There are so many services that are marketed heavily at us as value adding when in fact they are not. Billion dollar industries designed to separate us from our savings.
This isn’t a rant again capitalism, which when embraced sustainably is amazing, but rather a reminder for all of us to be a little more critical about what we really need.
Covid gave us a clue (office spaces, traveling for work, physical meetings, etc).I personally realised this when looking at platforms like Twitter and Facebook that so ubiquitous that we forget to ask if they are really adding value. After not using the platform more than once a week I realise they aren’t.
Phones (the difference btw high end phone and a good Midrand phone is 5 times the price but only 1,5 the improvement on specs). Airline travels ditto: we are left to think air travel is normal (in fact 89% of the world population has never set a foot on a plane). Closer to home, look at your apps… How many are really adding value?
Less is more.
The fewer things you own the less you need to check and look after them. Tamar and I have over the last few years given away most of what we own (we could literally pack our entire belongings in an hour in 3 big suitcases). This has had a remarkable effect on us: we are less attached to things and much more open to new experiences and embracing new places. The attachment anchor has been somewhat lifted. Even social media, by slowly deleting various accounts, hast left us with surprisingly more time to focus on what really matters, including hiking and chatting to real friends.
Am not sharing this to persuade you that there is a right and wrong way, but rather as a gentle nudge reminder to be a bit more critical about what distractions you allow in your life.
