Consumers should just stop buying.

[Frankie3s]

Let's face it, the majority of our purchases are impulsive and are not necessary (except food of course). How many mp3 players do you need? How many times in a year do you need a new video card?

Our whole economic system is based on impulsive purchases that if people were to cease buying on would collapse us back to the caveman age. Retailers don't appreciate their customers anymore, we pay ridiculous markups (save 50% off, imagine 50% off and they still make money!!!), have to pay at least 2 levels of taxation on top of and lastly, even pay more than our American friends (automobiles come to mind) even though our currency at times is worth more.

I think the reason why a lot of people buy things or go into debt is to make up for some sort of short coming in their lifes or to combat depression. When you get some sort of new gadget you tend to go through some sort of euphoria for a short period of time before you come back down. Sort of like an adrenaline rush. Imagine if people could control their purchasing? Prices might come down more but sadly, the government would just raise taxes in other areas to make up for the lost revenues. If we all just bought less I think we'd all live better and happier lives.

Do you want to remember that when your dad was dying that you were out looking for an S panel Samsung LCD monitor (over exaggeration of course, for some maybe not)? Just a thought...

[laptop-tech]

You can always move to Cuba.

[Frankie3s]

You can always move to Cuba.

True. Interestingly enough you don't see a lot of people trying to leave Cuba anymore. Many of us pay a lot of money to go there every year instead. I think they've realized the secret to living a good life while you're out looking for this year's newest mp3 player.

[Ebola]

Well studies have shown that as long as people have the necessities of life that money doesn't really bring much more happiness beyond that point.


But ahh.. I sense the angst of youth at work here.

[canadianbiz]

Let's face it, the majority of our purchases are impulsive and are not necessary (except food of course).

I think the reason why a lot of people buy things or go into debt is to make up for some sort of short coming in their lifes or to combat depression. When you get some sort of new gadget you tend to go through some sort of euphoria for a short period of time before you come back down. If we all just bought less I think we'd all live better and happier lives.



I agree with your statements here 100%.
I for one am not a consumer. I do not buy new vehicles, new furniture or appliances. Why buy all that JUNK at rediculously high prices.
People buy stuff they cannot afford and chalk it up on their Credit Cards causing themselves all kinds of distress when they cannot pay or take forever to pay. That is why I don't do this.
I have a number of credit cards and my balance is less than $100 total.

I sleep very well at night. When I start my 1982 Ford F150 Pickup that is in mint condition and with nothing owing on it, I do not envy those who drive $50,000 trucks and pay $500 a month on them.
I get furniture, appliances and all kinds of very nice and in good condition items from people who are so Stupid. They go out and buy a brand new kitchen stove when the one they have has nothing wrong with it. Then they have to get rid of it so I get it for free. Same as a $600 loveseat I got from our neighbours when they moved because they said they did not have room for it in their new apartment that was bigger than when they lived beside me here.

Impluse buying, buying because you are depressed or to make yourself feel better is a disease that you have to cure yourself from.
Who the heck cares what you neighbours think of the car you drive or what you have. You are the one who has to live with it, not them. You are also the one who has to pay for it. And the less payments the better.

[hiredmuscle]

being able to buy new stuff is what keeps people working hard so they can keep getting more stuff

[Impossibles]

is it hard being better and smarter than everybody else?

[cashman91]

I agree with your statements here 100%.
I for one am not a consumer. I do not buy new vehicles, new furniture or appliances. Why buy all that JUNK at rediculously high prices.
People buy stuff they cannot afford and chalk it up on their Credit Cards causing themselves all kinds of distress when they cannot pay or take forever to pay. That is why I don't do this.
I have a number of credit cards and my balance is less than $100 total.

I sleep very well at night. When I start my 1982 Ford F150 Pickup that is in mint condition and with nothing owing on it, I do not envy those who drive $50,000 trucks and pay $500 a month on them.
I get furniture, appliances and all kinds of very nice and in good condition items from people who are so Stupid. They go out and buy a brand new kitchen stove when the one they have has nothing wrong with it. Then they have to get rid of it so I get it for free. Same as a $600 loveseat I got from our neighbours when they moved because they said they did not have room for it in their new apartment that was bigger than when they lived beside me here.

