Why do people want and buy: large TVs, fast cars etc?

Vortex · Post by **Vortex** » 10 May 2008, 23:21

Haggis wrote:The things you own, end up owning you.

George Carlin has some good stuff to say on "Stuff" ...

If you haven't seen this before prepare to be amazed ...

Short video: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 4482448693

Kentucky Fried Panda · Post by **Kentucky Fried Panda** » 10 May 2008, 23:24

Carlin's work is better now he's a genuine grouchy old geezer

Vortex · Post by **Vortex** » 10 May 2008, 23:32

He's been ill recently ... and maybe has retired.

He looks rough in that video.

I still remember when I 'discovered' Carlin.

I was waiting in a checkout queue at Borders Bookshop (or was it Barnes & Nobel?) in Boston and was browsing the Special Offers rack ... and saw 'Brain Droppings'.

I nearly burst out loud laughing and bought it .. amazing!

It was the first (only?) time in the US that I found an American with whom I had any empathy.

I mentioned this to an American friend. "Carlin? Oh, him. He is SO last year."

(I have since bought another copy of 'Brain Droppings' for my kids to share ... they keep coming out with quotes from it!)

Wiki says: As of January 2001, the book had sold over 750,000 total copies. Lurkers, buy this book!

DODGY TAX AVOIDERS: http://www.DODGY TAX AVOIDERS.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_w_h ... gs&x=0&y=0

Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 11 May 2008, 07:10

Haggis wrote:Carlin's work is better now he's a genuine grouchy old geezer

I agree. I have a great respect for the man and put him up there with Bill Hicks. Strangely enough, he still seems to be virtually unknown in the UK.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 12 May 2008, 12:13

Why do people want and buy: large TVs, fast cars etc?

Because they can.

They have cash or credit. What's the point in either if you don't use 'em?

Imagine having a few grand in your pocket. It would be bursting to get out. It cries, "Spend me, spend me!". What a dilemma. You simply have to spend money otherwise what use is it?

revdode · Post by **revdode** » 12 May 2008, 12:16

emordnilap wrote:Imagine having a few grand in your pocket. It would be bursting to get out. It cries, "Spend me, spend me!"

So mr emordnilap how long exactly has your money been talking to you?

Being Scottish I don't suffer from this problem, I think it must be genetic, or maybe caused by eating too much fruit and vegetables.

fifthcolumn · Post by **fifthcolumn** » 12 May 2008, 12:17

Erik wrote:One-to-one combat with your neighbours over a small sack of potatoes could be quite exciting for example...

A-ha!
But which of the gazillion different flavours do you learn?
I'm currently doing karate on a saturday morning along with the children and I have to say that I am as fit as a fiddle now but I doubt in truth that it will work against somebody who actually knows how to fight or take a few punches. For that you need a gun or a bat.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 12 May 2008, 12:43

revdode wrote:Being Scottish I don't suffer from this problem, I think it must be genetic, or maybe caused by eating too much fruit and vegetables.

Ah yes, the Scotsman = Yorkshireman with the generosity squeezed out thing.

Being originally from that hallowed county I sympathise. A skinflint all my life (well, so far).

chubbygristle · Post by **chubbygristle** » 12 May 2008, 23:21

http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/ ... ticle/2962

an interesting article along sort of similar lines...

The television in my house was my mothers next door neighbour's. It was on it's way out to the tip because they'd bought a new LCD jobby. It's a perfectly working 21" CRT Sony telly and was gratefully accepted. I was astonished that it was going to be thrown away. This is an ex college lecturer too - very uncharacteristic considering they were one of the last people I knew to entertain the thought of digital set top boxes and the VHS video player was still quite a new thing to them not so many years ago. I guess the advertising man gets them all in the end!

Post by **clv101** » 12 May 2008, 23:33

chubbygristle wrote:This is an ex college lecturer too - very uncharacteristic considering they were one of the last people I knew to entertain the thought of digital set top boxes and the VHS video player was still quite a new thing to them not so many years ago. I guess the advertising man gets them all in the end!

