...or Glamping (usually used by those who have paid through the nose for an entirely useless teepee).

Watching Eastenders.  Why would you regularly invite a load of angry people who hate each other into your front room, it just seems stressful.

+1, completely baffles me

On the broader subject - it's not that difficult to understand, is it?  People are different, and have different drivers/goals.  It's just about what a good "quality of life" means to you, and how you go about attaining that.  Everyone makes decisions based on their own cost/benefit calculation - whether that cost is money or time or stress or whatever.

Some people do make some very strange decisions, I agree - like people who live super-frugally, then die with huge amounts of cash in the bank, or the opposite: people who bankrupt themselves chasing a millionaire lifestyle.

Whatever you do: buy a new car/tv/house, or don't, have kids, or don't..... just be happy (man), that's all that really matters.

People that use the phrase ‘wild camping’.

I know right? Wild camping is just the same as camping.  I told my wife we were going camping again this year.  For some reason she thought I meant somewhere like that last place with the shower and toilet  block, lawn pitches, supplies shop and nearby pub.

I picked a nice corner of a forest and handed her a folding poo-trowel and iodine tablets.  For dinner I gave her a flint and two fresh mackerel.  She must be one of those that prefers the pretentious term 'wild-camping' because I don't understand her blank (almost scared) looks to this day.   Bonkers.  Back in the day camping was just camping.  Back before cars and stuff.

Same with 'bushcraft' and all that malarkey?  Why not just say 'cooking and sleeping'? Tchoh!

Don't get me started on 'Enduro', 'Gr*vel', or 'AM'.   Like this time I told my mate we were going 'biking'.  He turned up on an old bicycle with curly bars on backwards, mudguards etc, wearing his normal trews and shirt.  I said, oh I thought we were going 'mountain biking'? He scoffed and said 'How many ****ing mountains are  there in ****ing Kidderminster?  Funny ****er.  Now he thinks I'm 'pretentious'

Wow ..I'm now totally confused man ..

I don't scrumple up toilet paper ..but do sit down to pee..don't watch Eastenders & haven't for forty years ..tried semi retirement & got bored shitless ( even though I could ride anytime I liked ) ..like nice cars ..but don't want or need a huge house ...

Help !

People who can't just say cheapest and ask for the best place to buy something.

People who expect other people to search the Internet for an answer that they could have Googled

People who would rather waste hours of time doing a bad job rather than pay somebody who knows what they are doing

People who know the cost of everything and the value of nothing

I have to confess I rather enjoy collecting ‘stuff’ and have lots of different collections of ‘stuff’ - bikes/ vehicles/ books in particular.  Drives the missus mad, mainly I think because if I was run over by a bus she’d have to sort all this s**t out!

I work because I enjoy it and when I was younger I watched my parents struggle with their finances in old age and am determined not to be in that position.  Also whilst I enjoy holidays and travelling I get bored pretty quickly - 2 weeks off and I’m itching to get back to the office!

it would be nice to think that if I had masses more spare time I’d do lots of fulfilling things and have great ‘experiences’ but my suspicion is I’d end up drinking Stella on the settee watching daytime telly!!!

what I don’t get is why are they still working?

(From page one)

Maybe they like working, might not be the material money might just be they enjoy what they do for a living.

I have a few friends who have worked in Investment Banking all thier lives. They’ve earned way more than most people could comprehend yet still do it, still get up at 3am and leave work at 11pm every working day.

Yes they too have a nice house, nice car(s) and send thier kids to private schools. But when you ask them why they still work, becuse they don’t need the money, they say “I enjoy it, it’s exciting and challenging”

Quite simple really.

1. People that have achieved nothing in their life, but still come to the conclusion that they are better than everyone else :-).

2. Denial.

3. Protesting too much.

1. People that have achieved nothing in their life, but still come to the conclusion that they are better than everyone else :-).

Sounds like my my brother and two sisters.

Mr Panther – can you assemble a well known phrase from these words?  Calling, Pot, black, kettle?

Black Pot calling Kettle.  Are you receiving, Kettle?

Yeah, I freely admit to also being double weird, but I at least have the self awareness to see how strange I can sometimes be and to understand that, in many ways I don't conform to the societal view of what is considered normal.

