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Surprisingly few Bad Words, actually. There were lots more in my head.
As started in a comment on![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sushidog's journal:
This did the rounds a few months ago and made me angry at the time but I didn't have the space to address is. You lucky people, I'm Lady of Flu (regular, not swine) today and I have nothing better than explain why I think the article entitled The 10 Unexpected Costs of Owning Things is a big condescending pile o' crap:
Parts of it may be factually correct, but are presented in a moralizing context I find alien and offensive. F'rinstance,
No. 1 Things you own have a cost of ownership Duh! No kidding our 3 bedroom house costs more to live in than one room. But that's a choice my partner & I made. I spent a few years living hand-to-mouth in one room. I'm not knocking that, I had some of the best years of my life, lots of fun and great friends. Now, however, I feel safe, secure and proud that I have been able to provide myself with more space. Yes, I do have to spend a certain amount of time dusting and otherwise keeping my stuff clean and safe. I do believe I'm a grown-up and it's a free country.
Sure, my last post was about trying to figure out how to get the same amount of Stuff (TM) into one less room while I redecorate. I do realise exactly how ridiculously privileged I am to be able to even have that kind of dilemma.
2. You are carrying around the emotional weight of things you don't use. Speak for yourself. Can't say that I feel bad about the stuff I don't use. If I feel really sure I'm never going to use something again, I do find a new home for it. But I refuse to feel guilty, or whatever this dork is trying to make me feel, for keeping my classical guitar a) in the vague hope that I might be well enough to play again one day; and b) it was a really, really important part of my life during some critical years.
3. You don't learn your lessons on overspending because you never face reality. The assumption that because I have lots of stuff I lack in superior budgeting skills is offensive.
4. You let yourself buy status symbols - read it, it's not quite exactly what you might think he means, but I still think it's a)not necessarily true (most people never see my house, so how do they know that I display my love of reading & music all over the place) and b)my choice if I do.
I've worked out what pisses me off about the whole article - it's like item no. 1 - the assumption that the reader is so stupid they've never considered any of this and just blindly consume.
5. You use objects as comfort You know what? I might. I probably do. Again, something I realise and it's MY CHOICE and doesn't make me a bad person.
6. You are weighed down This is the one where I have to concede a point, but for 99% of us, 99% of the time, it's irrelevant. When the time comes to move to another country or chuck everything to go backpacking round the world for a year (shut up at the back, I am not too old!), I will be faced with the rehome/store/ship dilemma, and as with point no. 1, it's a situation I will only be faced with because I'm a truly fortunate person. Again, it will be my decision.
7. The more stuff you have the more blind you become to it. That's another speak for yourself job. And for those who it may be true, that's your own business and none of mine or anyone else's.
Another general point - and this has less to do with the article itself than the way it was circulated as Words of Wisdom "oh, you must get rid of your stuff". Suddenly (or not so suddenly, I blame it on the rise of home improvement shows), things that are a personal choice are made into Everybody Else's Business.
8. If you are overspending, you will never see that money again.
See my reply to no. 2, but add more curse words. Plus, there's always Ebay so you may well be able to get some back.
9.Each object has a path before you bought it
Bother. He's got me here.
This is true, and something I do consider. I try to buy ethical and sustainable where possible, and even in these days of having an income, an awful lot of what comes into this house is second hand. When I do get rid of things, I do my best to ensure they go to another home rather than join recycling or landfill.
10.You like the idea of owning something more than the reality
Another "speak for yourself" + "so what?"
More edits as and when I think of them.
As started in a comment on
sushidog's journal:This did the rounds a few months ago and made me angry at the time but I didn't have the space to address is. You lucky people, I'm Lady of Flu (regular, not swine) today and I have nothing better than explain why I think the article entitled The 10 Unexpected Costs of Owning Things is a big condescending pile o' crap:
Parts of it may be factually correct, but are presented in a moralizing context I find alien and offensive. F'rinstance,
No. 1 Things you own have a cost of ownership Duh! No kidding our 3 bedroom house costs more to live in than one room. But that's a choice my partner & I made. I spent a few years living hand-to-mouth in one room. I'm not knocking that, I had some of the best years of my life, lots of fun and great friends. Now, however, I feel safe, secure and proud that I have been able to provide myself with more space. Yes, I do have to spend a certain amount of time dusting and otherwise keeping my stuff clean and safe. I do believe I'm a grown-up and it's a free country.
Sure, my last post was about trying to figure out how to get the same amount of Stuff (TM) into one less room while I redecorate. I do realise exactly how ridiculously privileged I am to be able to even have that kind of dilemma.
2. You are carrying around the emotional weight of things you don't use. Speak for yourself. Can't say that I feel bad about the stuff I don't use. If I feel really sure I'm never going to use something again, I do find a new home for it. But I refuse to feel guilty, or whatever this dork is trying to make me feel, for keeping my classical guitar a) in the vague hope that I might be well enough to play again one day; and b) it was a really, really important part of my life during some critical years.
3. You don't learn your lessons on overspending because you never face reality. The assumption that because I have lots of stuff I lack in superior budgeting skills is offensive.
4. You let yourself buy status symbols - read it, it's not quite exactly what you might think he means, but I still think it's a)not necessarily true (most people never see my house, so how do they know that I display my love of reading & music all over the place) and b)my choice if I do.
I've worked out what pisses me off about the whole article - it's like item no. 1 - the assumption that the reader is so stupid they've never considered any of this and just blindly consume.
5. You use objects as comfort You know what? I might. I probably do. Again, something I realise and it's MY CHOICE and doesn't make me a bad person.
6. You are weighed down This is the one where I have to concede a point, but for 99% of us, 99% of the time, it's irrelevant. When the time comes to move to another country or chuck everything to go backpacking round the world for a year (shut up at the back, I am not too old!), I will be faced with the rehome/store/ship dilemma, and as with point no. 1, it's a situation I will only be faced with because I'm a truly fortunate person. Again, it will be my decision.
7. The more stuff you have the more blind you become to it. That's another speak for yourself job. And for those who it may be true, that's your own business and none of mine or anyone else's.
Another general point - and this has less to do with the article itself than the way it was circulated as Words of Wisdom "oh, you must get rid of your stuff". Suddenly (or not so suddenly, I blame it on the rise of home improvement shows), things that are a personal choice are made into Everybody Else's Business.
8. If you are overspending, you will never see that money again.
See my reply to no. 2, but add more curse words. Plus, there's always Ebay so you may well be able to get some back.
9.Each object has a path before you bought it
Bother. He's got me here.
This is true, and something I do consider. I try to buy ethical and sustainable where possible, and even in these days of having an income, an awful lot of what comes into this house is second hand. When I do get rid of things, I do my best to ensure they go to another home rather than join recycling or landfill.
10.You like the idea of owning something more than the reality
Another "speak for yourself" + "so what?"
More edits as and when I think of them.
