Comfort buying; the last bastion of the person unfulfilled by the costless gifts given to us by nature, art, a humanitarian act and the wisdom of an erudite mind. A route taken, although not recommended by Sat Nav, that draws in the misguided with false expectations of lasting existential contentment.
Comfort buying; the misplaced faith that a newly purchased gadget, car, clothes or Jedward cd will be the catalyst to restitution from a hitherto litany of unfulfilment.
Saying that though, the Jedward cd may result in happily ever afters, you never know!…… I’m must admit I’m having to fight hard to resist that temptation!
Comfort buying; the subject of a pretentious blog, written by a middle aged northern English man, random of thought and erratic of mind. A man whose own experiences have taught him the folly of expecting long term contentment from the purchase of any possession.
Words from a cynical guy, occasionally penning in the third party, who seeks spiritual redemption in humanitarian acts of kindness, not the short term fix of the latest gadget. A man of caution who resists unnecessary purchases, regardless of it incorporated an app that predicts when he’ll next need the lavatory.
As much as he’d love to have an app that could foresee future toilet break requirements, is not convinced it would provide the same high as, say, voluntary work for a charity. Although, if it could provide information of pubs that had run out of toilet paper, he’d immediately buy the gadget/app.
Many people don’t subscribe to my cynicism about how money and its subsequent acquisitions can lead to long term happiness. In fact, I recently read a leading academic proffering “I’d rather be depressed in a mansion than in a gutter.”
That being said, do we not all need to spend some time in the gutter? Do the low points not give us a chance to refocus, re-plan and strive to return? Does the tougher times not make us appreciate the better times more?……. And where did you get that jumper it’s flipping awful?!
Oscar Wilde wrote “We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.” Prophetic words that highlight we all have tough times, but if you have the vision, desire and drive it won’t be your permanent residence.
Incidentally, when I say leading academic above it isn’t strictly true. Those words of wisdom actually were uttered by old Ted at the Garforth Working Men’s Club. I thought penning leading academic gave the quotation more kudos, substance and validity than just adding old Ted from my local working men’s club!….. Some would call my strategy artistic licence. Others would just say I’m a right lying get!
Bearing in mind I have a relatively comfortable existence, which does include some (older generation) gadgets, people will read this and possibly dub me a hypocrite.
To them I would say, yes there maybe some substance in that accusation. I certainly have no right to take any moral high ground or preach to anyone, apart from old Ted who’s a right berk!
As I’ve got older my priorities have changed. For 20 years I provided for four people by working shifts in a unsuitable role. No longer undertaking that role means I have less disposable income, however now I get an opportunity to undertake voluntary work. This bestows on me fulfilment I’ve never come close to experiencing from any job or buying any possession.
Many will think this has been a lot of pretentious bollocks written by a guy whose swallowed a thesaurus. To those people I’d say yes it probably is, however your miles off with the thesaurus comment…….. I could never swallow a dinosaur!