To address TJ's original point...... the acquisition of goods and chattels and the drive to outperfom your peers, be it in the world of work , the field of battle or in the hunt for the wooly mammoth are hard wired into the majority of human beings.  It's a biological imperative to compete for status.

It's what has driven society forward for millennia. Most people understand this on a primal level. Just not the weird ones.

Tbh, the people that are impressed by the apparent signs of 'success' are even stranger....

Black Pot calling Kettle.  Are you receiving, Kettle?

lolz

People who would rather waste hours of time doing a bad job rather than pay somebody who knows what they are doing

Ah, man... this times a bazillion. We wanted a towbar fitted to our (new to us) Galaxy with its CAN bus electrickery and OH was all for doing it himself. Nope. Not a ****ing chance, but thanks for offering. I'd rather stump up an extra hundred or so quid for someone local and indie who knows what they're doing, who's probably done one before and has all the gubbins he needs to do it, to do it. Drop the bus off, cycle home & get some work done, cycle back, pay the nice people who've just done the work and drive home. No stress, no having to fix something that got broken trying to take it off, just an easy life.

"People who know the cost of everything and the value of nothing"

This.  Big time.  I like nice things and would say that the wife and I are probably a tad materialistic, however, we also make sure that value is the priority with every purchase, should we be able to afford it - and with very young children we are keen for them to appreciate the value of what they have.  I know someone that is disgustingly materialistic, talks at you about what theyve bought, what it cost, how much they earn, debt, etc etc.  The thing is, it's not a gloating thing.  It seems to be more about validation of their efforts.  Sadly, I'm sure their children would appreciate more time being spent with them and less money.

A neighbour has a new R8 Spider and I want one when I hear it head out onto the main road.  But I know that I would prefer to borrow one as cost of ownership would make me resent it.  Oh, and I'd have to sell the house to buy one.

I really dont understand why people litter.

Hello Black pot!  I have come to understand my oddness / eccentricity  / sheer stupidity ( delete as appropriate)

I’d rather stump up an extra hundred or so quid for someone local and indie who knows what they’re doing

Good luck with that. Seems like you have about a 50% chance of handing money to someone who does not actually know what they are doing after all.

I'm still on the hunt for the woolly mammoth ..anyone sited one recently ..😁

Sounds like my my brother and two sisters.

Sounds like me!

People who walk in the road when there's a perfectly good pavement the other side of all the parked cars... seems to be a growing trend in Cardiff. Makes it look like you're a retard, or scouting for stuff to nick from previously mentioned parked cars (probably the case where I live).

People who expect other people to search the Internet for an answer that they could have Googled

STW has answered some questions for me that Google could never do.

Anyway ,I found STW through a Google search so that makes every question I ask on here an extension of that search.

STW has answered some questions for me that Google could never do.

So that wouldn't be it then. more the ones where you can paste the thread title into google and get the answer

I'm definitely in the 'work to live' not 'live to work' camp, I realise if you retire and suddenly stop working 40 hours a week it leaves a hole to fill but I can think of plenty of things I'd rather fill it with than working an office job. For those people that actually enjoy their job though, why not carry on working?

As for liking stuff, I guess I'm fairly materialistic. Not entirely sure why, I wasn't spoiled as a child and my parents were pretty frugal (but I didn't want for anything I actually needed). So might be my mind's easily controlled by advertising or I see 'stuff' subconsciously as some measure of success. It's always nice having little rewards to - I'd need to work regardless of my spending habits and I guess would rather work a 40 hour week and have money to fritter away on shiny toys than work a 20 hour week and have to watch carefully what I buy. I waste most of my free time anyway so don't really need more of it at the moment. That said once my mortgage is paid off I'm looking into a 4 day week option (but mostly as I don't like my job rather than wanting more free time).

I don't go around bragging about things though and have always had more respect for someone riding around on a £300 bike than someone like me struggling around on a £3k bike, people that take the piss out of people on cheap(ish) bikes are just tossers.

There’re new standards to upgrade bikes to

And there we have it in a nutshell. Lunacy.

With respect to people with lots of lucre who continue to work long hours, I think you have to understand that they like doing stuff that incidentally brings in a lot of money. The money isn't the end, hence they keep working. The money is a signifier of their success in the same way as having your name listed as high scorer on a games machine back in the 80s.

