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Why I don't want stuff

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Re: Why I don't want stuff

#291

Post by branchless »

hyperpape wrote: post #140
rcfox wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Coming over for dinner? They bring a (bad) bottle of wine that I now have to get rid of. I'm not a drinker myself, but I always assumed that people brought wine to dinners with the intention of drinking them at that dinner. Shouldn't that take care of getting rid of it?

It can go either way. The host may or may not open--it's meant as a gift. For people who are really in to wine, they will have already chosen bottles that are paired with the food.

Exactly, I guess this guy doesn't get out much. It's not expected that you open it there and then. In fact on gifting wine I usually insist they save it and enjoy it later (assuming I've bought a good one). It's not for me.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#292

Post by 0xffff2 »

Retric wrote: post #242
vinbreau wrote: post #239

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"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.

Your confusing flexibility with necessity. You can get really serious about say photographing bugs with a single camera. It's not going to be as widely useful, but trying to do everything is a great way to fail. Consider, nobody says you need an electron microscope to get serious about photography, but they can take some amazing photos even without using photons...

You're confusing your idea of what a photographer does with "photography" as a subject. Photography is an incredibly diverse hobby and profession. Yes, it is possible to only buy one small subset of equipment that lets you photograph a single very specific things well, but I've never met a photographer with such narrow interests.

Even professional photographers that only do a specific kind of photography professional nearly always have amateur interests in other photographic subjects that require different gear.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#293

Post by branchless »

CocaKoala wrote: post #164
branchless wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Often it's bad because the people I know aren't rich. That's fine, I'd rather they just brought themselves. If it's bad why spoil dinner!

Expensive wine is not always good, cheap wine is not always bad. One of my favourite wines is a ten bucks a bottle; it's more expensive for me now because I need to order it by the case and ship it across the country to get it, but so it goes. If somebody brings a bottle of wine to dinner, unless you specifically planned the meal to go with a specific bottle of wine (or if they specifically say that this bottle is me…

This simply isn't common practice in many parts of the world.

The article was on wasting stuff and I don't want to waste more time on etiquette on hacker-news.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#294

Post by branchless »

collyw wrote: post #246
branchless wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Often it's bad because the people I know aren't rich. That's fine, I'd rather they just brought themselves. If it's bad why spoil dinner!

Use it for cooking if its too bad to drink. Or as the Spanish teenagers do: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalimotxo

Cooking, yes agreed. Mix it with coke - from bad to worse!

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#295

Post by [deleted] »

collyw wrote: post #246
branchless wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Often it's bad because the people I know aren't rich. That's fine, I'd rather they just brought themselves. If it's bad why spoil dinner!

Use it for cooking if its too bad to drink. Or as the Spanish teenagers do: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalimotxo

[deleted]

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#296

Post by kennethko »

Retric wrote: post #242
vinbreau wrote: post #239

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"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.

Your confusing flexibility with necessity. You can get really serious about say photographing bugs with a single camera. It's not going to be as widely useful, but trying to do everything is a great way to fail. Consider, nobody says you need an electron microscope to get serious about photography, but they can take some amazing photos even without using photons...

From the equipment list provided, it sounds like portraiture is the goal--not photographing bugs. I don't see where it is implied that the poster is trying to boil the ocean with regard to their photographic pursuits.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#297

Post by Symbiote »

Retric wrote: post #242
vinbreau wrote: post #239

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"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.

Your confusing flexibility with necessity. You can get really serious about say photographing bugs with a single camera. It's not going to be as widely useful, but trying to do everything is a great way to fail. Consider, nobody says you need an electron microscope to get serious about photography, but they can take some amazing photos even without using photons...

Images from electron microscopes aren't photos. They're micrographs.

A single lens camera is as limiting as only owning one size of screwdriver, or one knife.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#298

Post by overdrivetg »

0xffff2 wrote: post #70

I 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..…

These guys are interesting, but may only be in Los Angeles: http://www.getfunship.com/

They deliver & pick up activity-specific gear. As others have said, not sure if there is enough of a market for it, but access code "nextdoor" if you want to give it a try

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#299

Post by spydum »

wavefunction wrote: post #212
guptaneil wrote: post #193

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Coworkers might be another good trust network to build off of. It also has the benefit of you essentially being required to know your coworkers, while you aren't guaranteed to know your neighbors.

Let me encourage you and anyone else reading this comment to get to know your neighbors, if possible.

Seriously, this. I can't tell you how many folks I know who have never met their neighbors, don't even know their names. That is so strange to me, I am not especially social, but I know quite well all neighbors in both directions for at least 3 houses. I can say this sort of thing comes in handy in the event of any emergency (you both know who to trust and who to avoid..)

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#300

Post by ZeroFries »

ycmbntrthrwaway wrote: post #66
branchless wrote: post #41

I fight against this all the time. It's simply impossible due to all the guilt involved. I do not want anything for xmas/birthday. My wife always wants to get me something and makes me feel like a killjoy. This is perhaps manageable. Bigger problem is I have 2 kids who get invited to parties. I have to take the birthday boy/girl something. Fine - but this means it's reciprocated. Valentines day recently. Used to be f…

Those thoughts sometimes lead me to conclusion that "gift" tradition is invented or supported by marketing. It sounds like conspiracy theory, but it is partially true: take for example valentines day that is exploited by advertisement industry each year. I wonder if that gift tradition would be nearly dead were it not for aggressive advertising.

Doesn't require conspiracy. It's in the best interests of retailers to peddle gift-giving, so they do. This peddling increases gift-giving, or the retailers would stop doing it. Therefore it's safe to assume that gift-giving rates would be lower if the retailers did not peddle it.
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