Living In The Material World

I do believe that less is more, in this case you make the most of what you have - which is a good thing.

I'm much like you. Hubs is the one who wants to buy new stuff constantly and I say, don't replace things that still work. Sometimes he hears what I'm saying. Our car is 14 years old. ;-)

I am always intrigued by the importance people place upon things such as cars- safety is important, as are the emissions (OK, I do want to not add to the problem of pollution any more that is nec.) but beyond that, it is a disposable mechanical thing used to do a job. How people respond to older cars says a lot more to me about that person than the car does about the owner. (But to be fair, I own a very old car, live in a neighborhood with nice cars, and my neighbors think I am "quirky" but tolerate my car with good humor....)

We live in a materialistic world and to some extent rely on it. But I do understand your point of view. I used to want 'nice expensive things' before, when I couldn't afford it. But now that I can, I don't care for them anymore. All the material in the world simply cannot stir that warm fuzzy feeling in your heart or make you smile the way a child brings joy in your life or a loved one makes your heart smile or the fondness you feel for friends. I'll take fuzzy feeling any day over material.

That's time well spent. Conspicuous consumption is a communicable disease and spreads at the speed of greed. Sounds like you're debt-free (or near enough) and I'm guessing the fruits of your labor flow into interest-bearing accounts. No need to feel the urge to explain yourself to others.

I really like this story. Frankly, I like all of your stories.

Sounds very sensible to me. A car loses a third of its new value as soon as it crosses out of the sale yard. So do white goods.

Yet the working life of second hand gives long term value if well selected.

So how is this not just a different form of materialism?

probably much more functional for both you and the planet.

But, is your car a petrol guzzler that's costing a lot in maintenance and petrol? and would you go second hand solar electric for the sake of the environment, when the chance arises?



Maybe too, you are being judged by females looking to lay eggs in a nest, trying to judge the future chances of security, but not seeing or thinking clearly.

If so, you're doing it just right to attract the female who'll be a good match for your values.

The first words I heard my hubby say were "I'm looking for a place with a garden and a bath, where I can play my flute at 3am without disturbing anyone."

I instantly loved his values, and it still lasts after 21 years.

I love your story and your attitude. With the basic necessities of life you are covered, satisfied. I'm sure you have much more peace of mind than most folks have. The Snootingtons.. hahahahahaaaa i would not want to live next to them either much less keep up with them. I have a small house on a quiet street and it is my pure joy to be able to hear silence as i sit on my porch and enjoy the wonderful scene nature portrays all day in my yard and surrounding fields. That is part of my simple joys in life. It shows the true character of those with whom you associated very briefly and your character for associating with them briefly .. hahahaa :) Good for you. Don't change a hair! :)

Well said. I hate throwing things away, so what if it's no longer in "fashion". I'm especially like that with mobile phones.

I just love your way of life!

There is a fine line between materialism and austerity and the line is practicality, simplicity and possession of the things that are reasonably justified.

I agree too. I am very lucky, my husband and I share the same values and neither one of us is materialistic. We buy what we need to make our lives easier or more comfortable, but we draw the line at newer and flashier gimmicks just for their own sake, or for the sake of showing off. In the supermarket, the first place I head for is the discount produce table in the back. I see what they've got, and plan my menus around the bargain items. Last time I went to buy a new cell phone, the salesman tried to convince me I needed an expensive "smart phone" of some sort, that would do a gazillion tricks. I just wanted a PHONE. To make and receive phone calls with. I had to fight with him to get what I wanted, and nothing more. That was last year. I went into the store last week to replace my charger, which was damaged, and again, I had to fight off salesmen who wanted me to replace my "old, worn out, obsolete" phone. (It's only a YEAR old and it works perfectly.) I was raised to be thrifty, and so was my husband. I pride myself on being able to save money on most of life's needs. I never brag about how MUCH I spent on something, but I am always bragging about how LITTLE I spent on things. I do not buy things I don't need though, just because they are on sale. We have to buy expensive shoes when we need shoes, because we have foot problems and cannot wear just any old shoe from Walmart, but we make an effort to get the best price we can on the ones we do need to buy, and we only buy as many as we need. I have seven pairs, and that includes boots, sandals, dress shoes, sneakers and Earth shoes. I really cannot understand the whole mindless excessive consumerism that is so rampant in our society. In fact, I find it somewhat disgusting.

I wholeheartedly agree. Thanks for sharing this.

My hat is off to you and your values. I understand what you are saying and believe me, those people want you associated with finer, more expensive "things", not for you but for them. Imagine if they were caught associating with someone who drives an "old" car and lives in "that part of town". As was noted, they are shallow people and not worth your time. It's easy to see where their values lie, not in friendship, obviously. My husband and I are the same. If we can't afford to pay for it outright, well we don't need it, do we? Perhaps it would benefit our Government to take some lessons from people like yourself and the other commenter's here.

I think I know why people are obsesses with status symbols... This is America. It's how we were raised and, not everyone has depth enough to have a mind of their own. I'm glad you are smart enough to know better. Friends who judge you based on what you have, don't know or care enough about who you are. We're all better off without people like that. Sometimes they have the capacity to be led to understand differently but, we can't win them all. Don't worry, as America continues to spiral down due to the trend of materialism, those will be the first to go.

God bless Thoreau and Buchwald for those quotes! i agree with you and I actually learned this later in life. I grew up with a family that valued possessions more than anything so I had no other way to live. Sometimes you are taught the wrong stuff. When my life changed, I began to realize exactly what my value consisted of and it was not attached to my collection of high heels or my convertible. I am happy to be able to pass this on to my child.



If you have read Man’s Search for Meaning: "...in the absence of meaning, people fill the resultant void with hedonistic pleasures, power, materialism, hatred, boredom, or neurotic obsessions and compulsions (Frankl 1992, p. 143)