Buy well, buy once

Post by mailund » Sat, Jun 10, 2023, 3:43 PM UTC

abnry wrote: post #278

mailund wrote: post #273

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> So he probably lives in a big city, eats out very often, takes public transportation, and basically relies on external services for things he does not have. Which is a kind of lifestyle that has a lot of externalities and does not really have a minimalist impact on society as a whole, Not sure how living in a big city and taking public transit has more negative externalities than the alternatives, care to expand?

He didn't say they are negative, he said they are externalities. I've come to the same conclusion that minimalism is only supportable by other people not being minimalists. That's not necessarily a judgment on whether it is good or bad, but a statement of fact.

Post by KerrAvon » Sat, Jun 10, 2023, 3:46 PM UTC

lghh wrote: post #262

nerdchum wrote: post #214

I think a lot of times this philosophy is just rich people justifying paying a lot for high status items. a pair of Crocs is 50 bucks and that's one of the highest quality pairs of shoes you'll buy for the price. you could buy 10 pairs of Crocs for a $500 pair of Alden's so even if the crocs only lasted a year, it would take a decade to recoup the investment on the Alden's. but the crocs don't have the same status th…

For the shoes example, there's also value in reducing waste. 10 pairs of rubber Crocs that you throw out every year create much more waste than 1 pair of 500 dollar leather boots that can be repaired and are much more environmentally friendly when they are eventually disposed of. 100% agree about the Corolla though.

Post by moffkalast » Sat, Jun 10, 2023, 3:48 PM UTC

lghh wrote: post #262

nerdchum wrote: post #214

I think a lot of times this philosophy is just rich people justifying paying a lot for high status items. a pair of Crocs is 50 bucks and that's one of the highest quality pairs of shoes you'll buy for the price. you could buy 10 pairs of Crocs for a $500 pair of Alden's so even if the crocs only lasted a year, it would take a decade to recoup the investment on the Alden's. but the crocs don't have the same status th…

For the shoes example, there's also value in reducing waste. 10 pairs of rubber Crocs that you throw out every year create much more waste than 1 pair of 500 dollar leather boots that can be repaired and are much more environmentally friendly when they are eventually disposed of. 100% agree about the Corolla though.

Post by KerrAvon » Sat, Jun 10, 2023, 3:51 PM UTC

hansvm wrote: post #284

CPLX wrote: post #280

Earlier quoted context omitted.

BMWs are also higher quality than Corollas.

They have more features, but they break down a ton more often. By all means, if you want ventilated seats then you can get a higher end BMW, but that's a different metric from quality.

Post by dalyons » Sat, Jun 10, 2023, 4:05 PM UTC

OccamsMirror wrote: post #128

est31 wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes but one of the most common desires is that you want your children to have a better childhood and life than yourself. Some people don't care or don't explicitly make the choice to get children, they just get them. But some people won't get children if they can't provide an environment that is at least as good as the one their parents provided to them.

People need to learn that material possessions are way less important than emotional environment. For most of us, being better parents is about how we parent. Not what we can afford.