Living With Less (Gear) - NYT Article

[dcsang]

I'm not sure where, exactly, this should be posted and, to be honest, after the head bartender decided to rail against not being clear in the title I'm a bit hesitant to post this but I thought it may appeal to some folks here philosophically if not financially (or otherwise).

With a lot of folks here (myself included at times) we tend to accumulate cameras (among other things) over time. Some collect them. Some use them. But we all tend to buy and sell - some more than others. This article comes at a time when I am actually trying to simplify the inevitable clutter of "stuff" that occurs throughout one's life. Reducing my desire for more "things", in my opinion, is a good one.

However, as noted in the Steve Huff M240 Review thread, our world currently runs on the basis of a consumerist model. We buy, we use, we buy some more, we want, we need, etc. - all of that costs money and someone has to produce the goods we buy so hence the world turns and our economies run (sometimes more efficiently than at other times).

So, with that being said, how would things go if we all simplified our lives - what would the new economy look like? Have you ever considered simplifying your gear? Your camera bags (Joe? 😀 ) - Your fountain pens? Your watches? or do you see these things as merely a hobby?

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/10/opinion/sunday/living-with-less-a-lot-less.html?_r=0

Cheers,
Dave

Jeez.. I sure do ramble a bit - I guess my thoughts are not that coherent before a good cup of coffee. . . . *LOL*

 

[daveleo]

I have simplified my material life a few times, by choice and also by the hand of cruel fate; then I unsimplified it; then I simplified it; then etc etc . . . .

It's a good cycle to go through - like a forest fire, this cycle gives new things a place to take root. 😛

 

[dave lackey]

What would the world be like?

Just read the last book I finished..."How Much Is Enough?"

As a professional planner, it took years for me to understand that this "consumerist" world is not sustainable in the long run. Stuff is one thing. The insatiable desire of consumerists is far deeper than stuff. It is a symptom of something much bigger.

I live a simple life now. Why?

Because I have been blessed with losing my last job in 2008 and then becoming a caregiver for my wife. Blessed because it changed my mindset. (Yet cursed by a stroke but we are surviving)...Sure, some material things are essential. Some are necessary because they feed our passions and interests. And others are...well, a confirmation that we have been blinded by the material possessions and think that more is better. Not at all like what my parents and those before them thought was the "Good Life".

I don't either anymore.:angel:

But does everybody need to do this? I think not. But a lot of us do!

BTW, I have finished the hard back copy of "How Much Is Enough?" and I will be happy to mail it to whomever wants it...for free.

 

[Canuk]

Thanks for the article Dave.
Consumerism and materialism is something that I am struggling w/ although I am doing slightly better than I once was.
I have just gone through a cleansing cycle w/ my DSLR equipment and there are several other areas that are going through similar changes.
It wasn't until I started to travel that I started to understand the emphasis western society puts on material things. This is an ongoing battle that someday I hope to win, lol.

 

[dave lackey]

I have simplified my material life a few times, by choice and also by the hand of cruel fate; then I unsimplified it; then I simplified it; then etc etc . . . .

It's a good cycle to go through - like a forest fire, this cycle gives new things a place to take root. 😛

Ha, ha...ain't it the truth? BTDT many times.😛

 

[Bill Clark]

Yes, I have a few film cameras, probably too many.

 

[Roger Hicks]

But what is 'simple'?

Yes, I have a lot of stuff. Most of it is old, very low-maintenance and inexpensive to run. Often, it's easier just to keep it than to sell it or even to throw it away. Then, if I want it, I can go to it. This, to me, is 'simple'.

Also, I tend not to change stuff. Much of my stuff, I've had so long that I can't remember exactly when and where I got it. My wristwatch is an old Omega I got for (I think) my 18th birthday. Why would I want another wristwatch? My bicycle is an old Overbury's I've had for over 25 years. Why would I want another bicycle? And so forth. I bought my current chain-saw when the old one broke; same with computers (or when I can no longer get the software), same with dishwashers (we've had two in twenty years, the more recent being 3 years old); and again, so forth. Our cars? Old; cheap; surprisingly reliable. I've had my Land Rover for well over a decade, my BMW R100RS for over 30 years. As the old saying goes, "Quality doesn't cost: it pays." The only new things I buy at all often are books. Again, this, to me, is simple.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Godfrey]

I have simplified my material life a few times, by choice and also by the hand of cruel fate; then I unsimplified it; then I simplified it; then etc etc . . . .