Impluse buying, buying because you are depressed or to make yourself feel better is a disease that you have to cure yourself from.
Who the heck cares what you neighbours think of the car you drive or what you have. You are the one who has to live with it, not them. You are also the one who has to pay for it. And the less payments the better.

OMG F***ing god yes AMEN
every word you said is true

When you get some sort of new gadget you tend to go through some sort of euphoria for a short period of time before you come back down. Sort of like an adrenaline rush. Imagine if people could control their purchasing? Prices might come down more but sadly, the government would just raise taxes in other areas to make up for the lost revenues. If we all just bought less I think we'd all live better and happier lives.

so true

i have enough money to go buy all the stuff that desire such as those high end tvs but hey if my CRT is fine then i am fine.Once the CRT is done then i will buy a new plasma. I am a HT addict sometimes but spending is getting out of control its an addiction just like pot:evil:. Every weekend i drive by the mall and see it packed full. why do you need to go out every weekend a spend about 5 hours of your day for impulsive buying. If i make a large purchase (200+) then you think hunt out a deal and then buy it. I might sound like a frugalous ba$tard right know but hey so spend your dough but once our CC get maxed out you will be stressed out

Hey i like my high after buying a gadget just like any one els but today ppl don't know how to spend money properly:mad:

thats all i have to say :)

[AWESOM-O]

I realized everything you guys are saying over the last few months. I'm getting to the point of sickness now when I see how much people waste their money. The saddest part is, a lot of these people (at least the ones I personally know) devote their lives to making money, only to buy more mass produced junk from China. They go cheque to cheque, to cover their expenses and with whatever money they have left over they feel the urge to spend it.

It's not only the retail industry milking these people; services like restaurants and hair salons are also profiting from people's impulsive spending. People need to focus on what's important to themselves, and make money in order to satisfy their own goals, not the goals of others.

[pkguy]

I totally agree though in my youth I was just as bedazzled by the ease of credit card purchases and got myself over-extended a few times. A hard lesson learned and I only have one CC now for emergency use or travel. Everything else is cash/debit. I no longer care like I used to what other people think of what car I drive or anything. I've done a total 180 in attitude and having money, real money, in the bank is way more important.

[canadianbiz]

I totally agree though in my youth I was just as bedazzled by the ease of credit card purchases and got myself over-extended a few times. A hard lesson learned and I only have one CC now for emergency use or travel. Everything else is cash/debit. I no longer care like I used to what other people think of what car I drive or anything. I've done a total 180 in attitude and having money, real money, in the bank is way more important.

pkguy, I think most of us in our youth spend frivilously. Too bad one does not know in their youth what ones knows at middle age. Well for some people anyway. Some others never learn.

[Nikita]

What you're referring to is called 'retail therapy'. Works for me, I would probably spend more for headshrink therapy, and I have something tangible in addition to feeling better...yep, that's my story and I'm sticking to it...;)

[DaVibe]

Watch Planet Earth and then see how bad you feel about yourself that people are single-handedly killing off the animals and lands of this Earth.

Yeah, it's bad.

[selpats]

Watch Planet Earth and then see how bad you feel about yourself that people are single-handedly killing off the animals and lands of this Earth.

Yeah, it's bad.

It took watching 'Planet Earth' for you to realize this? :lol:

[nickia]

In simple English language, if no one buys, sellers don't make money; When sellers don't make money, they don't hire. Unemployment rate becomes high and people have less money to buy because they have no incomes. When they have less money, they buy less. This is the vicious cycle that all economists are trying to avoid.

...The stock market will never crash if everyone buys and no one sells.

But I have to agree with you that controlling your personal spending habit is good. I realized that I've spent over $4000 since last July 2007 in leisure activities and goods.