Materialism is a blanket word that covers lots of things.

As I said - some things actually are intrinsically cool.  I for example bought more expensive laptop (on heavy discount) when I needed a computer, even though I could've bought a cheaper one.  I bought it because it had some cool features (like being a tablet convertible) that I really liked.  I don't flash it around in public and I don't care if no-one knows I have it.  And yes I know I've just posted it on here 🙂

I've got a poor memory so whereas a nice experience might be great at the time, I will get less out of it than most people as the memories will fade quicker.

So having 'stuff' I enjoy is more important as I will enjoy it everytime I use it without having to remember the great times I had using it previously.

but having stuff that is better than other peoples stuff, or is in their opinion, doesn't interest me.

Hence my Alfa is 14 years old 'cos I like driving it and prefer it to the modern electronic steering on Alfas and others.

My hifi had a lot spent on it but wouldn't impress neighbours unless they heard it. Quad power amps, MF TVC pre-amp, external crossovers, etc, is not going to win me any brownie points.

My bikes are decent and good quality - a Turner Flux, a Turner Sultan and a Kinesis Tripster ATR. Not interested in the latest slack-and-low trends as I won't enjoy riding them as much, even though they won't impress the warrior on the Bronson next to me at Swinley...

However they are sufficient quality to help me enjoy the experience of riding them whilst not requiring much maintenance as the argument for cheap bikes being good enough doesn't wash with me as I've had the cheaper bikes and gone through all the failures and constant maintence and expense required, particularly if riding in the winter.

I like having stuff but I do end up buying a lot of tech I don't use much. I'd still rather spend £300 on a games console than £600 on a holiday that only lasts a week.

I do try to buy things to last though, and I'm getting better at selling stuff on if I'm not using it anymore.

I wonder if it's something that comes from childhood? We were never starving but rarely had luxuries - it took me a while to realise I could afford to buy decent quality clothes and nice food as an adult with a job. I get enjoyment from owning and using nice things, but I don't understand status symbol purchases.

This post is as pointless as the rest of the thread, but I felt compelled to write it. Can someone tell me why?

Things I didn't understand until I tried them:

- Wide bars

- Disc brakes on bicycles

- Di2

Things I've tried and still don't understand:

- Eastenders

- Musicals

- SUVs

- Watching football

Things I haven't tried and can't understand why anyone would:

- voting Conservative

- supporting Trump

- supporting Brexit

- Morris Dancing

Why the hate of morris dancing, it's been mentioned a few times.

things I genuinely don't understand:

- people who think they can have rights without responsibilty

- litter

- hanging bags of dog poo in trees

- pushing bikes uphill ;0)

pushing bikes uphill

Makes much more sense than pushing them downhill.

Perchy I think you're attributing modern capitalist values which are described as competitive (how comes the same families etc keep on winning?) and biological (ie 'there is no alternative') whereas from my reading of the subject, early societies thrived through cooperation and collectivism and marrying out to form new alliances and to defend against disasters. Elements of that culture can still be seen eg in some groups in southern Africa.

From all the cave paintings I've seen in France (lots) I cannot remember one which showed competition and aggression towards another human. If they exist, they are pretty rare.

Oh and why people were happy that 26" bikes could be very different but 650/29r's must have wheel size defiing characteristics.

How people can't calculate gear ratios

I dont understand why parents who ride with their children in tow, dont wear a helmet but stick one on their childs head? Bonkers?

I dont understand why I never mention this to the parents when I see them.

Its almost as if different people like different things. I don't get why you care what others choose to do or like. You say your not judging, but you clearly are.

I don't understand folk who eat and drink crap and think a couple of hours of cardio is the antidote.

Why the hate of morris dancing, it’s been mentioned a few times.

It's a quote. Google "incest and morris dancing"*. While you are about it you can try "the cost of everything and the value of nothing". No new ideas here.

*Don't worry it won't get you on the register. You can use Duck duck go if you are worried about getting blacklisted.

Why the hate of morris dancing, it’s been mentioned a few times.

Because to many people it is a bizarre activity with no redeeming merit whatsoever.  Hence it's inclusion in a 'things people do I simply don't understand' thread.

