Why are we obsessed with having "stuff/things"? (house, buying) - City-Data Forum

Ron. · 07-20-2008, 02:32 PM

It seems in the USA we define and often define others by the sutff/things they have. Especially brand named items and cars. I'd much rather live totally debt free/comfortable and "low key" than to have a bunch of superficial people around me because I have "things/stuff". It's hard to meet good quality people becuase of that outlook. If you don't have "stuff" it seems people think you're a "bum" or something.

Why do people value themselves and others based of "stuff/things"?

fuzzymystic · 07-20-2008, 09:01 PM

Not everyone does.

spursfan · 07-21-2008, 01:10 AM

We live in a consumerist society. One of the upsides of this is it makes it easier for people that don't care too much about things to get by.

20yrsinBranson · 07-21-2008, 02:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChicagoRon

It seems in the USA we define and often define others by the sutff/things they have. Especially brand named items and cars. I'd much rather live totally debt free/comfortable and "low key" than to have a bunch of superficial people around me because I have "things/stuff". It's hard to meet good quality people becuase of that outlook. If you don't have "stuff" it seems people think you're a "bum" or something.

Why do people value themselves and others based of "stuff/things"?

I'm like you, ChicagoRon. Simplicity and low maintenance living are the key to happiness for me.

Lots of people have grown up believing that being successful is having lots of [expensive] "things". This attitude is reinforced daily by the marketing media and further reinforced through the competitive consumer mentality. Meanwhile people like you and I laugh.

I think the current economical woes of this country are going to be a real wake up call to lots and lots of folks.

20yrsinBranson

nomoresnow · 07-21-2008, 06:43 AM

I do enjoy having all the creature comforts that we are able to afford, but learned about 14 years ago, that stuff is just stuff and it doesn't make you happy. Therefore, if anything happens that that stuff is no longer available to me, that's ok. As long as there are people to love and to love back and I am healthy, that's ok.

studedude · 07-21-2008, 08:13 AM

My wife and I owe nothing. We give at least 15% of our gross income to charity. We have money set aside for retirement. I'm a gadget geek. I've never seen an electronic gizmo I didn't think I needed. We don't buy anything we can't pay for. We also regularly send money to college kids, service men and one prison inmate. None of whom are related to us. I don't know what gives me more pleasure. Buying a new car or paying for a meal, at the Bun & Run, for the soldier behind me in line. We have bought into the stuff & things lifestyle, with reason.

Ron. · 07-21-2008, 01:10 PM

Good post!

Quote:

Originally Posted by studedude

My wife and I owe nothing. We give at least 15% of our gross income to charity. We have money set aside for retirement. I'm a gadget geek. I've never seen an electronic gizmo I didn't think I needed. We don't buy anything we can't pay for. We also regularly send money to college kids, service men and one prison inmate. None of whom are related to us. I don't know what gives me more pleasure. Buying a new car or paying for a meal, at the Bun & Run, for the soldier behind me in line. We have bought into the stuff & things lifestyle, with reason.

Granny Sue · 07-21-2008, 01:34 PM

Nothing gets me going more than posts that try to lump everybody in the same category.... never works....
We have an SUV, a Truck and a harley....no payments and all three are used on a regular basis.
Our house is paid for and while many others were getting caught up in the real estate madness of a couple years ago, we sat back and watched. We came out better tax base and home value wise than anybody we actually know.

We have a rule in our house that if something isn't used in a two year period it get given to charity or sold.

We pay in cash when we can and if we can't figure out where we're going to put it....we don't buy it.

Retirement funds are being build plus a college fund for grandchild.

When people drop the designer name tag in my face I just smile and nod.

nancy thereader · 07-21-2008, 01:57 PM

It seems in the USA we define and often define others by the sutff/things they have

If you go to places like Barcelona or Lisbon, you do not see this. People there value their leisure time and their friends far more than acquisitions . Dinners are late in the day and last into the wee hours with friendly talk and glasses of wine. It is an unhurried life and one which I admire very much.

SifuPhil · 07-21-2008, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 20yrsinBranson

I'm like you, ChicagoRon. Simplicity and low maintenance living are the key to happiness for me.

I'm with both of you on this.

I spent my early years chasing the Toy Monster - I had to have everything "cool" and "hot" and "neat"...through my twenties I did this until I got married.

Then of course I had no more money.

But after the divorce - I had even less money.

But you know - living a monk's life isn't all that bad, and I find that anyone who defines me in terms of what stuff I own is someone I really don't need to be involved with anyway.

Something my brother told me when I was a wee lad - didn't make sense then, but it sure does now -

"The more you own, the more it owns you."

PS: I can't help but laugh when I think of George Carlin's routine on "stuff" - pure genius!