$1000 textbooks
$450 XBOX 360
$350 LCDTV
$360 School's Leather Jacket
$600 Flight tickets to Europe this May
$2000 Fastfoods, movies, eat-out, gifts


Among items on this list, I regret the most for buying the XBOX and LCD TV. I wanted to buy it badly for few months but as long as I bought it, I lost my desire. I played it less than 10 times, and it has been collecting dust at my home since Christmas.

It's so incredible how a simple change in lifestyle affects your consumption that much. I remember before I started university, I probably only spend around $30-40 a month on movies and Mcdonalds.

This summer I'm going to blow another $3000 on my Europe Trip...

[twotterdhc6]

In simple English language, if no one buys, sellers don't make money; When sellers don't make money, they don't hire. Unemployment rate becomes high and people have less money to buy because they have no incomes. When they have less money, they buy less. This is the vicious cycle that all economists are trying to avoid.

...The stock market will never crash if everyone buys and no one sells.


What some people are saying is that we as a society should change our whole concept of quality of life and stop measuring it by economic growth. So what if there is higher unemployment if people don't need to earn the money to buy so many things? The state of the economy as we know it would be irrelevant in that context.
That's just some sort of ideal that will never happen. So, control your spending and not get yourself into debt that you cannot afford, and be happy!

[hardcandy1911]

The computer was the invention that made the word necessity look like a "need". The computer alone carries more neccesities than you need;

-The big screen monitor (bigger the better), forget CRT lets go get LCD/Plasma
-The wireless optical mouse, lets not forget the brandname M$.
-Webcam, we all need to look good for the camera when we barely use it.
-At least 2.0Ghrtz CPU, for some odd reason we all multi task and video edit.
-Have at least 50-pack cdrs/dvdrs to burn your pirated media

The list goes on, then you have the internet which deeply increases the chances of consumers buying goods and services at incredible deals.

OP, the point im trying to make is you cant just make a blog about this situation, RFD has a HOT DEALS section and for what? So people like you can buy something that you dont really need, or spend time on here which could be put to better use. Consumers will NEVER stop buying, its too late and this would be an endless discussion, but I gotta hand it to ya, you really thought you had something going didnt ya? Lol.

But hey, the more time we spend on here the more money Derek makes per month, arent asians great? :S

[nickia]

What some people are saying is that we as a society should change our whole concept of quality of life and stop measuring it by economic growth. So what if there is higher unemployment if people don't need to earn the money to buy so many things? The state of the economy as we know it would be irrelevant in that context.
That's just some sort of ideal that will never happen. So, control your spending and not get yourself into debt that you cannot afford, and be happy!

Unfortunately, the way of living that you just described is impossible unless we are living in the stone age. Even then, stone age people will try to accumulate as much foods/resources as possible. It's another form of wealth accumulation.

[Emancipated]

True. Interestingly enough you don't see a lot of people trying to leave Cuba anymore. Many of us pay a lot of money to go there every year instead. I think they've realized the secret to living a good life while you're out looking for this year's newest mp3 player.

I think there is some truth to the saying "you don't know what you're missing" to this situation.

Look at new culture movement in China. Western culture is trickling in and they're starting to become an economic power so they want to use that extra income somehow. In a few years time they will look like we do in more ways than one.

There are people who have great self control and can live modestly but most of us are browbeaten by the advertisers and peer pressure to have the latest, greatest things.

[weedb0y]

Let's face it, the majority of our purchases are impulsive and are not necessary (except food of course). How many mp3 players do you need? How many times in a year do you need a new video card?

Our whole economic system is based on impulsive purchases that if people were to cease buying on would collapse us back to the caveman age. Retailers don't appreciate their customers anymore, we pay ridiculous markups (save 50% off, imagine 50% off and they still make money!!!), have to pay at least 2 levels of taxation on top of and lastly, even pay more than our American friends (automobiles come to mind) even though our currency at times is worth more.

I think the reason why a lot of people buy things or go into debt is to make up for some sort of short coming in their lifes or to combat depression. When you get some sort of new gadget you tend to go through some sort of euphoria for a short period of time before you come back down. Sort of like an adrenaline rush. Imagine if people could control their purchasing? Prices might come down more but sadly, the government would just raise taxes in other areas to make up for the lost revenues. If we all just bought less I think we'd all live better and happier lives.

