Why I don't want stuff • Hacker News Board

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#321

Post by andrei_says_ » Wed, Feb 24, 2016, 5:34 AM UTC

vox_mollis wrote: post #110

nostromo wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

Prior to our modern atomized ways of living as individuals instead of parts of a community, most people solved this problem by getting to know one's neighbors and community members and borrowing amongst each other.

That's exactly how it worked in my community when I was growing up. But-- people had significantly lesser buying power and tools were significantly more expensive.

So it was always getting it from a friend or a friend of a friend.

Consequently there were many cases where relationships would get tense because of late/non-returns.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#322

Post by andrei_says_ » Wed, Feb 24, 2016, 5:34 AM UTC

vox_mollis wrote: post #110

nostromo wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

Prior to our modern atomized ways of living as individuals instead of parts of a community, most people solved this problem by getting to know one's neighbors and community members and borrowing amongst each other.

That's exactly how it worked in my community when I was growing up. But-- people had significantly lesser buying power and tools were significantly more expensive.

So it was always getting it from a friend or a friend of a friend.

Consequently there were many cases where relationships would get tense because of late/non-returns.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#323

Post by JoeAltmaier » Wed, Feb 24, 2016, 5:51 AM UTC

Pxtl wrote: post #274

JoeAltmaier wrote: post #209

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pffft. I bought 3lb backpacker 2-man tents on sale for $200. Used them carefully, they lasted for 25+ trips. Oh! I see - yes those tents were fragile and high-tech and would have probably lasted less long in general use. So that's part of the problem - rental to the public is hard on equipment. Again, its hard to see a startup model here that would work.

Somewhat offtopic, how often did you have to re-seal the seams on those? I brought out some nice old tents a summer or two ago that had served me well as a kid and sadly found that it was as waterproof as a sieve.

Never done it. Those backpacker tents were made of some strange tacky fabric that felt like gel?! Anyway they lasted 5 years and then got lost (loaned out and never came back)

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#324

Post by dvirsky » Wed, Feb 24, 2016, 6:00 AM UTC

drzaiusapelord wrote: post #198

dvirsky wrote: post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I like getting birthday presents that are doing something. Usually my wife takes me on a vacation, or to see a show I really like, etc. It's much better than some object IMO.

This is what we do too, but to be fair its only because at our wealth level we can pretty much buy everything we want, within reason. Its different for poorer people. Getting a 42" TV when you can't afford one yourself is a wonderful feeling. I hate this idea that now that everything is mass produced and relatively "cheap" we suddenly see ourselves as above it all because we make decent money. Err, not really. The on…

When I was poor the best birthday presents were money.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#325

Post by philh » Wed, Feb 24, 2016, 8:58 AM UTC

markmontymark wrote: post #315

philh wrote: post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's not the point. If I want to do good, I can choose to do good. I don't want someone else choosing how I do good. If those things are positive, if I feel good about them, then I can do them, whether or not someone has given me a gift I don't want.

My "spare me" could really have been summarized as "1st world problems". Giving stuff away to needy trumps my own personal feelings of "obligated to do something with a gift given to me". Maybe I over-prioritize in my head about this kinda thing, but reading OP post about experiencing stress sounds kinda lame or just words from too young a person.

"First world problems" is also unkind, you're dismissing someone else's feelings because you personally don't have the same problem.

The guy started a company in 1998, I'm guessing he's not what you call young.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#326

Post by anuj_nm » Wed, Feb 24, 2016, 9:20 AM UTC

My girlfriend lives this philosophy of minimalism, and I try to follow it as well. She's had to move at least once a year every year for the past 8 years, and she brings her stuff down to two suitcases each time (with no storage anywhere else).

I'm not as regular at it as she is, but I go through 'stuff cleansings' about once a year. I probably have 4 suitcases/boxes, along with some stuff stored at my parents's place in India.

Living minimally is very freeing. It allows you have to a low maintenance lifestyle, while giving you a sense of security. On the other hand, getting into any hobby becomes a trade ofd between buying and maintaining the equipment, or paying absurd amounts to rent it.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#327

Post by coldtea » Wed, Feb 24, 2016, 12:19 PM UTC

basseq wrote: post #273

coldtea wrote: post #238

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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, muc…

To clarify, when I say "most people", I mean, "most people who are XXers" (where XX is runners, calligraphers, music-makers, etc.). Example: while "most people" don't do penmanship (and don't need the tools of trade, obviously), "most people" who do penmanship will have specialized "gear". That's my point: to have a hobby that's more than a passing interest, "most people" will acquire "stuff" that is critical to that…

In this case, it makes sense.

Though one could argue (given the clarification you've made) that said XXers could also embrace a minimalist aesthetic.

