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I once made a comment like this to my father. His response was: "that feeling is a luxury of having grown up with a plentitude of stuff". And I think he's got a

I once made a comment like this to my father. His response was: "that feeling is a luxury of having grown up with a plentitude of stuff". And I think he's got a point. It's really easy to get rid of stuff if you know that you can replace it (or at least replace its function). If you travel to places where "stuff" is not plentiful, people cherish their belongings (stuff) more

daxfohl 9y ago
Both sides point to a plausible argument for "Less or More than (say) Ten things is undesirable". EDIT: turns out Mel Brooks has already spoken on the matter: https://youtu.be/Ah-WdAwVg9c?t=59 https://youtu.be/Ah-WdAwVg9c?t=59
icelancer 9y ago
100% the truth. My family had below-average income and all I sought to do was augment my life with stuff through my early 20's. As I've grown older I totally understand that it didn't make me happy (quite the opposite), but that realization doesn't set in until you've had the stuff in the first place. I saw much the same pattern with other poor kids I grew up with who went on to make good money.
- wutbrodo 9y ago
  This is overgeneralizing par excellence. For a counterexample, I grew up with not very much money and now make good money, and I'm far _less_ into getting and having stuff than all of my born-rich friends. My slight tendency to hoard is more than balanced out by the fact that I don't feel nearly the need to or comfort with acquiring unnecessary things that all my friends do.
  - ljf 9y ago
    Put of interest, what do you hoard? I'm similar - I don't spend much money, but I do (at times) find myself surrounded by crap or tools or the detritus of 'hobbies' that I tired of. Had another clear out lately and feeling great for it, though likely need another round or two...
BrainInAJar 9y ago
I grew up poor, but I'm not now, and I can't bring myself to throw away anything, because what if I need it some day?
- pm90 9y ago
  That's what money is for, isn't it? The mental comfort that if you do need something, you can buy it. Again, if necessary.
  - ljf 9y ago
    True, but for me, part of the same feeling is tied up in a sense that I might not have money later and I shouldn't count on my current 'wealth' for ever. Don't get me wrong, this isn't some crippling overbearing panic, but it is generally at the back of my mind when thinking of stuff or money. I'm hoping that this feeling will enable me to either retire a little earlier - as I've saved well, or set up my own business one day - but then again, the risk of my own business! Argh ;)
wutbrodo 9y ago
> His response was: "that feeling is a luxury of having grown up with a plentitude of stuff". This is definitely untrue. That may be the case for _some_ people, but to reduce that feeling to only growing up with plenty is overly reductive. I didn't grow up in a family with much money, and I make a very comfortable living now. My early 20s definitely had a bit of a hoarder tendency from my childhood, but much more importantly, I never got in the habit of _acquiring_ things the way my friends seem to have. I've managed to get over the instinct to keep things unnecessarily and I'm a more comfortable selling/donating (or rarely, disposing of) things I don't need anymore. It's far easier to believe that there's a generational cultural difference regarding attitudes towards decluttering than it is to make the facile assumption that wanting less stuff is a consequence of living in abundance.

daxfohl 9y ago

Both sides point to a plausible argument for "Less or More than (say) Ten things is undesirable". EDIT: turns out Mel Brooks has already spoken on the matter: https://youtu.be/Ah-WdAwVg9c?t=59 https://youtu.be/Ah-WdAwVg9c?t=59

icelancer 9y ago

100% the truth. My family had below-average income and all I sought to do was augment my life with stuff through my early 20's. As I've grown older I totally understand that it didn't make me happy (quite the opposite), but that realization doesn't set in until you've had the stuff in the first place. I saw much the same pattern with other poor kids I grew up with who went on to make good money.

wutbrodo 9y ago
This is overgeneralizing par excellence. For a counterexample, I grew up with not very much money and now make good money, and I'm far _less_ into getting and having stuff than all of my born-rich friends. My slight tendency to hoard is more than balanced out by the fact that I don't feel nearly the need to or comfort with acquiring unnecessary things that all my friends do.
- ljf 9y ago
  Put of interest, what do you hoard? I'm similar - I don't spend much money, but I do (at times) find myself surrounded by crap or tools or the detritus of 'hobbies' that I tired of. Had another clear out lately and feeling great for it, though likely need another round or two...

BrainInAJar 9y ago

I grew up poor, but I'm not now, and I can't bring myself to throw away anything, because what if I need it some day?

pm90 9y ago
That's what money is for, isn't it? The mental comfort that if you do need something, you can buy it. Again, if necessary.
- ljf 9y ago
  True, but for me, part of the same feeling is tied up in a sense that I might not have money later and I shouldn't count on my current 'wealth' for ever. Don't get me wrong, this isn't some crippling overbearing panic, but it is generally at the back of my mind when thinking of stuff or money. I'm hoping that this feeling will enable me to either retire a little earlier - as I've saved well, or set up my own business one day - but then again, the risk of my own business! Argh ;)

wutbrodo 9y ago

> His response was: "that feeling is a luxury of having grown up with a plentitude of stuff". This is definitely untrue. That may be the case for _some_ people, but to reduce that feeling to only growing up with plenty is overly reductive. I didn't grow up in a family with much money, and I make a very comfortable living now. My early 20s definitely had a bit of a hoarder tendency from my childhood, but much more importantly, I never got in the habit of _acquiring_ things the way my friends seem to have. I've managed to get over the instinct to keep things unnecessarily and I'm a more comfortable selling/donating (or rarely, disposing of) things I don't need anymore. It's far easier to believe that there's a generational cultural difference regarding attitudes towards decluttering than it is to make the facile assumption that wanting less stuff is a consequence of living in abundance.