Do you want to remember that when your dad was dying that you were out looking for an S panel Samsung LCD monitor (over exaggeration of course, for some maybe not)? Just a thought...

google sufism
lol

get closer to god, materialistic things dont matter at all. Now, I shall go pickup that damn monitor from staples that I never needed. :)

[Madchester]

True. Interestingly enough you don't see a lot of people trying to leave Cuba anymore. Many of us pay a lot of money to go there every year instead. I think they've realized the secret to living a good life while you're out looking for this year's newest mp3 player.

Well, the Cuban government provides free funeral and burials for its citizens. You can't pass up that perk!

[GangStarr]

True. Interestingly enough you don't see a lot of people trying to leave Cuba anymore. .

Hopefully that was sarcasm, otherwise you truly are an idiot. Cubans work 8 hours a day 5 or 6 days a week for 240 non convertible pesos a month. Thats $12. Any Cuban who doesn't have extensive ties with the government would gladly leave.

Ughh the ignorance.

[canadianbiz]

Bottom Line is as far as I am concerned:

If you are a shop-a-holic and can't control your spending and finances, you are in trouble and will always be in trouble.

[Ebola]

True. Interestingly enough you don't see a lot of people trying to leave Cuba anymore.

Oh? Have you been closely monitoring the Cuban legal and illegal emigration patterns?

Not to mention you have to pay alot of money to get into Cuba, and then pay more money again if you want to leave.

[dark169]

a post brought to you by the wealth of consumerism and capitalism.

If people would just stop buying things, we wouldn't need malls, and the thousands of people employed at said malls would freeze to death in a couple weeks so there would be less people consuming things.

Everyone wants to save the world until its time to choose the 9 out of 10 people that need to die.

[Alvito]

whats the alternative to not spending your money? Working less? Thats great if your employer grants you such flexible hours, but for most it would mean saving their money. Whats the point in saving it? Might as well spend and enjoy it, even if buying goods and services only brings temporary happiness.

And I think that is a term we have to define first.

Happiness.

What is 'happy'?

[Rocketo]

whats the alternative to not spending your money? Working less? Thats great if your employer grants you such flexible hours, but for most it would mean saving their money. Whats the point in saving it? Might as well spend and enjoy it, even if buying goods and services only brings temporary happiness.

And I think that is a term we have to define first.

Happiness.

What is 'happy'?


hmm i agree...if we stop being consumers..a lot of people STOP being able to provide for their families..when this happens...they turn to crime...anarchy will surely happen..

[bubble.tea]

Sign me up.

How much do I pay to join this club? :lol:

[Ebola]

It needs to be said that just because we have created capitalism doesn't mean that it is the only way to organize our society.

The problem of course is, because it is so deeply rooted and everywhere, that is largely defines what people can conceptualize.

Literally it makes alot of people unable to think outside the capitalist box.

"What do you mean another way? We need to consume, how else would we make money to buy things?" (The assumptions being -> money and buying things is as natural as trees growing out of the ground, which is not true.)

[stealth]

whats the alternative to not spending your money? Working less? Thats great if your employer grants you such flexible hours, but for most it would mean saving their money. Whats the point in saving it? Might as well spend and enjoy it, even if buying goods and services only brings temporary happiness.

And I think that is a term we have to define first.

Happiness.

What is 'happy'?

Dont be so short sighted. How about retiring early? I dont need my employers pemission to do that.
Also many employers would allow unpaid leaves of absence, esp. during times of economic slowdown (some companies in manufacturing in rural areas actually shut down for weeks during slower times of the year e.g. xmas, so that demand can catch up to production).
How about saving to start your own business and not have a boss anymore at all? Or being able to work in a more interesting career, or one with more flexible working conditions but that comes at a lower rate of pay?

