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[Starver]

[1] When I was unwaged and volunteering in a computer recycling scheme, I was amazed at the number of on-benefits people I delivered paid-for-by-the-Job-Centre computers to who also had large, wide-screen TVs, etc, when I was having to be very frugle and only kept running a car (my biggest cost, other than the obligatory utilities, etc) because of parents handling the associated costs so that I could keep future commuting options open.

Yea... it sucks. It also interesting prospective on what you personally consider a luxury and other a nessicatiety. I consider a car a luxury, and take mass transit everywhere. I also see a TV as wholly luxuriate item, as I watch my programs and movie on the computer, and only play console games on a tv. I dont see a computer as a luxury even though others do. Its the most expensive thing I've ever bought with my own money.

I acknowledge that the car is a luxury, but without it I couldn't actually have considered applying for various jobs that I wanted to go for.  Considering that a pass to give free travel around just my city[1] for a month would cost me around £75.  (Compare with roughly £3 a day for a simple return from home to most (close) places I would want to go.)

The area it covers includes some surrounds, but not into neighbouring city-like towns that directly abut it and are very close.  One town centre is 6 miles from the City Centre and is closer to my home than the CC is.

Taking that £75 and tryint to support a car, I can pay for two or three months of fuel, with mild commuting (around 15 miles round trip?) during the week and a regular journey outside of the pass's area on the weekend.  With all the freedom to make unscheduled/unrouted journeys at any time I want, inside or outside the pass's zone of operation.  Obviously that doesn't count car tax, etc, which is static and does not really scale.  And it doesn't count parking charges, so working in the city centre would be a different matter as well.

I also consider the computer as a luxury, but I already owned it, and it's not exactly up-to-date.  Its running cost is part of the electricity bill.  And actually, I have several (or varying vintages, one of which is far more modern but is my high-powered Linux box), which I could probably make eat up more electricity than the rest of my house combined if I let them.

(The computers I mention helping to install were, at least officially, not luxuries.  Basic models (but specs rivalling all of those I have except for the aforementioned Linux one) intended to help write CVs, Job Applications, etc.  Of course, they were capable of gaming (though not to Half Life 2 standards).  And most of those I dealt with had gotten themselves Mobile Internet dongles to spend their life on Facebook/etc.  I used to have home broadband (better bang for your buck), but let it slide when money got tight, and I've not yet reinstated it, so my online usage is currently during slack times at various places where I'm legitimately on corporate computers.  Like now.  Bad me.

I have even considered a TV a luxury (any TV, never mind something wide and flat), and I can't remember the last film I saw either broadcast or at a cinema (though must admit I have seen some... less than legal versions in the interim, but mostly as a 'guest' of someone already watching them on their own system).  I actually spend most of the time with one of my computers (with an early DAB card in it that I've had for ages) recording radio programmes I particularly like (a slow day has around 4 hours of programmes, from various channels, double or triple that for some days...) so I can listen to them at more convenient times.  Also a luxury, but one which I have been equipped for since before those financial times.  I haven't tried to work out the electricity costs.

All of this drifts slightly away from the Socialistic Overhaul theme, of course..  Unless one is intending to promote the idea of 1984 or Brazil style standard media workstations for all (with or without Big Brother SpyCams or vacuum tube communication systems).

[Earthquake Damage]

I consider a car a luxury, and take mass transit everywhere...  I dont see a computer as a luxury even though others do.

Depending on where you live and/or what you do for a living, a car may a necessity.  Not everyone has access to public transportation, nor does everyone have a neighbor willing and able to shuttle them around (to work, to buy groceries, and so forth).

Similarly, a computer with internet access may be a necessity (mostly for email and word processing, I figure).  That and a (cell)phone.  Your communication needs may vary.

[MrWiggles]

Exactly, its a neat introspective in personal perceive value. Where I live, I can travel to about the Mexico border, and I live in Mojave,CA. It'll probably take me two days to do it, but possible. Though I find I have more a need to get to LA, or Anaheim more often needing to go that far.