I am suffering from a serious case of stuff lust. I want to buy things - stuff - new stuff. Stuff I want - stuff I am beginning to imagine I need ...
So far I am holding out ok (I did buy a piece of jewellery, but it's antique so it doesn't count) but it does seem an almighty wrangle. I am fighting years of social conditioning, billions of dollars of advertising and god knows what else.
I am beginning to wonder if the acquisitive urge is hard wired - where does it come from, this desire to have more?
5 comments:
I think the desire/ need is partly from our "caveman" days when storing away as much stuff (food, tools etc) as possible for winter was good thing; insurance against starving. Along the way, with the help of marketing executives, our relative affluence and (usually) readily available food, it has morphed into the desire for other stuff.
Hang in there! You don't really want it. There is so much great "vintage"/second hand/antique jewellery and clothes out there for girls. It will more than satisfy that urge for acquisition, without the creation of new crap.
In advance of commiting myself (or planning to) to the Comact, I have done a test, monitoring what my husband and I have bought during March. I have bought 2 pairs of antique earrings and 4 magazines. He has bought 3 or 4 magazines and some hardware (including compact flourescent bulbs). So I think if we can give up the mags, we might be able to do it. I suspect, if we do give up the magazines the lust may diminish too!
Agree with you there - something to do with the hunter/gatherer. I know that if I got it my life would not be any better, but I guess that is what lust is about - the desire rather than the satiation (am I getting carried away here?)
Have you been wandering around the shops? I always find that at Christmas time I begin to feel very deprived and long to buy stuff. Simply the process of being in the shops and buying presents for others allows me to see things I think I want.
Why don't you buy something? You are a big girl. Break your new rules and see how it makes you feel. Isn't that what this experiment is all about? Understanding yourself as a consumer in the long term is arguably as important as not consuming in the short term.
You might check out the archives of my blog "Enough is Enough" (http://neatfreak.wordpress.com) to read how our American family of four went six month without buying anything. It's do-able, although unfortunately for us, not forever life altering. But we'll do it again and it's a great opportunity for children to learn the difference between need and want. Good luck!
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