Not sure how you're going to get both, bro.
The simple fact of the matter is that, as Americans, we work a good majority of our lives for stuff. From the time most of us are teenagers until we are halfway in the box, we work simply to acquire stuff.
Some will argue, that no, we work to pay bills.
That's bullshit and not true.
You don't have to have bills. You could be homeless. You probably don't want to, but you could be...it is an option.
On the Duwamish waterway near Elliot Bay there is a man who lives in a tent right on the waterfront. He has a little bench in his "front yard" area so he can chill and watch the boats. He can fish and pick berries to his heart's content.
Kinda looks like he's got it made.
Meanwhile, I spend nearly $2000 a month for a similarly appointed apartment...except I can only see the water, I don't live right on the water like he does.
I don't even have a yard!
Or fucking berries for that matter.
Anyway, my brother tells me that as Americans, we put too much emphasis on stuff and when you look back on your best memories, they rarely include stuff. Except for maybe the memory of buying your first home or car.
I think he made a good point, even though he drives a BMW and rides a custom Harley that costs more than many starter homes.
There's some fucking irony.
We do put too much emphasis on stuff. Why do guys like expensive cars? Because girls like expensive cars....well.....maybe not so much the cars, but the fact that somewhere beneath that big body Mercedes, there is a large bank account to supply her with.........more stuff.
Nice stuff doesn't always have to be "expensive" stuff. I have a nice enough car, I think. It has leather interior, climate control, power everything and seats 4 comfortably. But it's 12 years old and has 135,000 miles on the clock. It's paid for and it's comfortable and dependable. Before I had this car, I drove a car that was nearly 30 years old. I liked that car. I could take it places and not have to worry if it was going to get scratched or if the doors were going to get dinged.
Would I like a new car or truck?
Sure.
But if I have a car payment, then that means I can't go snowboarding this winter.
I'd rather snowboard. I'll take 2 feet of fresh pow on a bluebird day over leather interior and a heated steering wheel any day.
People have stuff for competition.
Like the old saying from the 80's "He who dies with the most toys wins."
But not really. You're still dead you cocksucker. At that point, what do the toys matter?
Most people that buy said toys never play with them. They look at them and show them off to their friends who may not be able to afford the same toys.
Like the Ferrari in Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Why do you need the big SUV to tote around your 1 or 2 kids? Because you can. Because you can say "hey fuckers look at me!! Loooook.......at.......meeeeeeeee!"
That's all. That's the only reason.
One could argue that I've never been in a position to afford stuff that nice so I really don't understand. After having nice stuff, you will never want to go back to not having nice stuff....at least that's what I'm told.
I could go into major debt like everyone else and have the nice cars and the overpriced Seattle mortgage payment. But then....I'd be just like everyone else.
When my friends call me to go snowboarding, rather than saying "fuck yeah, which mountain?"
I'd say "no....I can't afford to go. Got this car payment....."
I could put it on my credit card and yank all my money out of the bank and be completely broke. Then I'd have it all!
Then the bank would want me to pay up.
Then I'd be back to nothing.
The key to life and stuff, is, like many other things, moderation. Now, if having stuff and collecting stuff is your thing, great. Go for it. But don't bitch that you never get to do anything because you gotta pay for all your stuff.
I hate people who have stuff that never use it. Much again like the Ferrari in the movie. Drive the Ferrari. If you want something to look at, rent out some Playboy bunnies, stick 'em in a cage in the living room and let that be that.
Every year, I load up the car (sometimes multiple times) with stuff I no longer or never used and head to the nearest Goodwill donation station. Let someone else use the stuff I don't use. Yet every year, I never cease to amaze myself at how much useless shit I've amassed.
Every goddamn year!
I'm not much of the consumerist type. I buy a lot of bike parts and outdoor equipment, but that shit get used, broken, lost, what have you. I don't buy art for art's sake. What little art I do have is usually created by local artists you've never heard of because I think it's better than that mass produced shit or some shit like Picasso that people say is good, but I think is shit. I don't own all the new trendy gadgets. I don't even have a fuckin' iPod.
Know why?
Because I broke 3 iPods in a year a few years back and figured I don't need music with me all the time.
And I couldn't be happier.
Do you have any idea how much stuff you miss when wearing your iPod? The odd conversations you're privy to, the birds chirping, the kids screaming for asinine crap...and the parents who give in to said crap.
The world is an awesome place. Don't tune it out with headphones.
Yes, we have too much stuff. Nobody wants to downsize or lose their stuff. But really people, it's just stuff. Downsizing or trying to move away from being the typical consumerist American is tough.
It's like breaking a drug addiction.
But I think once most people try it, they end up liking it. You will have to change the way you do things, see things and your general modus operandi.
I don't think people realize how much of life they miss in today's technological world. I spend all fucking in front of a computer at work. I spend much of my evening on a computer as well doing shit like writing this goddamn fucking blog that nobody reads or editing videos of my latest idiotic cycling adventure.
I always wonder how much of life did I miss while fucking around with technology? Did I miss a big party on the beach? Did I miss friends that I haven't seen in years that just happened to be in town for a concert? Did my neighbors have a BBQ on the roof?
I don't know. And I'll never know.
But I do know this: stuff is just stuff. You can get more stuff at any time if you want more stuff. The stuff will always be there. Between China and South America, there is an infinite supply of consumerism stuff to buy. I should know, I'm in procurement. I get paid to......buy stuff!
But life is for living, and you only get one shot. You can't go down to Target and get more life...unless you want the cereal, which is good shit!
Life is finite.
How long it lasts is unknown.
You might have 20,000 days of life left. Or you might only have today left.
So why not put down the fuckin' stuff and go live your life?
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