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Author Topic: Another column of social commentary  (Read 2098 times)

acetech09

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Another column of social commentary
« on: September 23, 2013, 10:32:26 am »

Just a little piece I'm finishing off. Comments welcome.

~revision coming shortly~
« Last Edit: September 23, 2013, 11:58:20 am by acetech09 »
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freeformschooler

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Re: Another column on social commentary
« Reply #1 on: September 23, 2013, 10:42:54 am »

So basically, "don't buy from Wal-mart," just with a lot more money involved. Gotcha.
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acetech09

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Re: Another column on social commentary
« Reply #2 on: September 23, 2013, 10:45:20 am »

So basically, "don't buy from Wal-mart," just with a lot more money involved. Gotcha.

hm? This piece wasn't an imperative. It's basically 'don't judge me for a pretentious asshole because I drive an expensive car'.
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freeformschooler

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Re: Another column of social commentary
« Reply #3 on: September 23, 2013, 10:50:39 am »

Oh. So it's all about you then. I thought it was a piece about paying more for good craftsmanship but actually it's about how that makes you smarter than certain other people who buy expensive things and how you're judged for it. Ok.
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acetech09

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Re: Another column of social commentary
« Reply #4 on: September 23, 2013, 10:57:31 am »

Oh. So it's all about you then. I thought it was a piece about paying more for good craftsmanship but actually it's about how that makes you smarter than certain other people who buy expensive things and how you're judged for it. Ok.

I suggest you re-read it. 'I' and 'me' are used in the piece due to, well, me writing it, but it is much more globally applicable than you make it out to be. Think about it a bit deeper.
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freeformschooler

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Re: Another column of social commentary
« Reply #5 on: September 23, 2013, 11:10:20 am »

Oh. So it's all about you then. I thought it was a piece about paying more for good craftsmanship but actually it's about how that makes you smarter than certain other people who buy expensive things and how you're judged for it. Ok.

I suggest you re-read it. 'I' and 'me' are used in the piece due to, well, me writing it, but it is much more globally applicable than you make it out to be. Think about it a bit deeper.

Already did. I still think it is wasteful to spend money on products like iPhones or nice cars or what have you when you can get a cheaper, probably older, slightly-less-well-made product and learn to fix it when it breaks or, better yet, put in some labor and improve the parts that aren't as good. The incredible premiums you pay are for people to already do that for you.

I have a neighbor who touches up cars. I have never seen him working on or driving an expensive car in his life. He buys somewhat-old vehicles and touches them up to be like new. Similar to him, I also enjoy taking old computer products and breathing new life into them.

I don't mean it is wasteful to buy those things in the sense that you are spending too much money. I agree with the last paragraph: there's no reason to spot wealthy people from spending their money. However, people who buy New Cars, the Newest iPhones, New Expensive Latest Top-tier Well-crafted Things are contributing to the physically wasteful mindset that pervades the upper class in many first world countries. Old stuff is broken and never fixed, tossed aside for the latest, most well-made thing when the old one was perfectly serviceable in the first place, had they the will to learn instead of just crossing their fingers and hoping the Chinese factories that made their awesome, well-structured, well-advertised products made them to last.
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MonkeyHead

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Re: Another column of social commentary
« Reply #6 on: September 23, 2013, 11:11:25 am »

When people ask me "What do I drive?" as if they are deciding if I am worth knowing I simply respond "A car." That seperates the people worth talking to from the fuckwits.

freeformschooler

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Re: Another column of social commentary
« Reply #7 on: September 23, 2013, 11:21:08 am »

When people ask me "What do I drive?" as if they are deciding if I am worth knowing I simply respond "A car." That seperates the people worth talking to from the fuckwits.

Genius. I gotta start doing this.
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acetech09

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Re: Another column of social commentary
« Reply #8 on: September 23, 2013, 11:28:47 am »

*snip*

Actually, I agree with most of that. But that's in a different scope than what I wrote about.

I don't mean it is wasteful to buy those things in the sense that you are spending too much money. I agree with the last paragraph: there's no reason to spot wealthy people from spending their money. However, people who buy New Cars, the Newest iPhones, New Expensive Latest Top-tier Well-crafted Things are contributing to the physically wasteful mindset that pervades the upper class in many first world countries. Old stuff is broken and never fixed, tossed aside for the latest, most well-made thing when the old one was perfectly serviceable in the first place, had they the will to learn instead of just crossing their fingers and hoping the Chinese factories that made their awesome, well-structured, well-advertised products made them to last.

I also agree with that. But nowhere in the article did I say I buy New cars, Newest iPhones, or that third thingy. My car's 10 years old - expensive when it was new but I got it for a whole $800 more than an equivalent-year subaru. I've spent quite a bit of time restoring it, maintaining it, and taking care of it. I got an iPhone 3g a week ago for free, but before that I happily used a Nokia flip phone. I plan on sticking with these things for quite a long time. I'm looking forward to passing down my cooking knives to my kids if they're interested. (except I won't be having kids so that's a moot point. nevermind.). I also restore and use vintage electronics & computers. But I will resolutely state that there is quite a noticeable difference between a honda and an audi, in both driving dynamics, thought of design, and build quality - all of which I likely put a higher value on than you do.


When people ask me "What do I drive?" as if they are deciding if I am worth knowing I simply respond "A car." That seperates the people worth talking to from the fuckwits.

I try as much as possible to avoid the fuckwits that judge you from your car. Those do suck, but I haven't met anybody like that lately. But I like cars & mechanics in general and tend to meet other similar people, and get into discussions about them - and that's when it comes up. And that statement in the column was a case-in-point, really. I used cars as an example throughout the article since it seemed like the best example.
« Last Edit: September 23, 2013, 11:32:07 am by acetech09 »
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freeformschooler

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Re: Another column of social commentary
« Reply #9 on: September 23, 2013, 11:42:57 am »

OK, well perhaps I misintepreted it. It seemed more like you were saying the make of a thing justifies being charged out the ass for it.

Yes, I don't place a high value on "dynamics," whatever that is. A car gets me from point A to point B. A good car does it for a long time. A deck of cards lets me play poker. A computer lets me get on the Internet and a number of other great things. I don't care what speed the RAM runs at. Based on

Quote
all of which I likely put a higher value on than you do.

you seem to believe that is a poor mindset. It is, however, the mindset most people (especially not-wealthy people) have. You have to accept they're going to see you as wasteful because they don't care that their car "feels" perfect, they just care that it doesn't cost them out the butt, gets them from one place to another without breaking down, and ideally does so for a long time.

Just stay away from judging people because they don't nerd out over the things they buy and own like you do and you'll be fine.
« Last Edit: September 23, 2013, 11:44:43 am by freeformschooler »
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