Materialism

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How big of a consumer are you? I have noticed I don't have the need for things really at all beyond the necessities for survival. Is this common among aspies (aspergerians) who are noted for collecting various objects? I can remember wanting a telescope when I was about six and then being kind of indifferent about gifts since then. I did collect books for a while, but seem to have broken myself from that. I don't feel a need to have the latest, bestest electronic gadgetry either, though I like to mess around and figure out how stuff works. I am really not all that impressed with people who have lots of things either, nor do I feel superior to those who do. Don't get me wrong, I am no ascetic but I try to buy things that I think I might be interested in or that I will use plenty. Instead of materialism, I seem to prize creativity and challenge as rewards, which can be difficult to find when you are struggling for self motivation.

Is this at all common and what do you think about it? I feel that I am not playing by the right set of rules and worry about myself in this regard.

This ties in with the thread about spending habits. My consumerism is linked directly to how much money I have and my constant fear of being poor again. I used to buy CDs, endless magazines and all manner of useless crap. Now I don't buy any of it. I have everything I need, so I can usually tell myself I can do without what I want. My bills are tiny. I'm a single guy who's quite self-sufficient. If I could dig up part of the communal gardens where I live, I'd even try growing my own food, but old ladies are attached to the idea of flowers.

If the key test is what would I grab if my flat went up in smoke, I can't think of anything I'm so attached to that I'd risk third-degree burns in order to save.

I spend money on necessities and my obsession on occasion. I'm really not a 'consumer'.

Food, drinks, water, gas, electricity and internet subscription is all I'm consuming at this stage of my life.

I spend my money on a bunch of different stuff. (anyone have a wild guess on what I do spend it on?)

I haven't bought anything in well over a year. I'm saving up to buy a car, which I will soon be needing. I was looking at getting an '01 accord, but it's a V6. I'd rather have an I4 for better fuel economy. The V6 isn't even that much faster due to the transmission. Maybe if I could find an old prelude that would be great. Those little cars are awesome.

Last thing I spent any money on was upgrading my computer. That was technically my Christmas present, so that doesn't count. And even then, I could easily have spent a lot more money on that, considering just how much I use my computer, and what I use it for.

I'm not materialistic at all. The less "stuff" I have, the better.

I like to spend my money on Kinks merchandise, vintage unisex clothing and technology. I've brought Modish materialism into the 21st Century with me. That's just who I am.

I spend all my money anything space related: books, posters, etc.

I got a really cool planetarium recently, which I can not sleep without.

I really want a telescope but I am pretty sure I can't see a thing with all this light pollution.

Also art supplies, too much money on art supplies and fabric. (To make space printed clothing)


I need to start saving. If not this whole unemployed thing is going to be bad.

Not a big consumer. I avoid buying myself quite a few necessities (new clothes and certain car repairs come to mind), let alone extravagances. I am usually at least 5 years behind the technology/device curve, and things like fashion and popular trends aren't even on my radar. I generally buy the basics of what I need, and that's it.

There are two exceptions. One is food. I will pay more (sometimes significantly more) for organic, healthy, local food if I can possibly help it. It's something of an investment to me, because I firmly believe that not eating mass produced junk now, will save on my future medical costs.

The other is plants. I am heavily obsessed with anything having to do with plants, and until pretty recently, I spent lots of money on them. Just today I was at the hardware store, walking through the gardening/nursery section and I actually had to tell myself repeatedly, out loud, "I don't need any plants today, I have way too many as it is, there's nothing here I need, DON'T need any plants today, etc."... which must have sounded interesting to any passerby who might have overheard me. Where I used to live, I could work in the garden, and I bought hundreds of dollars of rare and interesting and useful plants and worked with as much as I could. But I moved earlier this year, and can't really work in the garden much, which makes it difficult for me to get lost in my obsession, but keeps me from spending so much, so that's good... I guess

I have 2 lines of thought regarding materialism. When I'm broke(as I am now) I fantasize about having nice stuff. Right now I'd love nothing more than to have a Breitling Superocean watch with a bespoke wardrobe. But luckily I cannot afford either. When I have had money in the past, the desire the desire to have stuff like that goes away. As an example, I came across a 1964 Chevrolet Nova for sale in a pawn shop. When I was broke, I'd have stayed awake at nights dreaming about that car. But even though I could more than afford this car, and all the peripheral stuff around it I didn't want to get it at all. So I'd say that my materialism is inversely related to my bank account. It's likely more the fantasy of having it than actually having it.

I hate to march into a store and plunk down full price for the things I'm expected to buy and are readily available to anyone who has the money. I feel like a fool and a dupe. In that sense I'm not materialistic. On the other hand, I love to shop for things that are rare, odd, and have to be stalked, and if I can get them for a good price, so much the better. I never need these things, need takes the fun out of the game, so in this sense I am materialistic. I guess I just have a strange relationship with materialism, too.

I feel like I am and I'm not materialistic at the same time.

For instance, I have a reaaaaaaally old pre-paid for minutes phone and I honestly don't care....while everyone else has smartphones.

I don't care about ipads and all that hype, as long as I have the internet at a reasonable speed, I'm fine.

At the same time, I LOVE clothes. I have 85 shirts, and 40+ t-shirts and I wish I could have more....(well, some of those shirts are a bit juvenile, but I can make them look older with some work) and I have somewhere around 30+ necklaces and I am always on the lookout for more.

To contrast this: I don't care about brand. Maybe I semi-follow fashion, but I go with what I feel makes me look good. I try to get good prices on everything but I don't shop at the mall really (aside from aeropostale....it has some cute stuff and sales a lot of the time).

In all honesty, I feel like I have a good grip on it...if I ever get too materialistic, I look at my little sisters, and remember, it could be worse.

Hands up here!

I am a joyfull luddite and re-user of societies waste, however to say I am not much of a consumer would be slightly dishonest, I still buy new CD's when I can't find them second hand and I collect far more by way of second hand books than the presense of my local library requires, however most of my clothes are second hand, all my furnishings and most of my kitchen stuff. I eat a simple diet and 'rescue' food waste for some of it so I tread pretty lightly and am not in the constant thrall of avarice.

peace j