I went 200 days without buying anything new; our need for stuff is toxic!

[Syonyk]

http://qz.com/485015/i-went-200-days-without-buying-anything-new-and-learned-how-toxic-our-need-for-possessions-is/

Cleaning out her father's apartment, she realized something:

I threw away a normal life of accumulation.
 
We were destroying the planet for future generations, all so that we could enjoy a lifetime full of material possessions that were hardly used.
 
Time, money, and effort had been heavily invested in getting all of this stuff—only to be disposed of with great difficulty. We were destroying the planet for future generations, all so that we could enjoy a short lifetime full of material possessions that in many cases were hardly used, rarely necessary and easily forgotten.

I decided that I didn’t want this to be my “normal.” And so I embarked on an experiment lasting 200 days where I would buy nothing new. Excluding groceries, medicine and basic toiletries, I would borrow and buy secondhand, or simply go without.

[nobodyspecial]

>I went 200 days without buying anything new
But the two Rembrandt's, the Van Gogh and the castle put a hell of a dent in the credit card

[SwordGuy]

>I went 200 days without buying anything new
But the two Rembrandt's, the Van Gogh and the castle put a hell of a dent in the credit card

That would be **investing**, not consumer spending... :)

[Mr.Tako]

Thanks for the excellent article.  The ideas represented in it mirror my own.  There's just too much stuff in the world, that really isn't worn out.

Most of the time humans get bored of their material things and want to move on to the latest fashion, latest tech, etc.  It could be kind of sad I suppose, but I choose to instead focus on the positive opportunities it presents.

[Jack]

>I went 200 days without buying anything new
But the two Rembrandt's, the Van Gogh and the castle put a hell of a dent in the credit card

That would be **investing** speculating, not consumer spending... :)

I realized you were joking, but FTFY anyway.

[bacchi]

I was blown away by the amount of new items in thrift stores—items that were unused, complete with price tags and original packaging. Everything from new scented candles to new clothing graced the aisles of secondhand stores.

I wonder how much of this is from gifts? Many of my received gifts have gone straight to thrift stores.

Shopping at the Habitat Restore, I'm continually surprised at how many new windows are donated.

[kite]

Only 200?

That's a nice start, but it doesn't scratch the surface of badass.

[AlanStache]

The things you own end up owning you.

That condo was my life, okay? I loved every stick of furniture in that place. That was not just a bunch of stuff that got destroyed, it was ME!

Tyler Durden: Do you know what a duvet is?
Narrator: It's a comforter...
Tyler Durden: It's a blanket. Just a blanket. Now why do guys like you and me know what a duvet is? Is this essential to our survival, in the hunter-gatherer sense of the word? No. What are we then?
Narrator: ...Consumers?
Tyler Durden: Right. We are consumers. We're the by-products of a lifestyle obsession.

Tyler Durden: We're consumers. We are by-products of a lifestyle obsession. Murder, crime, poverty, these things don't concern me. What concerns me are celebrity magazines, television with 500 channels, some guy's name on my underwear. Rogaine, Viagra, Olestra.
Narrator: Martha Stewart.
Tyler Durden: Fuck Martha Stewart.

Like so many others, I had become a slave to the Ikea nesting instinct.

I've been going to Debtor's Anonymous. You want to see some really fucked-up people...

[Jack]

The things you own end up owning you.

That condo was my life, okay? I loved every stick of furniture in that place. That was not just a bunch of stuff that got destroyed, it was ME!

Tyler Durden: Do you know what a duvet is?
Narrator: It's a comforter...
Tyler Durden: It's a blanket. Just a blanket. Now why do guys like you and me know what a duvet is? Is this essential to our survival, in the hunter-gatherer sense of the word? No. What are we then?
Narrator: ...Consumers?
Tyler Durden: Right. We are consumers. We're the by-products of a lifestyle obsession.

Tyler Durden: We're consumers. We are by-products of a lifestyle obsession. Murder, crime, poverty, these things don't concern me. What concerns me are celebrity magazines, television with 500 channels, some guy's name on my underwear. Rogaine, Viagra, Olestra.
Narrator: Martha Stewart.
Tyler Durden: Fuck Martha Stewart.

Like so many others, I had become a slave to the Ikea nesting instinct.

I've been going to Debtor's Anonymous. You want to see some really fucked-up people...

I love the irony of a big-budget Hollywood blockbuster about anti-consumerism. I wonder if the people who buy Fight Club merch are aware of the contradiction inherent in their action?

[AlanStache]

The things you own end up owning you.

That condo was my life, okay? I loved every stick of furniture in that place. That was not just a bunch of stuff that got destroyed, it was ME!

Tyler Durden: Do you know what a duvet is?
Narrator: It's a comforter...
Tyler Durden: It's a blanket. Just a blanket. Now why do guys like you and me know what a duvet is? Is this essential to our survival, in the hunter-gatherer sense of the word? No. What are we then?
Narrator: ...Consumers?
Tyler Durden: Right. We are consumers. We're the by-products of a lifestyle obsession.

Tyler Durden: We're consumers. We are by-products of a lifestyle obsession. Murder, crime, poverty, these things don't concern me. What concerns me are celebrity magazines, television with 500 channels, some guy's name on my underwear. Rogaine, Viagra, Olestra.
Narrator: Martha Stewart.
Tyler Durden: Fuck Martha Stewart.

Like so many others, I had become a slave to the Ikea nesting instinct.

I've been going to Debtor's Anonymous. You want to see some really fucked-up people...

I love the irony of a big-budget Hollywood blockbuster about anti-consumerism. I wonder if the people who buy Fight Club merch are aware of the contradiction inherent in their action?

The irony is even better with some of Brad Pitts lines. 

When I bought the dvd (pre-netflix dark ages) I was very aware of the irony.