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Ask HN: Should there be "computer showers" similar to "baby showers"?
In a computer shower, you would invite friends to purchase accessories for your upcoming computer purchase.
- brodouevencode 3y agoI would not attend anything like this. But you do you.
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- JohnFen 3y agoWhat would be the point of this? Just to get your friends to subsidize you? The point of a baby shower is for friends and family to help shoulder the burden of caring for the child. I can't think of how buying a computer is analogous to this.
- brudgers 3y agoIt's not the way I grew up, but there are group friendship patterns where friends give each other gifts just because it's what the group of friends do. It surprised me when I saw it in action. But that's because I had the same reaction as you...it costs money and I was not raised to value friendships more than money. But some people are and the world is not worse for it. It creates reciprocal obligations...debts. Here is an interesting talk on debt by the late David Graeber: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZIINXhGDcs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZIINXhGDcs
- JohnFen 3y agoI'm aware of such cultural patterns. I was really reacting to calling group gift-giving events a "shower" more than anything else. To me, a "shower" is a very specific form of gifting, for very a very specific purpose (births and weddings, as a form of community support for starting a new life). Thus my surprise.
- brudgers 3y agoA shower is a specific form of gift giving and the participants determine why, where, and when one is appropriate. Of course lightheartedness can spark outrage among people inclined to outrage.
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