The hazards of too much stuff
bbc.co.uk
The hazards of too much stuff
1–10 of 59 posts
Re: The hazards of too much stuff
#2We don't have to go back to 1750 as they mention in the article... In 2000 earning much less CDs cost over £15 and I am still surprised to find price tags on old things like that...
Re: The hazards of too much stuff
#3If you have a problem with stuff you could do worse than reading up on Mari Kondo - http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/23/garden/home-organization-a...
Never did I think I would be interesting in house tidying, but her techniques are effective.
Re: The hazards of too much stuff
#4Also worth reading: http://www.paulgraham.com/stuff.html
Re: The hazards of too much stuff
#5George Carlin on stuff: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvgN5gCuLac
Dylan Moran on stuff: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLmkRR2oGUA
I now feel obligated to contribute more to the conversation than some YouTube videos.
I've been a kind of move-around-a-lot person for about 6 years now. I've lived in 4 cities. I guarantee you, if it's going to cost several thousand dollars to move your stuff, it's much easier to purge. I'm also glad that moving forced me to have a purge occasionally. I think you'd be surprised how many things you hold onto just in case. I've had a rare pang of lost nostalgia, but in general, I haven't missed anything.
Re: The hazards of too much stuff
#6Makes me wonder if the world will turn out like wall-e in the future or if we will recycle. It also makes me wonder if the central banks outcries that we need to consume more to boost economics is good for the environment?
You don't own stuff your stuff owns you. That's why you need a larger home when you can't fit your stuff anymore. You also worry about your stuff, home burglary somebody taking it's, car some taking it or damaging it, dropping your phone or computer etc.
Re: The hazards of too much stuff
#7Also worth reading: http://www.paulgraham.com/stuff.html
The only part I disagree with a bit is the one where he exempts books. I think it is possible to buy too many. I've probably engaged in this behavior myself. I find it hard to resist buying a good book, but I have a bunch of them now piling up physically and electronically which I find it hard to find time for.
Books piling up exert pressure to be read, but simply succumbing to the pressure to read them all might result in falling victim to what Einstein talked about:
"Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking."
Re: The hazards of too much stuff
#8Makes me wonder if the world will turn out like wall-e in the future or if we will recycle. It also makes me wonder if the central banks outcries that we need to consume more to boost economics is good for the environment? You don't own stuff your stuff owns you. That's why you need a larger home when you can't fit your stuff anymore. You also worry about your stuff, home burglary somebody taking it's, car some takin…
I think the future depends on whether energy continues to get cheaper or not (cheaper energy probably leads to increased consumption, but it also makes it cheaper to clean stuff up, and gives people more time to worry about cleaning up, etc.).
I also think that one of the many factors involved with the fall off of crime is that (the typical) stuff (found in a house) isn't worth as much anymore.
In 1990, a "nice" TV might have cost $1,000 (inflation adjusted, $1,800). Today, a fantastic TV costs $400.
Re: The hazards of too much stuff
#9Makes me wonder if the world will turn out like wall-e in the future or if we will recycle. It also makes me wonder if the central banks outcries that we need to consume more to boost economics is good for the environment? You don't own stuff your stuff owns you. That's why you need a larger home when you can't fit your stuff anymore. You also worry about your stuff, home burglary somebody taking it's, car some takin…
I think the future depends on whether energy continues to get cheaper or not (cheaper energy probably leads to increased consumption, but it also makes it cheaper to clean stuff up, and gives people more time to worry about cleaning up, etc.). I also think that one of the many factors involved with the fall off of crime is that (the typical) stuff (found in a house) isn't worth as much anymore. In 1990, a "nice" TV m…
In 1990, a $1000 TV was much higher end, relative to the market as a whole, than a $400 TV now. The idea that $400 today is a fantastic TV is, well, not well-grounded in reality.
The fall of crime is probably more about age demographics than anything else.
Re: The hazards of too much stuff
#10Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think the future depends on whether energy continues to get cheaper or not (cheaper energy probably leads to increased consumption, but it also makes it cheaper to clean stuff up, and gives people more time to worry about cleaning up, etc.). I also think that one of the many factors involved with the fall off of crime is that (the typical) stuff (found in a house) isn't worth as much anymore. In 1990, a "nice" TV m…
In 1990, a $1000 TV was much higher end, relative to the market as a whole, than a $400 TV now. The idea that $400 today is a fantastic TV is, well, not well-grounded in reality. The fall of crime is probably more about age demographics than anything else.
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