E.g. electronica makers: do everything in the box, or with very few pieces of kit (minimal gear). Penmanship: just use a couple of really good pens and some select stationary. Etc -- and of course they can keep the "minimal stuff" in all other non XX areas of their lives.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#328

Post by Xcelerate » Wed, Feb 24, 2016, 5:43 PM UTC

pidg wrote: post #167

Xcelerate wrote: post #18

I relate to this guy so much. > It makes me really happy when another Christmas or birthday has passed and I didn’t receive anything. It makes me feel understood. My sister and I have this arrangement. I tell her every Christmas that her gift (nothing) is the best one, because I don't have to figure out where to store more junk until enough time has passed that I don't feel guilty throwing it away. She's even more of…

Getting annoyed at people for choosing to give you gifts has to be the very definition of 'first world problems'.

Well, I would prefer that they use that money to help address third world problems. In lieu of gifts on Valentine's day, my girlfriend and I each donated money to Watsi.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#329

Post by jessaustin » Wed, Feb 24, 2016, 9:47 PM UTC

Grishnakh wrote: post #320

jessaustin wrote: post #281

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This really varies. On numerous occasions, I've gone to the rental place, taken one look at the machine, and then immediately left said rental place. Once, I had to wait for the dude to take the brand-new backpack leaf blower out of the box and pour in the first bottle of oil. I had no problem waiting that time. It's always a good idea to have the dude start the motor before you load up. Harbor Freight is great for h…

The last mechanic I talked to said Snap-On tools had become overpriced junk, and Harbor Freight tools were a much better value. This is for hand tools, mind you. All the hand tools I've gotten from HF in the past few years have been excellent, better than anything I ever got from Craftsman (except torque wrenches; I haven't tried HF's, and my old Craftsman torque wrenches are excellent). Yeah, if I were a professiona…

I've never used a Snap-On tool; that always seemed like a scam. I have an HF torque wrench that's got to be 10yo by now. It still works, but I don't really ask much of it. Bicycle stuff, usually, with an occasional top-mounted oil filter on a diesel engine (the latter only because everything is plastic now, and one wants neither to break something nor to have oil dripping all over; in the days of steel I would have just gripped a short wrench halfway off the axis and pulled hard). If I were rebuilding transmissions I'd have a good torque wrench. I've broken enough wrenches that I can pretty much tell when it's going to happen, and now I stop before that point. For that reason, it's probably true that an HF wrench is at least 90% as useful as any other. I have yet to really pull on an HF wrench that I would call "excellent", however. Various hammers and chisels I've purchased have all lost their shape after just a bit of hard use.

I have HF power tools, but there's something slightly off about each of them, whether that's a flimsy plastic body, a saw blade arbor that moves around, or whatever. I don't use any of them on even a monthly basis. If I did, I would upgrade. Everything my brother has borrowed for a job has quickly failed. He doesn't buy much at Harbor Freight.

I have a Craftsman cordless drill that has lasted forever; it predates the tiny b&w Makita drills all the contractors have been using for years now. Since the battery is old-fashioned dry cell rather than lithium, I just took it to Ellis Battery for a rebuild when it failed.

Re: Why I don't want stuff

#330

Post by Grishnakh » Wed, Feb 24, 2016, 11:13 PM UTC

jessaustin wrote: post #329

Grishnakh wrote: post #320

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The last mechanic I talked to said Snap-On tools had become overpriced junk, and Harbor Freight tools were a much better value. This is for hand tools, mind you. All the hand tools I've gotten from HF in the past few years have been excellent, better than anything I ever got from Craftsman (except torque wrenches; I haven't tried HF's, and my old Craftsman torque wrenches are excellent). Yeah, if I were a professiona…

I've never used a Snap-On tool; that always seemed like a scam. I have an HF torque wrench that's got to be 10yo by now. It still works, but I don't really ask much of it. Bicycle stuff, usually, with an occasional top-mounted oil filter on a diesel engine (the latter only because everything is plastic now, and one wants neither to break something nor to have oil dripping all over; in the days of steel I would have j…

>I have yet to really pull on an HF wrench that I would call "excellent", however. Various hammers and chisels I've purchased have all lost their shape after just a bit of hard use.

The HF socket wrenches and sockets I've used have been at least as good as any Craftsman competitor, even from over 20 years ago.

However, for chisels, if you're talking about for woodworking, that's something I doubt I would buy from HF. For proper woodworking, chisels have to be incredibly sharp and hold an edge, and that requires high-quality steel. I guess if you're just installing some door latch plates a HF chisel might be OK though, but I'd get something nice for doing any serious woodworking because having really sharp chisels is critical for quality work.