This consumeristic society and how to cope in it

Thoughts_Arrive

Nice work, Brian.

Thoughts_Arrive

I blame the Kardashians

Annafalk

I don’t care for famous brands. I think though that it’s better to buy quality in general. I think the conditions for workers making cheap clothes are worse but (I’m not completely sure but I think so) It’s also better to buy locally produced off course. I think we should try to not have so much of everything to live more simple.

Thoughts_Arrive

I buy my clothes from a budget label. Socially conscious company.

josevolution

Go Beavers said:

josevolution said:

I’m 57 in three yrs w are planning on moving from here Long Island where you see a lot of what you described all around me , moving to Oregon ...

I haven’t been to long island, but people comment that things are different here then compared to the northeast. People are more interested in things you’re involved in and your interests, rather than your work and trying to figure out your income. I’ve hung out with friends off and on for years and some of them I have no idea what they do for work. Now people are very interested in outdoor gear here!

Yep that’s what we are looking for a state that offers more of what we wanna do & see def more outdoor fun and milder winters ..

HughFreakingDillon

I think when Hedonist is saying is where I'm at. It still bothers me quite a bit when I see videos of children being bowled over by "adults" on black friday for a fucking tv, but I try to believe that's not the norm. And even if it is, all I can do is what I do myself. And teach my girls the evils of out of control consumerism and how it, in the end, doesn't make you happy. they are young, so it's hard to drive the concept home, but they do get it. I have showed them the aforementioned videos and they think it's disgusting what people will do for a "thing". My older daughter has some attachment issues (she hugged the fridge when we had to get a new one), but my younger one is very "ah, I don't use it, let's give it away to someone who can't afford it". Which warms my heart. 

we try to teach them that experiences are much more valuable than stuff. they get it, when they get to go to the cottage and can only bring a few toys (and no electronics) and they are happier there than they are at home with all their possessions. 

now where's my fucking christmas single dammit! 

mickeyrat

HughFreakingDillon said:

I think when Hedonist is saying is where I'm at. It still bothers me quite a bit when I see videos of children being bowled over by "adults" on black friday for a fucking tv, but I try to believe that's not the norm. And even if it is, all I can do is what I do myself. And teach my girls the evils of out of control consumerism and how it, in the end, doesn't make you happy. they are young, so it's hard to drive the concept home, but they do get it. I have showed them the aforementioned videos and they think it's disgusting what people will do for a "thing". My older daughter has some attachment issues (she hugged the fridge when we had to get a new one), but my younger one is very "ah, I don't use it, let's give it away to someone who can't afford it". Which warms my heart. 

we try to teach them that experiences are much more valuable than stuff. they get it, when they get to go to the cottage and can only bring a few toys (and no electronics) and they are happier there than they are at home with all their possessions. 

now where's my fucking christmas single dammit! 

holiday. Holiday single , with NO distinction of WHICH holiday either!!

brianlux

Holiday Single?   What Holiday Single? 

tempo_n_groove

Thoughts_Arrive said:

I blame the Kardashians

^This was the beginning of the end along with The Jersey Shore and Paris Hilton...

I do enjoy quality clothes, food and drink.

I also carry my own reusable shopping bags, recycle and grow a garden.

I also do not participate too much on Instagram and twitter, I do though, spend a bit of time on here and FB...

Whomever mentioned "rural living" has got the right idea!  I actually would like to Homestead but can't find a partner that would, lol.

PJ_Soul

I will first admit that 1) while I think the price is outrageous and would never pay it, the new Gucci sneakers are fucking fantastic looking, and 2) I recently bought an expensive pair of Gucci eyeglass frames, although got them half off, and that half was actually covered by my extended healthcare insurance, so I'm pretty sure I'm still on the up and up as far as not buying into the branding bullshit goes, haha.

Yes, materialism is out of control in our society, and it's not actually the need to pay for a brand that bothers me so much. I mean, it's crazy, but at least you can usually find quality there too. What disturbs me more is how so many people - most people - are living way beyond their means because society has somehow created this kind of baseline for living conditions that is WAAAAAAY higher than it should be. I.e. even those who are barely above the poverty line are "expected" (by themselves and everyone else) to somehow live in a comfortable home that is properly furnished, and have a laptop, flat screen, and car. And their clothes are supposed to be nice. And if they can't do all that, they are LOSERS. Wow, talk about unfair and destructive. I know when my parents were younger, they and everyone they knew were basically using milk crates for furniture and shit. They seriously didn't spend money on anything that wasn't an absolute necessity or second hand (or both) unless they truly could afford it and pay for it up front. That was normal back then. PEOPLE LIVED WITHIN THEIR MEANS, and people understood. It really is too bad that the new "normal" is so fucking misaligned with everyone's finances. Even people with money don't live within their means, and it's all because of what society has become - our expectations for ourselves and others are all out of wack. And credit debt is so fucking out of control because everyone needs all the stuff that they can't actually afford, I don't know how most people aren't having mental breakdowns over it.

Smellyman

I have never owned much stuff.  I actually HATE accumulating crap.  I own the bare necessities of clothes.  I admit it bugs me greatly to see people waste money on needless possessions.  Cars are a big one.  Kanye West ugly ass shoes?  idiots.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvgN5gCuLac

brianlux

Smellyman said:

I have never owned much stuff.  I actually HATE accumulating crap.  I own the bare necessities of clothes.  I admit it bugs me greatly to see people waste money on needless possessions.  Cars are a big one.  Kanye West ugly ass shoes?  idiots.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvgN5gCuLac

Classic Carlin!

I saw this great book one time that had photographs of families from various countries and all the stuff they owned.  Guess which country had the family with the most crap?  I wish I had those photos.  Quite revealing!