Writes Vanessa Friedman in "I Haul, Therefore I Am/It is the shopping phenomenon of our times, and now it’s an Amazon store" (NYT).
I watched a lot of that "anti-haul" material at the TikTok link, and it's the video equivalent of junky clutter. It's chirpily and lengthily informing us that unneeded stuff is unneeded. Some of the videos are shot in a store — here's trashy nonsense that we shouldn't buy — and some are in the TikToker's own home — here are various items she's throwing out. I feel sorry for the young women — they are all women — who need support freeing themselves from things they don't need. I think this is basically an emotional problem of the young. You have amorphous hunger and acquisitiveness. If you wait long enough, I predict it will go away. Until then, direct that energy into building something of value. You know what those things are. I don't need to list them.
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I just bought a 1 ft USB-A to USB-A cable at 25% off to replace a 3 foot one I had pressed into service. I am not throwing away the 3 foot one.
It's the vestigial nesting instinct and acquisitive nature of women that causes them to behave so. Closely related - inability to enjoy life without creating illusions on social media.
I would expect nothing less from you.
Thank you 3ft USB-A to USB-A cable for bringing me joy…
You do to list a few. The failure of teachers, and parents (including me, at times) is that we don’t push the kids to build things. Not enough.
Even things like sand castles that don’t last. And of course live music doesn’t last.
There's the restocking videos, in which food products are transfered from their original packaging to clear plastic containers. Never mind the expiration dates.
"You do to list a few [of the things of value a young person ought to put their energy into building]."
A family, a worthy career, a moral structure, a strong and heathy body.
Theodore Roosevelt's father told him: "You must make your body. It is hard drudgery to make one’s body, but I know you will do it."
The problem that is detailed here is that there are many people who are given status and wealth who gain it for frivolous reasons.
I do not expect people who work for the government spending tax money frivolously to do any better at home with the money they are paid.
Also see girl bosses.
This is in part due to the frivolous nature of much of what our society funds.
Much of the HR department doesn't do anything at work. People who work in education don't do the job society hired them to do.
These people do not value the things that build society and make lives better.
Marriage, children, prudence, fortitude, satisfaction.
Pretty much what Jordan Peterson recommends. That he strayed off the path and suffered for it only made his convictions stronger.
Like most paths. And most suffering.
When it affects seniors, it's called "hoarding".
" I feel sorry for the young women — they are all women — who need support freeing themselves from things they don't need. I think this is basically an emotional problem of the young." Boy, have you got that one spectacularly wrong. Have you ever seen a man try to clean a garage? I would say the reason they are all women is that men flatly refuse to part with that rusting can full of 3/4" brass number 10 screws. "Some day I'll use them for something."
Day after you toss them, you will be in the car driving to the hardware store for a dozen 3/4" number 10 screws to re-hang that door to the shed.
Hey I used that board today. Yep, the board I saved from building the garage 20 years ago. See? It pays to save!
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