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My year of buying nothing – six months in
- bikamonki 10y agoIsn't this the classic first world problem? I stopped reading at only spending on food and bills b/c I see no challenge since that is how millions live for decades, not a mere half a year.
- mpbm 10y agoYeah, presumably "bills" is a nice, vague term for anything that would actually change her life, like medical stuff and climate control. Sounds like she's only cutting out optional expenses. I guess going vegan and/or gluten-free isn't cool anymore. Now you need a different reason to tell everyone you're better than them in some way that only matters to you.
- cathartes 10y agoWhy the cynicism? I don't get a "holier than thou" vibe from this article at all. To me, it reads as a simple progress report about one person's trial in embracing something other than consumerism to fill emptiness. I think this individual should be congratulated for even trying.
- mpbm 10y agoOkay, I re-read it and the cynicism must have been a reaction to the self-aggrandizing click-bait nonsense. I got nerd sniped when I started pondering the challenge of going a whole year without buying anything. Like, maybe you grow your own food and sleep on couches? I went from "this person wants to share what they learned" to "this person is using gimmicks to get my attention". Kind of like how people will want to talk about being vegan or gluten-free but I quickly realize they don't know what amino acids or Celiac disease are. So, literally "cynicism" as in "distrusting or disparaging the motives of others". If the article lead with something like "how it feels to go 6 months without spending money on entertainment" I wouldn't doubt her motives.
- bikamonki 10y agoNo cynicism. I just come from a school of life where if you do something good for you or your peers you do it quietly, otherwise what you write with your hand you erase with your elbow. That being said, I totally understand the context and intention of her actions. Still, a first world problem...
- cathartes 10y agoIf the millions you are surrounded with are living exactly the same way, then yes--there is no challenge. But to make options or even omit things that are widely considered staples by your peers, to put yourself at even this much of a cultural disconnect from those around you, I do think there's a challenge in this.