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I'm happier with fewer possessions!


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I have hundreds of books (mainly technical) and every time I give any away I always seem to need it a few weeks later.

 

Same happened with a girlfriend the other year, ooh clear out all these clothes, but, but, but... Then winter came, those spare layers weren't there, then decorating needed to be done and no spare clothes for that, etc...

 

But in essence I agree, there's times I want to go back and live a carefree life with no attachments, but in reality I prefer a stable life with possessions and history!

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The same principle applies to driving

 

We have this utopian concept of freedom wrt driving, but in reality we're stressed by other road users, finding a parking space, having spare change for the meter, getting back before the ticket runs out, whether the wing mirrors will still be attached when we get back...

 

Arriving in a place by public transport is a real feeling of freedom... and you don't have to go back to the car before you go home, you can just hop on the nearest bus/tram/whatever :)

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On the downside some fat smelly guy squashes in next to you and wants to tell you about his flatulence problem, it takes you three times as long to get home and you have to walk the last half mile.

If not having possessions is like using public transport then I'll stick with the having.

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On the downside some fat smelly guy squashes in next to you and wants to tell you about his flatulence problem, it takes you three times as long to get home and you have to walk the last half mile.

If not having possessions is like using public transport then I'll stick with the having.

 

And I had to listen to cheryl cole all the way home yesterday. My car never does that to me.

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I love a good de-clutter, currently looking to move and i'm taking it as a great time to throw/sell/give away things I don't really use or don't really need, some is more difficult than others, but it's definately a good feeling to get rid of things

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It was the great American economist Thorstein Veblen who, in his great work 'The Theory of the Leisure Class', developed the notion of conspicuous consumption, i.e. a form of boasting about one's wealth and status by wearing or displaying expansive material goods. It seems we have now entered

the era of conspicuous non-consumption, where people seek the admiration of others by flaunting their frugality.

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The same principle applies to driving

 

We have this utopian concept of freedom wrt driving, but in reality we're stressed by other road users, finding a parking space, having spare change for the meter, getting back before the ticket runs out, whether the wing mirrors will still be attached when we get back...

 

Arriving in a place by public transport is a real feeling of freedom... and you don't have to go back to the car before you go home, you can just hop on the nearest bus/tram/whatever :)

 

Now this is where the draw the line, I will never ever go back to using buses and trains, they're uncomfortable, unsafe and you're so restricted with times and places, I'd rather walk and have done than on many occasions than use public transport ever again.

 

Driving is a very expensive responsible possession, but my car provides me with so much freedom, I can visit people, go places when and whenever I like at anytime of day. Most of the money I had from the sale of nearly all my possessions has actually gone on petrol.

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