OK, didn't know about that Nico.

angeldust - OK.  Whatever happened to each to their own?

People who think Salt n' Vinegar crisps are  not the best flavour.

I dont understand why parents who ride with their children in tow, dont wear a helmet but stick one on their childs head? Bonkers?

Odds of kids falling of on their first few rides and damaging their squishy skulled heads - quite high

Odds of grownups crashing at walking pace and getting a head injury - about the same as walking*

*made up stat about head injuries, but per mile the fatality rate for cycling is lower than walking, so I'm happy to stick my neck out and say it's in the same ballpark.

Whatever happened to each to their own?

It turned out that that just encouraged people to enjoy things that others didn't.

what I don’t get is why are they still working?

(From page one)

Maybe they like working, might not be the material money might just be they enjoy what they do for a living.

Yeah - I got early retirement but carried on working doing stuff I liked doing rather than what I had to do to earn the most money. I've met lots of new friends, learned new skills, I get to drive round the Scottish Highlands and get paid for it, I meet lots of interesting characters and I get to promote the area. I basically choose when I want to work and I'm happy to do additional hours at short notice if it doesn't interfere with my plans. Work doesn't have to be a grind.

As for the acquisition of stuff, I refer you to the first law of manhood; he who dies with the most kit wins.

I don't understand why people use "apostrophe" s to make a plural

Can we all agree that whatever our views on expensive cars, collecting star wars figurines, watching miserable soap operas and morris dancing nobody has a bloody clue why people gather up their dog's shit and hang it in bushes?

Odds of kids falling of on their first few rides and damaging their squishy skulled heads – quite high

Odds of grownups crashing at walking pace and getting a head injury – about the same as walking*

*made up stat about head injuries, but per mile the fatality rate for cycling is lower than walking, so I’m happy to stick my neck out and say it’s in the same ballpark.

Smacks of 'do as I say not as I do'

I don’t understand why people use “apostrophe” s to make a plural

They need to mind their P's and Q's

Can we all agree that whatever our views on expensive cars, collecting star wars figurines, watching miserable soap operas and morris dancing nobody has a bloody clue why people gather up their dog’s shit and hang it in bushes?

Yeah, sorry that's me.

I don't even have a dog, just hang up other people's.

I know why they hang it in bushes.  It's because poo is a bit gross and they don't want to carry it around.

My response would be 'tough, should've thought of that before getting a dog' but some people don't want to accept responsibility.

To address TJ’s original point…… the acquisition of goods and chattels and the drive to outperfom your peers, be it in the world of work , the field of battle or in the hunt for the wooly mammoth are hard wired into the majority of human beings. It’s a biological imperative to compete for status.

Citation needed. What do you mean by "hard-wired"? That it can't be changed? That working till you drop for more money is an absolute, and "hard-wired". But what you are really saying is a tautological argument because the original question could be, "I don't understand what other people see as status". What if I add a bit:

… the acquisition of goods and chattels and the drive to outperfom your peers, be it in the world of work, trekking in Mongolia, the field of battle, or in the hunt for the wooly mammoth are hard wired into the majority of human beings. It’s a biological imperative to compete for status.

Quite obviously for some people it is not a (significant) biological imperative to acquire that RS6, but they may have a Berlingo with a £7000 bike in the back, which cannot really be attributed to Richard Dawkins thinking. We've got a bit beyond the wooly mammoth but not beyond the wooly popular psychology.

Things people do I simply don’t understand

Write the words....

Citation needed.

...on a mountain biking chat forum.  Taking it all a bit seriously aren't we?

I therefore withdraw all of my popular psychology, wooly or otherwise, and revert to my previous statement, amended as per TJ's suggestion.

People are weird. TJ and I doubly so.

People who press the button on the Pelican Crossing when I'm obviously the only car approaching it for 1/2 a mile.

You don't have a white stick or a Golden lab, just a **** phone your face is glued to!

Learn to cross the road you Nob.

People who need to know gear ratios.

