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.
It's not like someone forced you to marry and have three kids ;)
Why I don't want stuff
231–240 of 332 posts
Re: Why I don't want stuff
#232I can appreciate the sentiment, but I actually like doing things. Don't get me wrong, I probably spend much more time than most in front of my computer, but even so. I'm a photographer -> Two bags full of camera gear, tripod... I'm a hiker/backpacker -> Backpack, tent, sleeping bag, hiking boots... I'm a cyclist -> Bike, helmet, gloves, pump... I'm a computer engineer -> Solder station, wire cutters, crimping tools..…
I wish there was a startup in this space. I have so much house maintenance stuff. For example, I only really need a ladder once a year. But I keep it around forever because when you need a ladder, you need a ladder . I would love to not have to store and maintain all this stuff and to just request it on demand. Can someone solve that for me? I'm embarrassed to admit that sometimes it's easier for me to just buy a new…
Me too. I wish there were an "Uber for photography lenses", an "Uber for power tools", and so on which deliver these items to you on demand, pick them back up when you're done, and charge appropriately you for the rental.
Re: Why I don't want stuff
#233I 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…
Refrigerator door culture. At some point in life you will no longer be permitted not to have magnets on your fridge. I made it until I got married. Weaponized clothes are a thing too. Everyone knows nobody likes getting someone elses choice of clothes as a gift, especially not kids, but it is a socially acceptable weapon to kinda "get" the recipient. More a slap to the face than a punch to the face, but none the less…
Stainless steel refrigerators look nice and are non-ferrous so the magnets don't work!
Re: Why I don't want stuff
#234Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'd like to emphasize that I have absolutely nothing against gear. But I'm a little surprised that people continue to insist that no, one really needs lots of stuff . It's just not true that you need a huge variety of stuff for over $1,000 to bake bread. Think about it. The history of bread goes back thirty thousand years . You don't need a cupcake tray. You don't even need a baguette pan to make decent baguettes. I'…
You don't need $1k to bake bread, but I think your parent is objecting to how much you are taking for granted. You didn't just use mixing bowls, you also used a sponge, dish soap, measuring cups, measuring spoons, a couple ingredients, bowls, fork/spoon/whisk, some kind of pan or tray... If we believe the author, he has none of those things.
The post says he's in a furnished home with an unspecified amount of kitchenware. That's what I'm taking for granted. You can easily make a loaf of bread with exactly these items: flour, water, salt, yeast, a bowl, your hands, an oven, a sheet pan. Amounts can be eyeballed, and you knead and add flour or water as needed. Yeah, dish soap is nice to have, but who is imagining that Mr. Sivers is trying to live without dish soap?
Re: Why I don't want stuff
#235I can appreciate the sentiment, but I actually like doing things. Don't get me wrong, I probably spend much more time than most in front of my computer, but even so. I'm a photographer -> Two bags full of camera gear, tripod... I'm a hiker/backpacker -> Backpack, tent, sleeping bag, hiking boots... I'm a cyclist -> Bike, helmet, gloves, pump... I'm a computer engineer -> Solder station, wire cutters, crimping tools..…
I wish there was a startup in this space. I have so much house maintenance stuff. For example, I only really need a ladder once a year. But I keep it around forever because when you need a ladder, you need a ladder . I would love to not have to store and maintain all this stuff and to just request it on demand. Can someone solve that for me? I'm embarrassed to admit that sometimes it's easier for me to just buy a new…
> I wish there was a startup in this space.
You can hire tools, protective clothing, etc. from many DIY/trade stores.
Re: Why I don't want stuff
#236Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'd like to emphasize that I have absolutely nothing against gear. But I'm a little surprised that people continue to insist that no, one really needs lots of stuff . It's just not true that you need a huge variety of stuff for over $1,000 to bake bread. Think about it. The history of bread goes back thirty thousand years . You don't need a cupcake tray. You don't even need a baguette pan to make decent baguettes. I'…
Your original post says, 'baking' and 'running' with no context. People's ideas of seemingly simple tasks evolves as they get into it. If you are just baking bread sure, you could do that with minimal equipment. But if you want to bake a cake, you need a cake tin, scales etc. If you wanted a really fancy cake... If you want to run around the park, sure, pair of sneakers. I know ultra marathoners. When they enter a ra…
Well, that's part of why I'm personally not interested in making fancy cakes or running ultra marathons. My comment was a reply to someone who could not imagine a fulfilling life without a bunch of equipment, and who said "I actually like doing things", as if that necessarily means acquiring special equipment... Apparently it's controversial that many fulfilling activities can be done with very little material help?
