Why do you need a shiny new toy?

[Chivalry]

Have you ever seriously asked yourself why you need a shiny new toy? That xbox series x, that iphone 12, that fridge that makes sphere ice instead of boring cube ice, that oled tv, a new gpu, a new car or whatever?
You don't really need that new Xbox. You know that. You can get a lifetime of entertainment with the stuff that's already here. You don't need a new gpu - there's like a billion games to play that can run on the gpus of today. There are millions of books, great tvs, used cars, cheap old smartphones for all your needs. You don't need it to be new to be happy. You'd also be doing the environment a favor. But I know the shiny new toys look so alluring, so attractive - you can't help but want them.
So what makes you participate in the rat race for the best and the shiniest? Is it FOMO, ephemeral wanting, marketing tricking your brains, the great and honorable deed of participating in the economy?

 

[maximumzero]

I kinda want to play Stray and I'm not terribly interested in buying a Playstation, so I built a PC.

Also my wife wants to play that Harry Potter game.

 

[vestan]

Because my PC can't run RDR2 well and I want to replay that lol

Enjoy the moment

 

[bobeth]

Why do you want anything, really..

 

[abellwillring]

It's nice to have new things. Especially when life is shit.

 

[Couleurs]

It's nice to buy fun things to make our miserable existences somewhat more tolerable

 

[mikhailguy]

sounds like someone with a huge backlog

 

[Cenauru]

I like enjoying things that look fun to me

 

[Kthulhu]

TIL buying something because it's required for something else is FOMO. Thanks for letting me know OP.

 

[nsilvias]

to make life more bearable

 

[Sadsic]

im pmc and capitalism marginally benefits me~

 

[Mesoian]

Retail therapy is a very real thing. And while I agree that we do need to really press on manufacturers to change certain elements of their supply chain, especially where the acquisition of rare metals and production labor are concerned, only focusing on those elements of the process of industry will just mire you in a state of depression.

There may not be any ethical consumption under capitalism, but one cannot spend 100% of their mindset in fighting any sort of system at all times. Sometimes, you wanna blow some of your hard earned money on something shiny. You may not NEED a new shiny toy, but you DO NEED to take care of your mental state and your wellbeing.

 

[johan]

Sorta part of my job to get a new console. Also I love it

I love tech but I am still rocking my launch iPhone 6S

 

[Whipwhopper]

My ADD

 

[Liquid Plejades]

 

[Maxim726x]

As always, it's a combination of all of the above.

For me, personally, it's one thing to work towards. I'm trying to do better in tamping down my wants and refocusing my needs... I'm successful for the most part. This is the first new console cycle that I don't really care about joining out of the gate. If I can grab a console, great. If I don't, no big deal. In the past I would have done whatever I could. Now? I'm focusing on paying off my house faster, getting more into my investments, and upgrading the domicile. I'm kinda over getting all the new stuff unless it benefits my health in some way, for example (new toothbrush, Peloton, etc).

Also, not sure if I'm the only one- But I'm definitely questioning physical game ownership at this point. I have a sizeable collection since I've been gaming since the NES, but I really want to Maria Kondo the shit out of my house and I'm definitely thinking about selling my games collection for the first time.

 

[Tora]

I love it, but only because I know that I don't really need any of this stuff for my life to be fulfilled, it's just fun

 

[Kthulhu]

Also blaming someone buying a new TV for environmental issues is a textbook example of being a corporate apologist.

 

[Gpsych]

Go back to Walden Pond, Henry David!!

 

[ngower]

Because home ownership is impossible unless I move to a much cheaper area so I enjoy my lower middle class luxuries.

 

[RecRoulette]

Best Trump 2020 campaign ad I've seen yet, low bar tho

 

[Advance.Wars.Sgt.]

I typically justify it on a practical basis. Basically I weigh the usage I'll get out of something I want against the cost/need of it, and if the former provides me more value I make the purchase.

Case in point:. I really really really really really REALLY want the Surface Duo. Like BAD. But it's got a high price, I have far more important bills to pay, and the current phone I have still works perfectly fine so......yeah 😅.....I'm holding off on getting it.

 

[Forerunner]

You don't and the sooner you realize this the better your life can become.

