4 ms·

"Buy experiences, not things" have always bothered me as irrational. Sure, one-off experiences are valuable, but I think they're overrated. Maybe it's because I

by dusted 5y ago

"Buy experiences, not things" have always bothered me as irrational. Sure, one-off experiences are valuable, but I think they're overrated. Maybe it's because I don't have a good memory, but, to me, an experience is orders of magnitude more valuable in that moment, while it's happening, than the memory of it, which will fade, and eventually disappear entirely. Buying experiences are short term value propositions for me, they're great while they last, but they tend to fade, and the absolutely best of them, those that fade slowly or not at all, those cannot be bought anyway. Things on the other hand, are an investment in the future, it I buy an item, I will have many opportunities to derive value from it, at least as long as I can remember that I own it.

saberience 5y ago
A thing can't kiss you on the beach while watching the sunset.
- dusted 5y ago
  Indeed, and you can't buy that experience either (well, I supposed you could, but I'm going to argue it's not going to be as good as the real thing).
- can16358p 5y ago
  If you're "buying" the kiss I'd really argue whether it's a good thing. I don't think the argument applies to things like love, kiss, or any non-quantitative things.
- justsomehnguy 5y ago
  I've had the experiences, including kisses and much, much more. Now it's only a sorrow memories, while 1TB Transcend StoreJet still holds them well [in .jpg and .mov form] and serves well to occasionally transfer files > 30Gb. And I still have a couple t-shirts from that time, though relegated to in-house wear only, of course.
  - darkwater 5y ago
    So, should you have bought 2x 1TB disks instead of going on that holiday?
    - justsomehnguy 5y ago
      There were two disks, actually. The other one (although a 640Gb one) was left to her with a copy of those jpegs and movs. Now guess, how often do I look at them?
basisword 5y ago
I don’t think the point is that you can sit on your couch and remember the experience and derive value from that. It’s more that you undertake experiences with other people and then when you see those people you reminisce about those experiences. When my friends and I hang out we talk about holidays we went on 15 years ago. We relive it, laugh, different people remember different parts. We can repeat this every time we see each other and it never gets old.
- dusted 5y ago
  I don't have to pay to hang out and have good times with my friends though, that cost only the time I spend doing it?
  - JSavageOne 5y ago
    I think you're strawmanning here a bit. The point isn't that one has to "pay" for an experience.
    - Jensson 5y ago
      That is exactly the point, why else would they say "buy experiences, not things"? I need things to survive, so I buy things. Then I use the rest of my time to get experiences for basically free. There is no point in buying stuff that is basically free anyway. It is worth it to make a few trips around the world, but that is really cheap if you consider your whole life. What you don't need is a trip every year etc, experiences you pay for stops being an experience and starts being mundane very quickly. Instead of making a trip, why not just build something, like a program or learn to cook or make some sports goal or read up about some studies etc. All of those are free or saves you money and way more memorable and interesting than things people pay a lot of money for.
RamenJunkie_ 5y ago
Sounds like the bad memory has something to do with it. I still think about some conventions I went to where I got to meet friends I had only known through the internet. They were like ten years ago. I went to a concert in 2019 for a band I wanted to really see and was (and still) and into, and stood right up front. I still think about that and it's driven me to see more shows. Now I have an amazing photo collage above my desk that I can see all the time and remember how awesome it was.
- dusted 5y ago
  Yes, the memory thing is definitely a factor, it's not like I avoid having experiences, I love to go to LAN parties and there has been great concerts too, but my recall of them are weak, I mostly remember that I enjoyed it very much, but there's very little recall of the actual things we did or feelings I had.
circlefavshape 5y ago
Irrational? > Sure, one-off experiences are valuable, but I think they're overrated One-off experiences are literally what your life is made from
- dusted 5y ago
  Okay, if you want to apply that interpretation, then how would there be a difference (except the price) of buying a house and going to a concert? In my humble world, going to a concert is great but when the concert is over, you're left with nothing, it was a one-off purchase. If you buy a house, you'll have a place to live until you decide to sell it, after you bought it, it's yours, your experience continues,it's not a one-off, you'll repeatedly have that experience every single day you wake up in that house...
- mantas 5y ago
  Depends on one's life, but there're lots and lots of repeated experiences available. I go for a run on the same route every saturday. In summer I go for bicycle routes on same routes. Repeating such experiences opens up an entirely new layer. Observing the nature change over the yearly cycle as well as longer times changes is very different from just having one-off experiences when you can't compose them into a bigger picture.