Re: Why I don't want stuff
#237Related, the notion of "peak stuff:"
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jan/31/consume...
Re: Why I don't want stuff
#238Earlier quoted context omitted.
Of course, it's possible to "do things" that don't require a lot of extra things. Writing, walking, meditating, listening to music, reading, making out, drinking tea, running, dancing, making electronic music, math, logic, praying, thinking, debating, making movies with your smartphone (one such movie recently won a documentary award), origami, chess, baking, cooking, lifting at a gym, hackerspace participation, movi…
There's a question of "need", but for most people in first-world countries: - Writing: Pens, Paper, Laptop - Walking: Shoes, Clothing (other than robe) - Music: iPod, Headphones - Reading: Comfortable chair - Drinking Tea: Teapot, china - Running: Specialized shoes and gear - Making Electronica: Synthesizers - Penmanship: Specialized quills and ink - Swimming: Swimsuit, goggles, towel The list goes on, but I'd argue…
>but for most people in first-world countries: Running: Specialized shoes and gear (...) Penmanship: Specialized quills and ink
"Most people" in first world countries hardly ever run.
The official statistics I've seen put "joggers and runners" as 17-18% of the US population, and their definition includes all the "people who went jogging or running within the last 12 months in the United States" -- so in reality, much much less, especially after school/college age. This makes those irrelevant for the 80% and more. In most first world countries, which don't share the US obsession with jogging, that's substantially less.
As for "Penmanship, quills and ink", that's not even a thing for the overwhelming majority of the population. At least not since 1950.
And "making electronica"? I happen to do that, but I can count on one hand the number of people I know who even know what Roland or Ableton are (apart from collaborators etc).
So, I'd hardly call this list representative -- if it said "urban hipster" maybe, but the "for most people" qualifier is totally bogus.
Re: Why I don't want stuff
#239I can appreciate the sentiment, but I actually like doing things. Don't get me wrong, I probably spend much more time than most in front of my computer, but even so. I'm a photographer -> Two bags full of camera gear, tripod... I'm a hiker/backpacker -> Backpack, tent, sleeping bag, hiking boots... I'm a cyclist -> Bike, helmet, gloves, pump... I'm a computer engineer -> Solder station, wire cutters, crimping tools..…
A lot of that stuff can be compact if you don't get focused on 'stuff.' Let's assume you have clothing, computer, and aka all hiking/ backpacking gear for a world tour can easily fit into a single backpack or fill a trailer. Photography, 1 decent camera is really enough. A single bike is actually fairly small. Start getting into road bikes, touring bikes, etc and they start taking up a lot of space. DIY can take endl…
"Photography, 1 decent camera is really enough."
If only. I have several lenses for a variety of situations. A lighting rig for indoor shoots which includes bounces, tripods, umbrellas, cords and rigging. Then there's the tripod, plus a back pack for the smaller stuff. Not to mention backdrop equipment.
There's a big difference between casual hobby and serious hobby.
Re: Why I don't want stuff
#240I can appreciate the sentiment, but I actually like doing things. Don't get me wrong, I probably spend much more time than most in front of my computer, but even so. I'm a photographer -> Two bags full of camera gear, tripod... I'm a hiker/backpacker -> Backpack, tent, sleeping bag, hiking boots... I'm a cyclist -> Bike, helmet, gloves, pump... I'm a computer engineer -> Solder station, wire cutters, crimping tools..…
I think the key problem with "stuff" is when "stuff" starts running your life and dragging you down.
People clearly have different thresholds for too much stuff, but there is one universal indicator for when you definitely you have too much stuff: You have too much stuff if you can't "put everything away".
By "put everything away" I mean be able to put everything away and then later find it without rummaging or unpacking boxes. It means having tables with nothing but permanent fixtures on them and shelves where everything is visible at a glance. It means, often, that getting new stuff means discarding old stuff to make room.
It takes a long time to get to that point, but it looks great and inspires creativity.