 

[Lulu]

Why you on my dick

 

[Bear]

Because life is rough and if you have disposable income, treat yourself.

 

[Elrid]

It's all bullshit! But I have an iPhone 12 pro on the way.

 

[IDreamOfHime]

I'm single
I'm stuck at home
I'm still working and earning
I'm weak

 

[SolidSnakeBoy]

Because I want it and can afford it. I am not cynical, I vote and support people in power that advocate for large scale environmental and societal change.

 

[hombremalo]

My brain segreagates something that makes me feel good, so I keep doing it, but never works like the first time.

 

[DarthWalden]

It's all bullshit that makes me excited and feel good, fuck capitalism,

 

[King Fossil]

Bored of the old things and want something new. At the same time, I wouldn't buy x just to have x. If you are actually going to benefit, use and enjoy something out of spending money on something, then go for it. For example, I wouldn't buy the latest smartphone every year, because there usually isn't enough jump in peformance/capability/functionality to warrant that year-to-year for my purposes.

Entertainment and technology would be stagnant if everyone became satisfied with what we already had produced in the past.

 

[MisterHero]

I want to keep up with the cultural zeitgeist, of course.

 

[rudeboyoslo]

Why do you want anything, really..

Click to shrink...

That's kind of my point as well. Everything is ultimately pointless, why not treat myself, responsibly, to the things I enjoy while I still can.

 

[julia crawford]

Yes i do consider these things and i lways have enough justification for these purchases.

 

[whatsinaname]

 

[Deleted member 39374]

Materialism is shitty, but otoh rejecting all consumer goods is also a slippery slope. Just go live in the woods then

IMO products should improve your life. Also, lots of us are stuck at home these days so digital entertainment is crucial to keep you occupied during downtime

 

[carlsojo]

I'm depressed and buying things distracts me from the gaping void in my heart.

 

[VorpalNonsense]

because I havent done shit in 8 months of pandemic as I watched my country go to hell and my dad die so fuck you, wallet
ive been pretty much viciously throttling my wallet for about 6 months straight now to stay entertained and distracted
not giving a shit turned into kind of a real problem and went about as well as this quoted comic depicts
however I'm actually holding off on the new consoles and am trying to ease up on my poor account now
it's kinda hard to stop living like a jackass once you get used to not giving a shit
my saving went way down from a combination of bad personal decisions and having to be the sole supporter for a few months due to the pandemic eating my SO's job
tryin real hard to give a shit again because staying on this path will lead to being broke and that's real dumb
it's been a shit year

Click to shrink...

 

[Jeffolation]

The void demands sustance.

 

[turbobrick]

I'm with OP, in that I don't need the shiny new toy. I realized this only about 4 years ago and have been spending much less money. Though the goal is to save up for better things that I'll use for a long time, rather than just something in the moment.

Even when I was working my minimum wage job, the result of this is I still had plenty of money saved up because I rarely bought things I didn't need. This whole year I've spent maybe $500 on stuff I didn't need.

 

[erekiddo]

I work hard for my money and like to enjoy life.

 

[klastical]

I dont NEED them but I want them. There's nothing wrong with wanting nice things.

 

[captive]

that fridge that makes sphere ice instead of boring cube ice

Click to shrink...

wait wait wait, you lost me, there are fridges that make sphere ice cubes?

 

[RadioJoNES]

It make brain happy

 

[BigHatPaul]

You've clearly never had whisky with sphere ice. It makes it taste way more expensive!

 

[MarvelousIntent]

I don't need it. I want it.

 

[Walter White Walker]

If I just want something, I wait a few weeks. It usually turns out I didn't actually want it enough to pay for it.

 

[rokkerkory]

Nowadays id rather have monies in the bank

 

[Regiruler]

I thought I was going to have to replace my GPU because of awful performance, it turns out windows game mode was just messing it up. After that I still had to talk myself out of a 3070.

Bringing on tech YouTube for over half a month did not help at all. I bought a new cooler for my cpu despite not objectively knowing if I even needed it. That said it was only $25, and was new in box, and as the top model stock cooler I don't think people are opening droves and wasting zen CPUs just for the stock cooler.

 

[TheAndyMan]

Mine was getting old(4.5 years) GPU. As for my Iphone, it was about 2.5 years, but the battery was barely holding charge for as long.