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> If you genuinely can't taste the difference, don't buy it. But if you do, then buy good coffee. Perhaps I should have been more clear about signalling. I'm n

> If you genuinely can't taste the difference, don't buy it. But if you do, then buy good coffee. Perhaps I should have been more clear about signalling. I'm not suggesting you remove the small pleasures from your life. If something has utility (including pleasure) and the capacity to signal, then go nuts. Consider it a bonus.

grwthckrmstr 9y ago
I like your approach. Another thing I see is the once people have accumulated things they don't want or actually need or the product has no utility after several years, I find people unable to let go off those stuff, and instead keep storing more and more and more. Now imagine that being done over 25 years, and then I realised that's the home I'm living in with my parents.
Nomentatus 9y ago
Much easier said than done. Empirical studies of wine-tasting and reproducibility show that our unconscious minds are wonderfully good at tricking us into mistaking mere signalling for intrinsic qualities such as better taste. Without a lot of meditation (Samadhi then Vipassana) you can't stop being fooled, a lot of the time. (As well as confusing secondary reinforcement for primary, in general.) Nature doesn't want you to; it wants you to attract "better" mates and impress others (establish dominance.) One or two simple rules can help, however. Rarely buy what's generally coveted, never buy any product that's advertised, and do not hang out with those who do.
- icanhackit 9y ago
  I don't necessarily agree with your final points. Often tools will be branded and stylised, but as long as they hold utility they're more honest than "articles of self" or items that you didn't create, have no relationship with, and are using to vaguely define your sensibilities. The simplest rule: Buy tools i.e. anything that can be used to create or modify something. A knife is a tool, a (functional) camera is a tool, a microwave is a tool, a couch is a tool, a bed is a tool, a computer is a tool.

grwthckrmstr 9y ago

I like your approach. Another thing I see is the once people have accumulated things they don't want or actually need or the product has no utility after several years, I find people unable to let go off those stuff, and instead keep storing more and more and more. Now imagine that being done over 25 years, and then I realised that's the home I'm living in with my parents.

Nomentatus 9y ago

Much easier said than done. Empirical studies of wine-tasting and reproducibility show that our unconscious minds are wonderfully good at tricking us into mistaking mere signalling for intrinsic qualities such as better taste. Without a lot of meditation (Samadhi then Vipassana) you can't stop being fooled, a lot of the time. (As well as confusing secondary reinforcement for primary, in general.) Nature doesn't want you to; it wants you to attract "better" mates and impress others (establish dominance.) One or two simple rules can help, however. Rarely buy what's generally coveted, never buy any product that's advertised, and do not hang out with those who do.

icanhackit 9y ago
I don't necessarily agree with your final points. Often tools will be branded and stylised, but as long as they hold utility they're more honest than "articles of self" or items that you didn't create, have no relationship with, and are using to vaguely define your sensibilities. The simplest rule: Buy tools i.e. anything that can be used to create or modify something. A knife is a tool, a (functional) camera is a tool, a microwave is a tool, a couch is a tool, a bed is a tool, a computer is a tool.