How about saving it in order use for further education, travel, helping less fortunate friends/relatives? I was watching a show the other night, where a motocross racer was reminiscing about his FIRST big prize from a race....a $100,000 purse, and how he gave it to a friend who is in a wheel chair and needed some help. If it was later in the racers career after many similar wins, it would have been a nice gesture, but the fact that he did it with his first big win (maybe he'd never win another?), made it more admirable IMO.

Money can mean so much more than just the shiny trinkets and gaudy, disposable status symbols we've come to associate it with.

As Martin Brodeur once said, when asked why even while being arguably the best goalie in the NHL for several years now, yet never being the highest paid "How many millions do I need?"

Good post OP.

[dark169]

How about saving it in order use for further education, travel, helping less fortunate friends/relatives? ...

Only 1 of those is not consuming... And even then helping the less fortunate means just transferring your consumption to someone else. Saving or future consumption is not reducing consumption.

[hagbard]

I'm a penny pitching Scotsman, it takes a lot to get me to buy anything. My largest purchase in a year was a D40 with kit lens for $500. Though given that I can lose $1000 in one day in my RRSP investments, I'm thinking its time to loosen up the wallet. BTW, here's a picture of my ideal house:

http://www.shelterpub.com/_blog/tinyhouse.jpg

Just don't think I can fit the entire family into it.

[stealth]

Only 1 of those is not consuming... And even then helping the less fortunate means just transferring your consumption to someone else. Saving or future consumption is not reducing consumption.

I disagree, again you're assuming....because transferring money to others doesnt mean they're going to buy IPODs and crap with it. My intent would be to provide it so its used for education, additional leisure (maybe so a young student doesnt have to work an additional full time job in order to make ends meet while studying), or someone who has to work 2 jobs to support a wife and kids and maybe ill parent, or help with health/medical issues. Gotta use your imagination. There are people in this world/country/city with needs that are far more basic than our concept of what to do with money.

I also dont think travel is the same as consuming. You can travel Europe for months with just a back pack...if you could afford to not have to be at work. Or maybe work for the experience, say picking strawberries in Australia, or grapes in France...not much money, but probably a great life experience. I see money as something that enables someone to enjoy freedom, and independence without pressure, not just a means to acquire...stuff. A way to subsidize gathering of EXPERIENCES, not "stuff". Wouldnt it be cool to be like Gene Simmons on the Apprentice and have the attitude of "fire me, I could care less...its been fun"...that doesnt come from consuming, that comes from a modicum of security, I dont see them the same way. Gene could have put up with way more crap, and I'm sure every episode longer he'd have been on it would equate to 1 more Ferrari...but it doesnt matter. He knows he wont starve without it. Not that Gene is an example of being immaterialistic, but you get the point.

[SwiZz]

Nice thread, but personally, like someone mentioned, it comes down to what you value you more in your life.

If you're comfortable eating mac and cheese and staying at home for the rest of your life, then so be it. But some like to travel the world, create memories from vacations, taste many different (and possibly expensive) types of foods.

Also, someone mentioned that its better to use the money to possibly start your own business, or further your education. Again, thats not for everyone. Perhaps someone is just more comfortable working a mediocre job and playing video games on his couch in his single one bedroom apartment.

But I think the OP's argument is more towards to purchase of things like getting a 22 inch LCD monitor one year, and then going to a 25 inch monitor the next year.

It might seem like a waste of money, but again everyone values things differently. The extra 3 inches might make that person a lot happier.

That's what she said? :)

[jopojo]

Nice thread, but personally, like someone mentioned, it comes down to what you value you more in your life.

If you're comfortable eating mac and cheese and staying at home for the rest of your life, then so be it. But some like to travel the world, create memories from vacations, taste many different (and possibly expensive) types of foods.

Also, someone mentioned that its better to use the money to possibly start your own business, or further your education. Again, thats not for everyone. Perhaps someone is just more comfortable working a mediocre job and playing video games on his couch in his single one bedroom apartment.

But I think the OP's argument is more towards to purchase of things like getting a 22 inch LCD monitor one year, and then going to a 25 inch monitor the next year.

