while watching the morning glories open. ... I like strange things and I always will.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Mar 2014 13:22:17 +0000