LOL! Sounds familiar! I just had to make room in the closet for two more boxes of Recently Acquired Camera Stuff (RACS) that have been cluttering up my desk and work tables ... sigh.

G

 

[one90guy]

Thanks for the interesting article Dave. Due to economics and finally health in 2007 I have found myself with much less money and stuff. But for my wife and especially me I find life much better. Sure I miss some of the toys and impulse buys, all of my photo equipment was bought used or given to me except my digital camera that the wife surprised me with a couple of years ago.

David

 

[mervynyan]

I have too many cameras but I hate to get rid all of them. Don't know what to do.

Now Samsung S4 can take 12mp photo, almost as good as D700 and I can post on social media immediately.

What to do?

 

[Vickko]

Great timing to see this. I've been purging. I'm almost down to "one camera per format/line", as opposed to "let's have one of each variant".

What's helped?

Readjusting priorities. Son's school fees are more important than each variant of camera body. And change in shooting styles. Much prefer shooting MF than 35mm. And having a blast playing with 4x5, although not past the dry firing stage yet.

But recently (two days ago) fell off the wagon - found a mint Nikon F2 that came home with me, and a cheap F.

 

[thegman]

I like to have less stuff, I tend to be happier that way, however sometimes the fancy takes me and I'll buy something just because I want it.

Consumerism is ugly, but it fuels our economy. Me buying more cameras, film, computers, books, whisky, takeaways, gym memberships all pays someone's salary. If you take away the consumerism, you'd have to rethink how our global economy works. It's worked before without rampant consumerism, and I'm sure it can work again, but until it does, buying stuff does appear to be the only answer to keep things moving as they are.

Of course if all members of RFF stopped buying stuff, it wouldn't make any difference to the world economy, so what we do as individuals is probably neither here nor there.

 

[FrankS]

Think globally, act locally.

 

[daveleo]

George Carlin on "stuff"

George Carlin on "stuff"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvgN5gCuLac

 

[benlees]

I try to live (relatively) simply, but...having a bit of variety really helps me get some energy! I don't need 6 cameras but some days I don't want to deal with film and some days I do. Keeps it more interesting.

 

[btgc]

Recently I started to keep open no more than five Firefox tabs, that is, no more than fit in screen without scrolling. I didn't read them all simultaneously - if it's worthy, I can bookmark page and open it when I come back to actually read it. Now there's bookmark problem, but that's easier 🙂

 

[upceci]

This article assumes human beings are rational creatures who do things for rational reasons. People are emotional and the whole marketing field is based on exploiting that human thing, emotions... If people want to live a simple life then they should control their emotions, something that people have been trying to do for ages and all have failed.

 

[seakayaker1]

Thanks for the article, a fun read which certainly struck a cord.

I have printed out the article and hung it up. Hopefully reading it again and again will strike another cord, to open and empty the boxes that I have hauled around the last couple of moves along with cleaning out the closets and the garage.

 

[jsrockit]

Interesting article. I'm kind of in the downsizing mode right now... been selling off a lot of vinyl and throwing out stuff I can't sell, give away, or use. I only live in a small studio apartment and already feel like I have too much. I can't imagine having a big house loaded with stuff. Seems like you work too much on maintaining it and not on doing the stuff you want to do.

This article reminds to get back work getting rid of stuff. The only things I buy these days that take up space are photo books. To me, they are worth it. I've tried not to buy too much of anything else. I have 4 cameras in total and all get used. 2 fixed lens models and 2 interchangable models with 3 lenses total.

 

[louisb]

This article made me laugh. I was the other end of the spectrum of internet entrepreneurs (my only claim to fame is being there at the beginning of ecommerce and still owning shares in an interesting online store) but basically I went bust when the dot=-com meltdown happened. I was an early user of ebay and quite literally sold everything I owned, including collections I had started when I still in primary school to make ends meet. Luckily, my family were behind downsizing and I am now a successful teacher with a lot less stuff but a happier outlook on life. Each day I really make a difference. Things didn't end up too bad as you can see from the collection of cameras I have built up since starting my newer more modest career.

LouisB