It might seem like a waste of money, but again everyone values things differently. The extra 3 inches might make that person a lot happier.

That's what she said? :)

+1. Completely agree with the poster. We all value things differently in life. money might not means as much to one person as it does to another.

The way that we look at money and material possessions, I believe, is due to the values that you were brought up with while growing up, and as well, the culture that you are raised in.

Every culture puts different emphasis on certain things. Family may be most important to one, while social life in another, and wealth + financial stability in another. Add to that the values that our parents taught us, and factor in our own beliefs due to the non-shared and unique experiences that each one of us observe, and you got a whole whack of clashing views about money, possessions and the true source of happiness...

[Badman]

never thought I would see a thread like this on RFD:lol:

Anyways some very good post in this topic and everyone i do agree with for a certain extent.

One thing is that buying new things is what makes you happy even for a little while. If you keep working and not seeing anything in return(at least physical) then you would fall into a depression. But don't think mean to just spend out all your money and waste it. I mean that buy things that you know you can afford and make use of.

[Frankie3s]

Oh? Have you been closely monitoring the Cuban legal and illegal emigration patterns?

Not to mention you have to pay alot of money to get into Cuba, and then pay more money again if you want to leave.

Sorry if I don't understand your version of English, but why would anyone want to pay a lot of money to get into Cuba and then again to "leave?" If you had bothered to read this thread's title you would have seen that it is about consumption and not about Cuba.

[twotterdhc6]

Unfortunately, the way of living that you just described is impossible unless we are living in the stone age. Even then, stone age people will try to accumulate as much foods/resources as possible. It's another form of wealth accumulation.
I agree about the first part. This is how we define ourselves and how society defines itself, and it's not going to change. That's why I did qualify it with the last line in my post.

The stone age people gather as much food and resources as possible so they don't starve and die over the winter. Theirs is a necessity to survive, whereas a big screen TV is merely a luxury.



I also dont think travel is the same as consuming. You can travel Europe for months with just a back pack...if you could afford to not have to be at work. Or maybe work for the experience, say picking strawberries in Australia, or grapes in France...not much money, but probably a great life experience. I see money as something that enables someone to enjoy freedom, and independence without pressure, not just a means to acquire...stuff. A way to subsidize gathering of EXPERIENCES, not "stuff".
Travelling is definitely a form of consumerism. It is a luxury, of spending money on a "want" to experience freedom, escape reality etc. Though I do agree that these experiences are a lot more valuable than the thrill of getting a new gadget.

[Frankie3s]

If you keep working and not seeing anything in return(at least physical) then you would fall into a depression.

Personally, I feel that the majority of us have been steered into replacing our needs of family with possessions instead. If you don't buy Axe body spray then you are not attractive to women, etc. Has anyone noticed all of those shampoo commercials on TV lately? All of this plays onto our needs of belonging. Imagine replacing the rewarding of ourselves with possessions (not totally) and instead rewarding ourselves more with human experiences/interactions or relationships with friends and family?

If we have our health and our families as well as those that we hold dear then we are fair richer than any person with a really great car or home (IMO). As human beings we tend to forget about our mortality at times. We wrongly assume our parents will be around with us forever and we also at times easily discount the value of our relationships with other people. Only when they are gone do we realize what we have truly lost.

The best memories I have are with other people. I can't honestly say that about any of my possessions.

Great observation.

[ullyeus]

I'm a penny pitching Scotsman, it takes a lot to get me to buy anything. My largest purchase in a year was a D40 with kit lens for $500. Though given that I can lose $1000 in one day in my RRSP investments, I'm thinking its time to loosen up the wallet. BTW, here's a picture of my ideal house:

http://www.shelterpub.com/_blog/tinyhouse.jpg

Just don't think I can fit the entire family into it.

I could see you living there.

[board123]

As human beings we tend to forget about our mortality at times. We wrongly assume our parents will be around with us forever and we also at times easily discount the value of our relationships with other people. Only when they are gone do we realize what we have truly lost.
Then there's the other side of the argument...

