What I Need

I’ve bought quite a few things in my lifetime: from action figures to board games, to tools, to art supplies, to the things I carry every day. But did I really need any of that stuff? Probably not. I could probably argue that my EDC (every-day carry) stuff is pretty necessary in my day-to-day life based on how much I use it, but I don’t think it would qualify in anybody’s bare-bone definition of “need”.

What everyone needs is obviously food, water, (in theory) shelter, and the ability to obtain those items. All of the things I “needed” to complete those collections, fill out my EDC, or upgrade my toolset probably weren’t that necessary. But I think I did “need” some of them. Not in the “food and water equals life” sense, but in the “helps me obtain life necessities” sense (the tools), and in the “I have enough resources to get something extra that doesn’t interfere with basic survival” sense.

They might not be things I need, but I can afford them without taking away from mine (or anyone else’s) means of living. In many cases I’m either supporting the company that makes them directly, or the endeavors of the local charity shops. And since I take good care of my stuff I end up with a lot of it, and with a lot of it comes the constant need to justify what I “need”. Do I “need” all of this stuff? If not, why do I have it? Well, I like it, it lets me have fun, and in several cases it gives me an activity to do with friends. It helps me learn new skills to both simply be a more educated person and help friends and family who might be in need.

Now most of it is me just asking myself, but sometimes it’s other people asking “do you really need all of this?” or “What are you gonna do with that thing?” And really, I admit to not being the best person ever, but: I’ve given to people who needed it, donated to charities, recycled and reused many of my disposable items, not stolen from anyone, gotten my basic needs taken care of, and not created a giant pile of stuff that will fall over and kill me or breed disease like a cesspool. I think I can decide I’m at a point where what I “need” isn’t all that needs to be considered when I intend to purchase something.

Now that’s not to say I buy things at random, or that I should “over buy”. Or that I’m too high and mighty to consider what I really need. But I think that I (or you) after basic needs are taken care of (food, water, shelter, safety, backups, etc) have been taken care of, shouldn’t have to justify absolutely every purchase in my mind or to others with “needing” it. It overcomplicates things and puts too much emotional influence on the object. It’s just a thing, and I like things, but I don’t need them.

Table Topics Chit Chat 59 #117-118

QUESTIONS

  1. What have you learned this week?
  2. If you could only eat one kind of ethnic food for the next year what would you pick?

ANSWERS By: Austin Smith

  1. I’m sure a lot (I’m writing this far before posting). When I write this I just read up on a bunch of bands I hadn’t known anything about, so I guess that.
  2. Chinese I think, most others are too hot for me, Mexican and Japanese are close seconds.

Table Topics Chit Chat 15 #29-30

QUESTIONS

1. Would you rather live in Los Angeles or New York City?

2. What’s your favorite junk food?

ANSWERS By: Austin Smith

1. That’s a tough one, likely New York because it would be easier to get places on foot I think.

2. Ruffles with ranch dip.

Table Topics Chit Chat 10 #19-20

QUESTIONS

1. If you could have dinner anywhere in the world which restaurant would you choose?

2. What’s your favorite month of the year?

ANSWERS By: Austin Smith

1. Every time I’ve eaten “better” food I haven’t liked it, so the closest above fast food restaurant from me.

2. I have no favorite month, and I  have no means of determining one.

Table Topics Chit Chat 8 #15-16

QUESTIONS

1. Would you rather meet your great grandparents or your great great grandchildren?

2. What’s your favorite comfort food?

ANSWERS By: Austin Smith

1. I’m not sure my great great grandchildren will exist after the inevitable giant upcoming war with something, or be human and not integrated with machines. So I’d think I’d enjoy talking to my great grandparents, they seemed to have some interesting things going on and I don’t know that much about some of them.

2. It’s usually cookie dough, but right now I think it’s McNuggets