Buy Buy Buy
Maybe it's because I post so much more infrequently than I used to, but I've noticed most of my recent posts have been very materialistic. "Wii this, DS that..."
Rereading them got me wondering if I am or have become shallow. I'd like to think there is more to me than being just another mass consumer, but I know that I am at least somewhat that kind of a person. And I think I kind of always have been.
When I was a young boy, I loved to collect and play with action figures. Sure, I bought them much more infrequently, but I definitely enjoyed my collection of Super Nintendo and Gameboy games (and later N64). I enjoyed the occasional comic book or magazine. I've always bought books that I wouldn't get around to for months (or even years). And even though I know I have plenty of books to read that I've never even touched, I still enjoy periodically going to the bookstore and purchasing new books. I have plenty of video games I've never beaten, but I buy new ones more often than I should. It's gotten to the point that I'm not sure I can keep up with the things that I buy.
I used to buy dvds and then watch them right away. But with growing time constraints, I don't necessarily always do that right away (part of me likes to save them and not watch everything right away and try to feel like I'm enjoying my money's worth). I collect comics pretty much weekly (an expensive habit) but I'm to the point now where I have a growing amount that I need to consolidate, organize, and catch up on. Don't get me wrong -- I read all of them. I buy them to enjoy the stories and art first, and to collect for their value, a distant second. But I have more than I know what to do with.
And every so often, I just compulsively go to a store looking to buy a video game, book, dvd, or whatever. What's wrong with me? Tonight, I took my gf to the mall to get a haircut, and while we were there, I stopped in the EB there and browsed around. She and I both decided not to buy anything. And thank goodness for that. God of War II just came out, but I think I'm going to at least wait until the summer when I've got a part-time job again and can save up some money I actually have earned and buy it (instead of just blow credit). And instead of impulse buy anymore moderately cheap or new dvds (*cough* Casino Royale), I'm going to wait and save up for a fancy Criterion (probably a Kurosawa or two).
But see, that's just it. Even when I plan to stop buying, I'm still planning to buy more eventually. I keep buying more and more crap. I wonder if I'm eventually just going to drown in it. I think part of the problem is that I just enjoy the act of buying for buying's sake.
And I can remember being that way for a long time. For example, my mom would take me out on an errand (I loved going and spending time with my mom on an errands, I'd get to see the town and get out of the house). Say we'd go to Target. We'd be doing whatever shopping Mom needed to get done and then I'd persuade her to let me peruse the toy aisle. When I was younger it would be with her supervision, but as I got older and she got comfortable leaving me in a part of the store by myself for a bit, it would be to occupy my time while I waited for her. Then she'd come back and, of course, after eyeing all those pretty plastic action figures, well, I couldn't exactly leave the store empty-handed.
See, I've always enjoyed shopping and I still do. It's compulsive. Maybe it's the extent that I was spoiled growing up an only child (everyone always tells me I'm remarkably different and well-mannered for an only child), but I think it might be deeper than that. I think it's partly our culture.
Whatever the case, I recognize that this is problematic. I have too much crap I don't need. I'm bogged down in it. My life needs more order, and the way to do it is to practice more moderation (and not just in shopping). I need to discline myself more. I've got to get back to the gym, and to the swimming pool.
Does anyone else have this same shopping problem as me? Please, whoever reads this, let me know if you do and what you think, in some form or another.
Rereading them got me wondering if I am or have become shallow. I'd like to think there is more to me than being just another mass consumer, but I know that I am at least somewhat that kind of a person. And I think I kind of always have been.
When I was a young boy, I loved to collect and play with action figures. Sure, I bought them much more infrequently, but I definitely enjoyed my collection of Super Nintendo and Gameboy games (and later N64). I enjoyed the occasional comic book or magazine. I've always bought books that I wouldn't get around to for months (or even years). And even though I know I have plenty of books to read that I've never even touched, I still enjoy periodically going to the bookstore and purchasing new books. I have plenty of video games I've never beaten, but I buy new ones more often than I should. It's gotten to the point that I'm not sure I can keep up with the things that I buy.
I used to buy dvds and then watch them right away. But with growing time constraints, I don't necessarily always do that right away (part of me likes to save them and not watch everything right away and try to feel like I'm enjoying my money's worth). I collect comics pretty much weekly (an expensive habit) but I'm to the point now where I have a growing amount that I need to consolidate, organize, and catch up on. Don't get me wrong -- I read all of them. I buy them to enjoy the stories and art first, and to collect for their value, a distant second. But I have more than I know what to do with.
And every so often, I just compulsively go to a store looking to buy a video game, book, dvd, or whatever. What's wrong with me? Tonight, I took my gf to the mall to get a haircut, and while we were there, I stopped in the EB there and browsed around. She and I both decided not to buy anything. And thank goodness for that. God of War II just came out, but I think I'm going to at least wait until the summer when I've got a part-time job again and can save up some money I actually have earned and buy it (instead of just blow credit). And instead of impulse buy anymore moderately cheap or new dvds (*cough* Casino Royale), I'm going to wait and save up for a fancy Criterion (probably a Kurosawa or two).
But see, that's just it. Even when I plan to stop buying, I'm still planning to buy more eventually. I keep buying more and more crap. I wonder if I'm eventually just going to drown in it. I think part of the problem is that I just enjoy the act of buying for buying's sake.
And I can remember being that way for a long time. For example, my mom would take me out on an errand (I loved going and spending time with my mom on an errands, I'd get to see the town and get out of the house). Say we'd go to Target. We'd be doing whatever shopping Mom needed to get done and then I'd persuade her to let me peruse the toy aisle. When I was younger it would be with her supervision, but as I got older and she got comfortable leaving me in a part of the store by myself for a bit, it would be to occupy my time while I waited for her. Then she'd come back and, of course, after eyeing all those pretty plastic action figures, well, I couldn't exactly leave the store empty-handed.
See, I've always enjoyed shopping and I still do. It's compulsive. Maybe it's the extent that I was spoiled growing up an only child (everyone always tells me I'm remarkably different and well-mannered for an only child), but I think it might be deeper than that. I think it's partly our culture.
Whatever the case, I recognize that this is problematic. I have too much crap I don't need. I'm bogged down in it. My life needs more order, and the way to do it is to practice more moderation (and not just in shopping). I need to discline myself more. I've got to get back to the gym, and to the swimming pool.
Does anyone else have this same shopping problem as me? Please, whoever reads this, let me know if you do and what you think, in some form or another.