People are consumers because of the fact that we only live for a finite about of time, so why not make the most of it for yourself? If driving around in a nice car is what you desire most, then why not? If decking out your computer with the latest hardware is what makes life enjoyable for you, then why not?

Everyone is different. Some people enjoy social happiness, while others enjoy material happiness. In the end, they're all finding ways to make life enjoyable while it lasts, and it lasts such a short time. I don't think you can just say that people who prefer material happiness are simply wrong and should focus more on the social side of things.

[Frankie3s]

Then there's the other side of the argument...

People are consumers because of the fact that we only live for a finite about of time, so why not make the most of it for yourself? If driving around in a nice car is what you desire most, then why not? If decking out your computer with the latest hardware is what makes life enjoyable for you, then why not?

Everyone is different. Some people enjoy social happiness, while others enjoy material happiness. In the end, they're all finding ways to make life enjoyable while it lasts, and it lasts such a short time.

There is nothing wrong whatsoever with doing these things. But when you let those possessions take over your life (ex: you find a scratch on your car and you are devastated) and those whom around you are your second priority then you maybe cheating yourself out of something so valuable (as well as intangible) that you can't even put a price to it.

No one has to spend their precious time on you. But ironically, this could be the most expensive gift that they can ever give you because they can never get it back (time).

[board123]

There is nothing wrong whatsoever with doing these things. But when you let those possessions take over your life (ex: you find a scratch on your car and you are devastated) and those whom around you are your second priority then you maybe cheating yourself out of something so valuable (as well as intangible) that you can't even put a price to it.

No one has to spend their precious time on you. But ironically, this could be the most expensive gift that they can ever give you because they can never get it back (time).
Most of the time, if someone finds a huge scratch on their car then they have the right to be devastated. Like you said, time can very well be the most valuable commodity. That someone probably spent hundreds of hours working for money that they used to buy the car. They're devastated because they invested their own time and effort to acquire the material good, so it's perfectly understandable if they're upset over having it damaged.

For example, if you spent many years saving up to buy a nice big house for your family only to have it burned to the ground the next day, wouldn't you be extremely devastated? You'd probably be very grateful that all your family members are safe and sound, but even then, you're probably thinking a lot more about the house than your family members. I'm sure everyone would. Losing something is usually a lot more painful than having something, and this holds true for both people and material goods. We take what we already have for granted, let it be a close friend or a car.

Now, if you bring prioritization into the equation then things become much more complicated. Should family and friends have priority over material goods all the time? or should it depend on the situation? Should there be a priority queue at all? This is the moral backbone behind this discussion and something we might never be able to have a consensus for.

[Ebola]

Sorry if I don't understand your version of English, but why would anyone want to pay a lot of money to get into Cuba and then again to "leave?" If you had bothered to read this thread's title you would have seen that it is about consumption and not about Cuba.


I read your little diatribe, and you commented on "you don't see many people trying to leave Cuba anymore".

To which I questioned how the hell you can say that, as I severly doubt you have been monitoring the emigration patterns out of Cuba over a long period of time (both legal emigrants and illegal emigrants or so called "refugees")

My point was, if you want to be able to move in and out of that country, you have to have money. Even tourists who have paid thousands (who is accumulating all that wealth?) have to pay a tax per head in order to be allowed to leave the country. How do you get money? Through the political economic system of capitalism.

Why does this matter? Because it was part of your arguement about consumption, and how perhaps some other place "had it right".

If you would have read my post in another thread, you would have seen I already talked about how people have now become accustomed to the idea that capitalism is as natural as water or trees growing.

Because it is so deeply ingrained as a social system, it indeed affects every single aspect of your life, it shapes the "conceptual tools" that people have to draw on. It becomes harder and harder to think outside the capitalist box.

It's like a monopoly board (the game, ignore the irony of it being another symbol of capitalist ubiquitousness for a moment). You can devise a whole bunch of strategies of how best to play the game of monopoly, some more successful than others, but in the end, you have to play some form of monopoly, not chess, not backgammon, monopoly. You don't have a choice, unless you have one hell of an imagination and desire to try and make something different out of it.