This is the kind of thing I was getting at in the first post. The most unlikely of people seem to be spending hundreds on pounds on new flat screen TVs. A lot of the time, standard definition content actually looks pretty rubbish on posh new HD screens.

chubbygristle · Post by **chubbygristle** » 12 May 2008, 23:34

ha ha ha...

after having a quick look at the reviews for the book "enough" as mentioned on this thread earlier on it's quite ironic that I am having to stop myself from buying yet another book to add to my growing pile of things to be read

enough already

oh the irony.

chubbygristle · Post by **chubbygristle** » 12 May 2008, 23:43

clv101 wrote:
chubbygristle wrote:This is an ex college lecturer too - very uncharacteristic considering they were one of the last people I knew to entertain the thought of digital set top boxes and the VHS video player was still quite a new thing to them not so many years ago. I guess the advertising man gets them all in the end!
This is the kind of thing I was getting at in the first post. The most unlikely of people seem to be spending hundreds on pounds on new flat screen TVs. A lot of the time, standard definition content actually looks pretty rubbish on posh new HD screens.

Yes. I have seen the new televisions in the windows of electrical retailers and, yes, the picture quality is very impressive if you have them wired up to the latest HD set top boxes / next generation DVD players etc.

I can see why people would want to buy them if they were seriously *that* much into films etc... again though, the next door neighbour was a very strange case as they were certainly never that bothered before.

I work with people that are replacing computers and graphics cards about ever 6 months. Drives me mad it does!

peaky2 · Post by **peaky2** » 13 May 2008, 17:46

In the old days when I still had a TV I remember this (roughly remembered conversation) from an episode of The Royle Family:

Son: I'm off next door
Mr Royle: Why?
Son: They've just got a new 40" widescreen plasma TV next door
Mr Royle: So what. It's still the same shite, only wider.

eatyourveg · Post by **eatyourveg** » 14 May 2008, 11:39

I feel myself quite lucky when it comes to being exposed to the advertising industry, I don't have a tv nor do I take papers or magazines.

However, I do occasionally go to the cinema, and am sometimes stupid enough to turn up on time, when any fule knows you turn up 15 minutes late to miss the ads. The other day I was on time, and for the first time in months was exposed to the full force of it. Jesus, it was awful - crass, loud, catering to the lowest possible intelligience (And that was just the usherette). Total drivel, put me in a state of shock it did. No wonder peoples brains turn to mush if this is what they have to put up with day after day.

It really is awful when you get to stand back and look at it. Doesn't make you feel well at all. We are definitely doomed and fuc*ing well deserve it.

edit: Do I get the grumpy old git award now, or is it going to Vortex again?

nepenthean · Post by **nepenthean** » 14 May 2008, 11:48

Outrageous and immoral! Shouldn't Nepenthean be banned from PS for such offensive posts??!! Wink Laughing
You're right, the driving experience can be exhilarating, once you get away from other traffic, even in lesser machines than a BMW. We'd be kidding ourselves to pretend otherwise. It's one of the thrills we will have to sacrifice, but don't worry, there will be other thrills to replace them. One-to-one combat with your neighbours over a small sack of potatoes could be quite exciting for example...

http://azbmw.org/index.php?name=Forums& ... pic&t=3886

An image for you to see what I see.

As for combat over food...I've given this much thought. I will not, even under morose, menacing circumstances, fight another human for food. I will allow him to have it. I do not care if I am starving. I will not fight for food. I will not fight for my government. I will not allow a placid politician or sophomoric military man get obscene with my young blood. If this is the choice, fight or be killed, let me be eaten by a tiger. It would be far more noble in my purview. That said, I've been trained in several martial arts styles and spar with friends. To qualify, I've no children, no stomachs depending on me.

I once denied myself food for 3 days to see what it felt like. After 2.5 days, I was no longer hungry. I do not think I could last more than 18 days without food, for I am equipped with an olympian metabolism. I have made a decision to give my food away if the time comes. I feel no conflict about it.