FYI newbie Taurus, your materialistic side doesn't have to mean expensive. It can mean quality. Do you pay attention to textures, smells, tastes, comforts, enjoy beautiful music (I know you do) and know perfectly well that the thriftstore in the rich neighborhood has better quality clothing options? Quality over quantity. That, too, is materialism.
Interesting question! As I think about it... I mean as far as my analysis goes so far, I think the answer here is actually no maybe? I mean, on a certain level, I think any human would appreciate something of higher quality over lower quality to some degree, but if anything, I think I care about this less than the average person and often can't even tell the difference? (I am using question marks because I'm still thinking about this and am remaining open to changing my mind.) I don't pay close attention to quality most of the time. At least as I analyze right now (and sometimes I don't see myself perfectly clearly, admittedly), I seem perfectly content with something of low quality over high quality. Take cars for instance. I don't feel much difference in driving a brand new car over driving an old car. I just... don't care that much. It's nice to have a new car for warranty purposes. And it's not like I *don't* like the way a new shiny car looks. But I'm not particularly drawn to newness or niceness, and absolutely don't mind a clunker--and in fact really adored my junkier cars. True also of clothes. Give me old and plain or give me new and fancy... I generally don't have a strong feeling one way or the other. You are correct that I do enjoy high quality music, and probably I would say the same of writing. But those things don't feel like materialistic preferences as much as artistic ones? It's to the point that I can't very well distinguish BETWEEN what people would consider higher vs. lower quality when it comes to material objects. I'd be just as content with some replica of something as with an original, kinda like the cheap gargoyle sitting on my desk that I got at Epcot. I'm sure it looks cheap and fake to anyone with an eye for material things, but I don't mind at all. I kinda see the direction the crowd goes and get an idea "oh, that must be couture, oh that must be fancy..." But I can't really eyeball something myself and determine whether a thing is of high quality or not. It just genuinely doesn't matter to me very much. (One possibility that I have to explore is that, growing up quite poor, perhaps I turned this mechanism off in myself because of low access? Yet, that doesn't make sense to me because usually lack enhances desire, not squelches it, and it's not like I had NO access to nice things or high quality things.) Anyway, still thinking about this obviously, but it's definitely not one of those dead-ringer issues where everyone around me is like "yes, Josh LOVES nice things and high quality items..." If anything it's the opposite. *shrugs* Thanks for helping me think more about it! Feel free to share any other insights if you have any!
Exciting stuff! Will look forward to seeing what you create now that the words are flowing more easily. And, can I just say that I loved this passage -- I think so many of us can relate to it and you just put it so perfectly into word-- "I am also a lover of all things low brow, all things Dorito, all things Olive Garden, all things Kraft box macaroni and cheese. Not like “Oh, I don’t mind eating that stuff…” No, I actually love that shit. I will eat a Denny’s breakfast and I will luxuriate in that breakfast and its buttery syrupy cheap-ass goodness. AND I will give zero shits about what people think that means about me on an image level either. “Yes. McDonald’s has delicious fries and the fettuccini Alfredo at Olive Garden is like a mother’s tender hug in food-form, and I’m not ashamed to admit that fact."
FYI newbie Taurus, your materialistic side doesn't have to mean expensive. It can mean quality. Do you pay attention to textures, smells, tastes, comforts, enjoy beautiful music (I know you do) and know perfectly well that the thriftstore in the rich neighborhood has better quality clothing options? Quality over quantity. That, too, is materialism.
Interesting question! As I think about it... I mean as far as my analysis goes so far, I think the answer here is actually no maybe? I mean, on a certain level, I think any human would appreciate something of higher quality over lower quality to some degree, but if anything, I think I care about this less than the average person and often can't even tell the difference? (I am using question marks because I'm still thinking about this and am remaining open to changing my mind.) I don't pay close attention to quality most of the time. At least as I analyze right now (and sometimes I don't see myself perfectly clearly, admittedly), I seem perfectly content with something of low quality over high quality. Take cars for instance. I don't feel much difference in driving a brand new car over driving an old car. I just... don't care that much. It's nice to have a new car for warranty purposes. And it's not like I *don't* like the way a new shiny car looks. But I'm not particularly drawn to newness or niceness, and absolutely don't mind a clunker--and in fact really adored my junkier cars. True also of clothes. Give me old and plain or give me new and fancy... I generally don't have a strong feeling one way or the other. You are correct that I do enjoy high quality music, and probably I would say the same of writing. But those things don't feel like materialistic preferences as much as artistic ones? It's to the point that I can't very well distinguish BETWEEN what people would consider higher vs. lower quality when it comes to material objects. I'd be just as content with some replica of something as with an original, kinda like the cheap gargoyle sitting on my desk that I got at Epcot. I'm sure it looks cheap and fake to anyone with an eye for material things, but I don't mind at all. I kinda see the direction the crowd goes and get an idea "oh, that must be couture, oh that must be fancy..." But I can't really eyeball something myself and determine whether a thing is of high quality or not. It just genuinely doesn't matter to me very much. (One possibility that I have to explore is that, growing up quite poor, perhaps I turned this mechanism off in myself because of low access? Yet, that doesn't make sense to me because usually lack enhances desire, not squelches it, and it's not like I had NO access to nice things or high quality things.) Anyway, still thinking about this obviously, but it's definitely not one of those dead-ringer issues where everyone around me is like "yes, Josh LOVES nice things and high quality items..." If anything it's the opposite. *shrugs* Thanks for helping me think more about it! Feel free to share any other insights if you have any!
Exciting stuff! Will look forward to seeing what you create now that the words are flowing more easily. And, can I just say that I loved this passage -- I think so many of us can relate to it and you just put it so perfectly into word-- "I am also a lover of all things low brow, all things Dorito, all things Olive Garden, all things Kraft box macaroni and cheese. Not like “Oh, I don’t mind eating that stuff…” No, I actually love that shit. I will eat a Denny’s breakfast and I will luxuriate in that breakfast and its buttery syrupy cheap-ass goodness. AND I will give zero shits about what people think that means about me on an image level either. “Yes. McDonald’s has delicious fries and the fettuccini Alfredo at Olive Garden is like a mother’s tender hug in food-form, and I’m not ashamed to admit that fact."
Thanks so much Jackie! :-)