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When I bought my Toyota, I could have afforded a Lexus (as the salesman pointed out), but I remember thinking; why would I want to pay $10k more for essentially the same car, just to drive a Lexus, and also feeling like I didn't want to be a person who drives a Lexus.
Really rich people do not feel the need to impress the sweaty masses. Only those who are insecure need to do that. This being said, there is nothing wrong with buying what you perceive to be the best driving machine you can afford.
The son of a friend of mine is a single, 41 year old, who worked as a mechanic after his stint in the Air Force. He works for a software company now and is single with nothing to spend his money on. He drives a BMW and a Jaguar because he can, and he knows his way around a car engine. It is not because he is trying to gain prestige by what he drives.
i dont want anything "upscale". i just want to be left alone and not hassled.
i'll take peace, solitude, and tranquility over "upscale" material possessions any day.
Who would hassle you or not leave you alone? Why is it a choice between peace or upscale? My friend is rich and has many nice things, and he is pretty introverted. He really is a very nice person. Lives out in the quiet country in a beautiful custom home. The only ones that hassle him are women wanting to date him. Poor guy..
i don't own any property beyond a small closet's worth. like a real small closet at that. and i am 37, not a naive or undeveloped-mind/personality college kid. i have always envied old men who looked young and had all body parts working. at age 15 i knew i hated stuff and had no interest in joining cliques of one kind or another based on status. i just always wanted to be healthy through life until my last breath on earth. nothing more and nothing less. oh that, and to enjoy using my body (walking, running, mountain climbing, and the big one - sex - yes i love that - who doesn't?). for these things, you just need education, obviously physical activity coupled with rest, and a small amount of money to eat right by buying in bulk or in cheaper places (for produce).
i have the luxury of not owning a car because i live here in brooklyn, new york but it's just like NYC. too many trains and buses around and it's too costly to own a vehicle. same with housing. most homes start at a million dollars or higher for a small 2/3 room home, at about 1500 to 2000 square feet. not kidding. the real estate is too high here. maybe you heard about the rising prices with gentrification and spike lee, etc. i do pay $1400 a month for rent for a small one bedroom, with some heat and hot water included, split with my girlfriend. yes it is costly but we live without roaches, mice, and any type of bug. most homes/apartments in nyc are infested with one of these things unless you are wealthy and paying $4000 for a one bedroom apartment in rent.
Last edited by Hairy Guy; 04-08-2014 at 04:26 PM..
First off I say that anyone who thinks there is a single easy answer to OP's question is simply clueless. We all have reasons for why we do what we do, and they are varied.
Few of us are so truly well-adjusted that do things only for ourselves, and not for what anyone else thinks.
For the most part I prefer finer things because they function better. Cheap speakers and electronics don't sound as good as more expensive models. Better cars provide a much more involved driving experience than an appliance vehicle. The Frieling French Press I bought will likely last longer and perform than the other ones I looked at, and it is a simple work of art in its own right. It feels better. I have some expensive shirts that have outlasted and worn better than others I own. I have perfectly balanced kitchen knives that cut better and are safer than my cheap ones.
OTOH, I've slept on (supposedly; I've read that thread count is often wildly exaggerated) 1000 thread count sheets, and have no appreciation for them. I've tried, but can't taste much difference between a $15 bottle of wine and a $40 bottle.
I won't pay more for something simply on the assumption that higher $$$ equals better performance. But I will spend more for things when I can appreciate the difference.
No, I am mostly above those shallow and immature ways of conducting myself. I subscribe to the northern European philosophy of not placing a high value on flashy material possessions or flaunting wealth. It is usually a symbolic of a lack of maturity or psychological distress of some kind.
I do like things that are well made and functional and will pay a bit more for quality, but that is as far as I will go.
First off I say that anyone who thinks there is a single easy answer to OP's question is simply clueless. We all have reasons for why we do what we do, and they are varied.
Few of us are so truly well-adjusted that do things only for ourselves, and not for what anyone else thinks.
For the most part I prefer finer things because they function better. Cheap speakers and electronics don't sound as good as more expensive models. Better cars provide a much more involved driving experience than an appliance vehicle. The Frieling French Press I bought will likely last longer and perform than the other ones I looked at, and it is a simple work of art in its own right. It feels better. I have some expensive shirts that have outlasted and worn better than others I own. I have perfectly balanced kitchen knives that cut better and are safer than my cheap ones.
OTOH, I've slept on (supposedly; I've read that thread count is often wildly exaggerated) 1000 thread count sheets, and have no appreciation for them. I've tried, but can't taste much difference between a $15 bottle of wine and a $40 bottle.
I won't pay more for something simply on the assumption that higher $$$ equals better performance. But I will spend more for things when I can appreciate the difference.
^^This^^ covers the most apt points. Everyone has, for whatever reason, certain things they value that they deem worth sometimes paying a premium for (food for a health oriented person as one example). The psychology behind a lot of it is 'fitting in' with a sphere of peers i.e. 'keeping up with the Jones' or validating some level of status / achievement via monetary wealth. It varies based on individuals priorities.
Makes me think of this humorous classic commercial for VW Passat: Megaphone 2007
First off I say that anyone who thinks there is a single easy answer to OP's question is simply clueless. We all have reasons for why we do what we do, and they are varied.
Few of us are so truly well-adjusted that do things only for ourselves, and not for what anyone else thinks.
For the most part I prefer finer things because they function better. Cheap speakers and electronics don't sound as good as more expensive models. Better cars provide a much more involved driving experience than an appliance vehicle. The Frieling French Press I bought will likely last longer and perform than the other ones I looked at, and it is a simple work of art in its own right. It feels better. I have some expensive shirts that have outlasted and worn better than others I own. I have perfectly balanced kitchen knives that cut better and are safer than my cheap ones.
OTOH, I've slept on (supposedly; I've read that thread count is often wildly exaggerated) 1000 thread count sheets, and have no appreciation for them. I've tried, but can't taste much difference between a $15 bottle of wine and a $40 bottle.
I won't pay more for something simply on the assumption that higher $$$ equals better performance. But I will spend more for things when I can appreciate the difference.
While I agree with the first half of your statement and agree, two things stick out to me here.
1. True high end thread count sheets are truly the bomb and the cotton is like silk. With 300 count thread sheets there are 300 threads per square inch. With true thousand count, there are 1000 threads per square inch and they are very expensive, $1000 for just the flat sheet. What companies started doing (not the high end like Pratesi or Frette) they started twisting the threads to manipulate a higher count so you actually end up with a 300 count that is labeled 1000 count. Does that make sense? They are cheap, scratchy and actually much worse than an actual true 300 thread count.
2. Restaurants jack up the price on cheap, obscure wine all the time hoping we will not know the difference. Unless you know your wine, go for the second cheapest on the wine list.
People spending money they don't have to buy things they don't need to impress people they don't like
that's basically it
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