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Sounds like you have a good life and I'm glad to hear it, too many people have it rough these days.
I want a house not too big, too much tidying, in the middle of knowhere, workshop for my bikes, study for my company and a woodland close by.
Keep it simple, but appreciate what you have 😉
Only a fool would claim they 'needed' it.
Why do you feel the need to call me a fool?
😉
Edukator do you ever worry about coming over as a right smart-arse?
We all chart our own courses through life. Some find themselves in stormy waters, some have plain sailing. For a variety of reasons. Do not pour scorn on people who struggle.
No, Molgrips. It's what my STW persona is all about. I think my pseudo announces the colour. The only worrying thing is that I'm telling the truth.
Some people on STW don't have enough income to have much choice about how they live but many do
I recongnise and have stated some people don't have much choice but some of the choices STWers make and keeping up with the Joneses threads leave me shaking my head in dismay.
Allegations of 'keeping up with the joneses' are almost entirely false. I buy stuff because it is gives me something I want. I don't give a crap who else has it. I think most people feel the same.
I buy stuff because it is gives me something I want. I don't give a crap who else has it. I think most people feel the same.
That's what the marketeers want you to think. That you have come to these decisions all by yourself.
*doffs tinfoil hat*
You may resist Molgrips but the sheep-like buying of certain brands and jumping onto bandwagons is comical to watch from afar.
Congratulations Edukator - but I don't understand why Audis and Quality of Life are mutually exclusive. Let's generalise some more, shall we?
I want a house not too big, too much tidying, in the middle of knowhere, workshop for my bikes, study for my company and a woodland close by.
Don't want a reliable postal service then?
Not bothered about health?
Don't care about the rest of the world as long as [b]you[/b] have what makes [b]you[/b] happy?
Buying an Audi rather than say the equivalent VW or skoda is a goood way of making yourself poorer to buy status over function. As for the Cooper S it's an utterly pointless fashion statement on today's crowded, speed camera littered roads. They are the cars I've used to symbolise buying into a dream rather than keeping your feet on the ground.
I mentioned friends with a Ferrari and AMG Merc on another thread. They also had a house with a guest house at the bottom of the garden. It was pretty much all on credit and a minor blip in the economy meant they couldn't take enough out of the business to pay for it all and the business went bankrupt. Living beyond their means to create an artifical image and lifestyle. They don't speak to me anymore, can't think why.
On a re-read I see it was Fervouredimage that made the comment. My apologies again.Care to reply, FI...?
No, not really, because you've picked on an utterly moot point and ignored the over arching theme of my post.
Not that I would expect much more.
Don't take this with the wrong attitude but can you produce any evidence of that...? I'm genuinely interested because, as written, I believe this to be a problem and it seems foolish for me to talk shit in debates with my friends if I don't have a leg to stand on.
A night out with you must be a barrel of laughs.
+1 wot Edukator says
Buying an Audi rather than say the equivalent VW or skoda is a goood way of making yourself poorer to buy status over function
Audis are nicer than VWs. However I would not buy one.
The point I am trying to make is that it is not always about STATUS. You make us out to be even more shallow and vacuous than we actually are.
Oh look, another sweeping generalisation thread where the usual omniscient suspects cast judgement on “humanity”.
How does one become as perfect as they?
usual omniscient suspects
Who that then?
If you don't like it, don't read it....
You make us out to be even more shallow and vacuous than we actually are.
Alas, I think Edukator is dead right.
Happy to count you as an exception molgrips, but I'm afraid, on the whole...
[img] 
[/img]
... this is the reality of the world we live in.
How does one become as perfect as they?
Start thinking?
Brilliant comments as ever from Edukator!
I live in the Lakes - my Cooper S is great on our empty non-speed camera littered roads... Mountain biking is great here too!
But you are of course correct - my quality of life is just terrible...
And if the entire population of the world were to have a Cooper S each?
May I have your attention please!
May I have your attention please!
Still waiting... 😉
But based on the edited comment, you have to accept that cars are needed in the modern world and owning a Mini might be ****tish but it's better than everyone driving round in gas guzzling 4X4, no?
😀
EDIT - Sneaky edit there Kaesae... I'll return the favour and keep it civil too!
Eh?
you have to accept that cars are needed in the modern world
There's that word "need" again.
Do so many people really "need" to live bloody miles away from where they work?
Do so many people "need" cars for every member of the family and a couple of spares?
Do people "need" to make ridiculous short journeys when they could easily walk or cycle?
The point is that driving is not without cost and that most of the cost is born by people who get no benefit from it - ie indigenous populations who have their resources exploited to manufacture and power it and the entire global population that will bear the cost of climate change if we don't curb car use.
There's that word "need" again.
Do you need and in depth explanation or can I assume that you really do know what I mean?
However, understanding where those traits came from, and justifying their continued proliferation in the face of mounting evidence that its destroying our planet, are two different things.
+1. We aren't in caves anymore and don't have to behave like alpha's, we are at least intelligent enough to know this. Except when we are coerced into thinking primitively, "survival of the fittest" looking after no.1.
We have a fleeting existence on this rock, and we waste it worrying about man made problems such as global economics and the like. Is all this stuff strictly necessary? While Humans have always traded, it has come to the point where it dominates our lives pretty much all the time. Time to turn the control down from number 11.
Or even time to throw it away. This may not be in-keeping with the environmentalist agenda of the OP, but this is something I certainly wouldn't want re-cycled.
We can't keep consuming the way we are, we may think we are trying to give our Children a good future, but in my view we are damaging it.
It's curious how we are made to think about economics on a global scale, all our economies are interconnected, yet we are still in competition with everyone else over everything else, nation against nation competing with each other. Perhaps one day will think of Humanity on a global scale, instead of just what nationality we are.