by dusted 5y ago

saberience 5y ago

A thing can't kiss you on the beach while watching the sunset.

dusted 5y ago
Indeed, and you can't buy that experience either (well, I supposed you could, but I'm going to argue it's not going to be as good as the real thing).
can16358p 5y ago
If you're "buying" the kiss I'd really argue whether it's a good thing. I don't think the argument applies to things like love, kiss, or any non-quantitative things.
justsomehnguy 5y ago
I've had the experiences, including kisses and much, much more. Now it's only a sorrow memories, while 1TB Transcend StoreJet still holds them well [in .jpg and .mov form] and serves well to occasionally transfer files > 30Gb. And I still have a couple t-shirts from that time, though relegated to in-house wear only, of course.
- darkwater 5y ago
  So, should you have bought 2x 1TB disks instead of going on that holiday?
  - justsomehnguy 5y ago
    There were two disks, actually. The other one (although a 640Gb one) was left to her with a copy of those jpegs and movs. Now guess, how often do I look at them?

basisword 5y ago

I don’t think the point is that you can sit on your couch and remember the experience and derive value from that. It’s more that you undertake experiences with other people and then when you see those people you reminisce about those experiences. When my friends and I hang out we talk about holidays we went on 15 years ago. We relive it, laugh, different people remember different parts. We can repeat this every time we see each other and it never gets old.

dusted 5y ago
I don't have to pay to hang out and have good times with my friends though, that cost only the time I spend doing it?
- JSavageOne 5y ago
  I think you're strawmanning here a bit. The point isn't that one has to "pay" for an experience.
  - Jensson 5y ago
    That is exactly the point, why else would they say "buy experiences, not things"? I need things to survive, so I buy things. Then I use the rest of my time to get experiences for basically free. There is no point in buying stuff that is basically free anyway. It is worth it to make a few trips around the world, but that is really cheap if you consider your whole life. What you don't need is a trip every year etc, experiences you pay for stops being an experience and starts being mundane very quickly. Instead of making a trip, why not just build something, like a program or learn to cook or make some sports goal or read up about some studies etc. All of those are free or saves you money and way more memorable and interesting than things people pay a lot of money for.

RamenJunkie_ 5y ago

Sounds like the bad memory has something to do with it. I still think about some conventions I went to where I got to meet friends I had only known through the internet. They were like ten years ago. I went to a concert in 2019 for a band I wanted to really see and was (and still) and into, and stood right up front. I still think about that and it's driven me to see more shows. Now I have an amazing photo collage above my desk that I can see all the time and remember how awesome it was.

dusted 5y ago
Yes, the memory thing is definitely a factor, it's not like I avoid having experiences, I love to go to LAN parties and there has been great concerts too, but my recall of them are weak, I mostly remember that I enjoyed it very much, but there's very little recall of the actual things we did or feelings I had.

circlefavshape 5y ago

Irrational? > Sure, one-off experiences are valuable, but I think they're overrated One-off experiences are literally what your life is made from

dusted 5y ago
Okay, if you want to apply that interpretation, then how would there be a difference (except the price) of buying a house and going to a concert? In my humble world, going to a concert is great but when the concert is over, you're left with nothing, it was a one-off purchase. If you buy a house, you'll have a place to live until you decide to sell it, after you bought it, it's yours, your experience continues,it's not a one-off, you'll repeatedly have that experience every single day you wake up in that house...
mantas 5y ago
Depends on one's life, but there're lots and lots of repeated experiences available. I go for a run on the same route every saturday. In summer I go for bicycle routes on same routes. Repeating such experiences opens up an entirely new layer. Observing the nature change over the yearly cycle as well as longer times changes is very different from just having one-off experiences when you can't compose them into a bigger picture.