By it being everywhere it literally frames how you can think.

So maybe next time you'll hold off a bit before chastising, when I do in fact have plenty to contribute.

[Frankie3s]

Ahh personal attacks, how quaint.

I read your little diatribe, and you commented on "you don't see many people trying to leave Cuba anymore".

To which I questioned how the hell you can say that, as I severly doubt you have been monitoring the emigration patterns out of Cuba over a long period of time (both legal emigrants and illegal emigrants or so called "refugees")

My point was, if you want to be able to move in and out of that country, you have to have money. Even tourists who have paid thousands (who is accumulating all that wealth?) have to pay a tax per head in order to be allowed to leave the country. How do you get money? Through the political economic system of capitalism.

Why does this matter? Because it was part of your arguement about consumption, and how perhaps some other place "had it right".

If you would have read my post in another thread, you would have seen I already talked about how people have now become accustomed to the idea that capitalism is as natural as water or trees growing.

Because it is so deeply ingrained as a social system, it indeed affects every single aspect of your life, it shapes the "conceptual tools" that people have to draw on. It becomes harder and harder to think outside the capitalist box.

It's like a monopoly board (the game, ignore the irony of it being another symbol of capitalist ubiquitousness for a moment). You can devise a whole bunch of strategies of how best to play the game of monopoly, some more successful than others, but in the end, you have to play some form of monopoly, not chess, not backgammon, monopoly. You don't have a choice, unless you have one hell of an imagination and desire to try and make something different out of it.

By it being everywhere it literally frames how you can think.

So maybe next time you'll hold off a bit before chastising, when I do in fact have plenty to contribute.

Very good point except for the last sentence of chastising to which I believe someone else was doing?

[hagbard]

I could see you living there.

Me too. Would make a nice getaway until the kids are grown. Unfortunately, they don't sell to Canada, I'd have to find someone here to build one for me.

[board123]

Me too. Would make a nice getaway until the kids are grown. Unfortunately, they don't sell to Canada, I'd have to find someone here to build one for me.
Rona: the how-to people.

[Badman]

No one has to spend their precious time on you. But ironically, this could be the most expensive gift that they can ever give you because they can never get it back (time).

This is the best thing said in the topic. I'd say time is the most precious gift. It can represent how long it took you to posses the item or it can also show how time was spent with someone important.

I'd say this is one thing people underestimate as you never know how much time you have left and its time that goes into everything/everyone you know and own.

[ShadowVlican]

No one has to spend their precious time on you. But ironically, this could be the most expensive gift that they can ever give you because they can never get it back (time).
This is the best thing said in the topic. I'd say time is the most precious gift. It can represent how long it took you to posses the item or it can also show how time was spent with someone important.

I'd say this is one thing people underestimate as you never know how much time you have left and its time that goes into everything/everyone you know and own.
+1 wow what a great quote

saved!

[canadianbiz]

Yes we are the people,
Running in the Race,
Buying up the Bargains at the old Marketplace,
Another Sale on Something,
We'll buy it while its hot,
And save alot of money,
Spending money we don't got!

Stompin Tom Connors, Marketplace CBC

[Becks]

We need to get back in touch with Nature, we need to bond with other people, and we need to stop walking unconsciously through our lives and question WHY we are doing the things we're doing.

There's nothing wrong with buying things, per se. It's the motives behind it that needs to be examined. Decadence is looked upon favourably these days (Paris Hilton is a symbol of this). However, there is also the movement to scale down our lives (eg. the magazine REAL SIMPLE). The thing, though, is that I think there is a real superficiality (marketing) behind this. When push comes to shove, you discover what you're really made of when you are put through a real test of circumstances.

When you have no money, you'll discover you won't really have as many friends to hang out with. Your relatives will fight over money in the will. Your house is not that enjoyable in a high crime neighbourhood. Your travel to far off places will reveal to you that other people are just as greedy, and there are just as many prostitutes there as in your home country.