My inner hippy has now retreated back into the cupboard, but will be putting in more regular appearances in the future. 8)
RPRT - as it happens I tend to agree with you BUT I don't pretend to be all holier than thou nor do I stereotype people by the car they drive...
FWIW I live a couple of miles away from my work and cycle in whenever possible. My total annual car mileage is around 6000 miles. I do like driving cars though.
I wonder how that compares with the hair shirt brigade on here... 🙂
fervouredimage - MemberA night out with you must be a barrel of laughs.
I believe the correct response is to post-up a piccie of a handbag but I don't think that'll be very constructive.
I must say that your reaction has given rise to a few chuckles this end and if I were you I'd take a stand back and have a think about why you really repsonded to that post at all. But let's take a look at it for a second - you're attempting to take the piss out of me for having a real-world version of the discussion we're having right here on this thread. You've also expressed opinions on this topic and I'm assuming you formulated them before today, which means there's a good chance you've gone over them with another person at some point, although that's obviously a guess and not a given. Surely, taking both points into account, you can see the absurdity of your somewhat flippant comment ?
And the first response was also rather childish...
No, not really, because you've picked on an utterly moot point and ignored the over arching theme of my post.
I've re-read your post and still can't see anything in my response that makes you think I don't understand you. You used words like "absolutely" and "unequivocally" in relation to how folk percieve themselves.
As others are quoting Fight Club I'll follow...
[i]I would flip through catalogs and wonder, "What kind of dining set defines me as a person?" We used to read pornography. Now it was the Horchow Collection.
[/i]
Kind of captures your point, yes? Now whilst I agree with it to some extent I wouldn't be so gullible as to propose that everyone fell into that catagory. How could I possibly know for sure. I doubt I'd be able to give even a close approximation to the percentages to be honest.
Your statement was, as I wrote, a sweeping generalisation. If I've missed the point then maybe you'd like to elaborate instead of sulk. I know I'd feel the need to express further if I felt I'd been misunderstood, maybe you do too, considering the gravity of the subject, eh...
I wonder how that compares with the hair shirt brigade on here...
That's not really the point.
How you compare with others in the UK isn't really significant.
How WE compare with people in other countries is way more important.
The difficult truth is that OUR way of living is unsustainable - it's too resource intensive and too polluting to continue - if you are relying on having everything you have now in the future then you are deluded. If you really want to do something for yourself then you should follow the likes of Edukator and ween yourself off stuff you don't need now while you can do it painlessly instead of waiting for it to be taken away. Living with less isn't about being virtuous, it's about being resilient and protecting yourself from inevitable future shock.
RPRT - by the way you dodged the question I suspect my way of life probably has less impact than yours so I think it is you that has missed the point...
Easy to talk the talk though, eh. What are YOU personally doing?
So to recap, even though the natural resources of this world are running out, even though the planets surface is becoming more and more inhospitable to our race, even though there is an entire universe of dangers out there in the vast ness of space and much closer.
It is more important for each of us to exercise our right as free individuals and put our perspective across, than it is to work together to make the world a better place, who needs development and evolution, when you could go for the big online thread win, you ass is grass bitch an I iz de vaporizer.
That gentle madams and ladies is the problem, we need to stay focused on the solutions to our problems and stop the psychological sabre rattling, we are a race with the capacity to understand the very laws of creation, there is nothing on earth or in the heavens that could be denied us.
But do not let that stop you, prepare your hand bags keyboard badass's, CARRY ON!
[quote=kaesae]I want a house not too big, too much tidying, in the middle of knowhere, workshop for my bikes, study for my company and a woodland close by.
Keep it simple, but appreciate what you have
I'm lucky enough to live somewhere very similar to what you describe.
Small 2 bedroom cottage surrounded by fields, which I have insulated to levels that means it needs hardly any heating even in the middle of winter.
12v lighting powered by solar (battery storage) so rarely need mains power for lighting.
Not quite energy neutral yet but getting there.
My workshop is bigger than the house (and I spend more time in than I do in the house.)
We have worked hard, but we hardly consume much at all now we are sorted.
I want a property that's a good size, not massive and only for function, but I really want to build it myself with a different take on technology in relation to energy consumption!
Have you ever considered trying to create some kind of engine for power?
What about vegetables and food, do you farm your own?
Have you ever considered trying to create some kind of engine for power?
Out of what and running on what?
Surely you should be thinking about reducing consumption rather than alternative ways of producing?
Don I am not in a handbag mood, sorry!
Don I am not in a handbag mood, sorry!
You've lost me. 😕
kaesae sexgodDon I am not in a handbag mood, sorry!
Donsimon small member
You've lost me.
Unfortunately and apparently not! 😉 😀
You've really lost me now. 😐
kaesae - Member
What about vegetables and food, do you farm your own?
We do grow a bit but nowhere near enough to be self sufficient. It's more of a hobby.
With proper insulation any house can be made very energy efficient.
Although it is an easier task in a new build. But I like old houses. Plus my profession is insulation of "hard to treat" properties, solid walled, stone build etc.
So I suppose I would be daft not to use my skills etc to do my own place.
And don simon is spot on too.
Reducing energy consumption is the first thing to do.
Production is always second.
The main reason being, If you don't reduce consumption first, you need to produce more. Making the job a lot harder.
But if you reduce your energy need first, you make producing enough to keep you going a lot easier.
Yes especially when you can save mucho £££££
My flat is awful, the walls are chalk and hollow, trying to hang stuff can be tricky and if you are drunk and fall into the wall 50/50 if you go through it or not 🙂
Saying that I am thankful for a roof over my head and all of the little things like a fridge, food to eat or even a good bed to sleep in.