Discussing the 100ItemChallenge with friends has revealed an interesting polarisation of opinion. It seems to be a concept that provokes a Marmite (acknowledgements to the trademake owner) reaction – you either love it or hate it. Or to be precise, you either get it or you don't.
The most extreme reaction was from one friend who utterly rejected the entire concept, stating “I like my possessions, I get pleasure from each and every one and none of them stop me from doing the things I enjoy doing”.
This has set me thinking about the pleasure that we derive from our possessions. As far as I'm concerned (for the purpose of the Challenge anyway), there is two types of pleasure – the immediate pleasure of acquisition and the ongoing pleasure of ownership. I've certainly felt the pleasure of acquisition, and I'm sure you have too. However the ongoing pleasure of ownership is a rarer beast.
A painting, a beautiful flower, or a piece of objets d'art will continue to reward the owner long after the pleasure of acquisition has faded. Other possessions must surely have a purpose in order to have a reason to keep it. For example I recently bought a new MacBook Pro, which gave me a huge thrill of excitement - particularly since there was a long time lag between deciding to buy and having the money to buy it. Do I still feel the same thrill, a few months later? No, of course not. Do I still get pleasure from it? Absolutely, as I use it every day and it makes this blog possible (curb your enthusiasm).
There are other things I use less often but still enjoy. For example my digital camera, definitely one of my 100 items, records the life experiences we're enjoying and I wouldn't be without it. But do I get pleasure from all my other possessions? Can I legitimately claim to enjoy something I haven't used for five years? For ten years? I certainly have an emotional attachment to some, but that usually manifests as guilt when I'm thinking whether to get rid of them.
Do they stop me from doing things? Not now, in any direct sense, but the money I spent on them could have been used for something else. For example the £200 I spent last year on the digital camcorder - that I used once - could have paid for a fantastic meal or a weekend away.
So although I respect anyone's right to disagree with me, ultimately I simply don't believe that real enduring pleasure can be derived from physical possessions. The pleasure is in the experiences, especially the shared experiences, that we create for ourselves.
You should become a Buddhist, Rob!
ReplyDeleteHi Rob, Excellent post! I agree with it completely. Heidi and I live in our van fulltime (great lifestyle) which necessitates a simple life with less possessions. We both eyeball everything we acquire with much discrimination. Each thing must be useful and usually for more than one purpose. We don't lock things in at 100 items of course, but we base it on what fits in our rig comfortably without being cluttered. We often rely on the something in, something less useful out method. We have been very happy with this simplification process and very simple lifestyle. The less you own, the less that owns you.
ReplyDeleteEnjoying your blog!
-Mike
97 RT 170P "Taj Ma Trek"
HTTP://WWW.VanTramps.Com
I suspect that Rob already is a Buddhist . .
ReplyDeleteOne of the major differences between Buddhism and other religions is its perspective on the human condition. While it is common in many other traditions to regard a person as innately flawed or impure, and thus, the life's task of that person is to seek redemption, the Buddhist tradition regards a person as naturally good and pure, and the life's task of that person is to awaken this innate purity
Rob is a naturally good and pure person.
xxx
Hey, thanks for the comments! I don't know about "good and pure" :-) but I am interested in Buddhist philosophy.
ReplyDeleteI'm convinced that simplification will improve our lifestyle, though I'm intrigued by your lifestyle in the van, Mike.