Why I don't want stuff • Hacker News Board

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#51

Post by edgarvaldes » Tue, Feb 23, 2016, 5:45 PM UTC

ck2 wrote: post #19

Not wanting "stuff" is a gamble that your present and future is secure and safe. Having been homeless at one point, I've become a bit of a hoarder, because you never know when things will go south and you are one month away from being homeless (again). Also we'll see how often you keep erasing things and starting from scratch as you get older and find that remembering things is a lot harder and takes a lot longer to…

Folks here are focusing too much in the "homeless" part. But I think the other ideas are adding something interesting to the discussion.

How prevalent is/will be being minimalistic when people get older?

Is the correct approach to saving to include only cash/bank accounts?

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#52

Post by carsongross » Tue, Feb 23, 2016, 5:47 PM UTC

I very much appreciate the sentiment, particularly in todays marketing-saturated environment. However, I can say from personal experience that having a few nice or meaningful things can lead to some happiness, given the appropriate relationship with them.

This book has quite a bit of silliness in it (I found it charming, you may not) but it has been very good for my mental health:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Life-Changing-Magic-Tidying-Declut...

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#53

Post by serg_chernata » Tue, Feb 23, 2016, 5:47 PM UTC

ycmbntrthrwaway wrote: post #49

serg_chernata wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Between my wife and I, the policy has been to go out and spend time together instead of buying gifts. I don't try to push this onto others but it does work with most of my close friends as well.

It works inside family or with girlfriends, but only as long as everybody agrees to go somewhere. As with normal gifts, presenting tickets as a surprise is not a good idea.

By "go out" I didn't mean something that requires tickets. It could be dinner, or a short getaway. In very few cases I've given gift cards to amazon or a local mall. It's a little more personal than cash but I still get to leave things open-ended.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#54

Post by UncleSam » Tue, Feb 23, 2016, 5:49 PM UTC

I grew up with my parents getting us lots of gifts for Christmas and birthdays, but now I realize that I don't enjoy that. I much prefer that they don't send us lots of small gifts that I will have to find a 'spot' for in the house. I understand how someone can choose to live a very minimalist life. I'm not there yet, but I'm working my way towards having less stuff.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#55

Post by lfowles » Tue, Feb 23, 2016, 5:49 PM UTC

lifeformed wrote: post #23

I used to do this, but then I started to really get into cooking, which makes you end up with a ton of stuff! Pots and pans, tools, utensils, appliances, etc.

Bowls bowls bowls and tiny bowls. I'm sure I could make do with much less in the kitchen but that wouldn't be very satisfying to the functional programmer in me.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#56

Post by mhurron » Tue, Feb 23, 2016, 5:49 PM UTC

Not having any friends is a really easy way to deal with this.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#57

Post by ycmbntrthrwaway » Tue, Feb 23, 2016, 5:52 PM UTC

patja wrote: post #43

ycmbntrthrwaway wrote: post #6

Every time I have a birthday I am terribly worried about receiving some gift that I won't like from people who don't know me good enough but want to give me some present. Receiving a gift that I don't like and having to avoid showing that I don't really like it is worse than receiving nothing. In fact I have enough money to buy anything I want myself, so there is really nothing I would like to receive as a gift.

Why are people who do not know you well even aware of when your birthday is?

They study or work with me. Some places even have lists of birthdays and all sorts of "teambuilding". Each place has its own traditions, so making your birthday an exception to default policy may require some effort.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#58

Post by NovaS1X » Tue, Feb 23, 2016, 5:54 PM UTC

RealityVoid wrote: post #3

austinjp wrote: post #2

I don't live quite like this, but I feel similarly about gifts: I far prefer them to be practical rather than decorative or frivolous. I've realised that people can get slightly upset when I explain it to them. They want to buy me something fun, something I'll "enjoy". Chances are I won't, although I do of course appreciate the sentiment. Equally, I find it more satisfying to buy a "useful" gift for others. And of co…

While I like the ideea of this lifestyle, I can't do it. I simply love my tools too much. And I have a lot of them. And lopts of parts. At a first look, some might looks superfulous, for example, I have this wierd star-shaped screwdriver. Most of the time, I don't use it, but boy, when I use it, does it save me a lot of time.

Tools and parts. One of my weak points too. There's not much I don't fix myself.

I understand.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#59

Post by waynecochran » Tue, Feb 23, 2016, 5:54 PM UTC

In grad school I could fit everything I owned into my small pickup. Now that I am married w/ 3 kids, it would take a semi truck to move. I long for those simpler days. sigh.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#60

Post by forinti » Tue, Feb 23, 2016, 5:54 PM UTC

I really wish we only gave gifts to children and that between adults people would exchange just edibles (wine, chocolates, or some really nice home baked bread) if they exchanged anything at all.