People who press the button on the Pelican Crossing when I’m obviously the only car approaching it for 1/2 a mile.

i press it even if i'm not crossing the road.

brollies - they are just a load of bobbins because the amount of time that you get rain but not wind is so rare, so you just get a brolly that folds up in the wind or a really heavy one that generates so much lift it pulls away from you and you get wet

Morris dancing

i would have been with you up until the point that I went to the wedding of a Morris dancer.  Place was full of them, they showed us how to do it and everyone joined in. Bit like a ceilidh but with hankies instead of kilts. utterly brilliant do

Company owners telling potential customers to **** off.

*waves*

Grown men playing with plastic building bricks.

Grown men without children playing with plastic building bricks. 🙂

i press it even if i’m not crossing the road.

Ah ha! Was that you?

I thought you were older, you only look about 7.

I thought you were older, you only look about 7.

i've been teaching my son to do it too.

Sex pests who blame their victims and use the internet/social media to trump up unjustified sympathy and support,

Quite right thm , trump really is an orange bawbag

Why the hate of morris dancing, it’s been mentioned a few times.

It’s a pastime that, generally, involves pitching up at a pub, making a noise and a bit of a spectacle of yourselves, show a bit of ‘traditional local colour’ to the tourists, and payment is made in beer.

What’s difficult to understand about that?

Sex pests who blame their victims and use the internet/social media to trump up unjustified sympathy and support,

That and the ones being protected by their political parties

People who enjoy cheese and onion crisps.

People are weird. TJ and I doubly so.

But only one of you makes me laugh out loud...

Sorry for the thread resurrection but I was thinking about TJ's lack of financial ambition, for want of better words. I am pretty similar I earn decent but not great money, could earn more if I wanted. Anyway I was wondering if its linked to the socio economic class you grew up in. I came from a a single parent family living in a council house. When my mum remarried my step dad was a lorry driver. I have achieved much higher levels of education (phd) and earn more as a lowly teacher than my parents did. If I'd had richer parents would I have worked harder to be richer than them?

I was wondering if its linked to the socio economic class you grew up in

I reckon a lot of personality traits are - like buying £300 headphones (sorry, just a recent example), £1000 watches,  things like that are beyond my comprehension. I'm sure even if I had the money I'd never pay for over-priced goods - just to get a fancy brand, or to make me feel special in some way.

(no: bikes aren't overpriced 😆

I mean stupidly overpriced!)

I reckon a lot of personality traits are – like buying £300 headphones (sorry, just a recent example), £1000 watches,  things like that are beyond my comprehension.

Yeah, I guess if I wanted a £1000 watch or a £30 000 car I might work harder but I just dont see the point. Even my most expensive bike was only £1500. I wouldnt enjoy riding the 7k  S-works version.

"The" or perhaps "a" point

Watch A - costs approx £100

Watch B - costs approx £1000

Both tell the time. In 10 years, A worth £0-20; B worth £1000 plus x%. So utility the same (both told the time) but B has also increased in value while A has lost most/all value. Which was the better buy (excluding here the opportunity cost of the £900.)?

The market for vanity watches crashes and watch b is worth 100 quid, so 900 quid spent having fun

Some people just wave their willy in a different way. Vive la difference.

The” or perhaps “a” point

Watch A – costs approx £100

Watch B – costs approx £1000

Both tell the time. In 10 years, A worth £0-20; B worth £1000 plus x%. So utility the same (both told the time) but B has also increased in value while A has lost most/all value. Which was the better buy (excluding here the opportunity cost of the £900.)?

Depends what else you did with the other £900. TBH I have never spent £100  on a watch either!

Anyway I was wondering if its linked to the socio economic class you grew up in.

For some people I think that is true. I grew up poor in an area where deprivation was never far away and done better with work than my parents and most people I grew up around. Couldn't wait to get out when I started working as I thought that was the expectation, but I actually moved back to the area I grew up in later in life yet could easily afford to live in any other area I wanted to. Just feel most comfortable here I suppose, I like the honesty and no frills nature of the people around me. No keeping up with the neighbours, no judgement about what car you drive, where you holiday etc. Haven't had to worry about a mortgage payment or bills for donkey years as my lifestyle is such that I could fund it several times over with the income I have. I can go away every weekend if I want to, but when I do it's still done on a low budget.

I just can't imagine ever spending huge sums of money on things I don't need. I have a nice car, but that is provided by work, would never spend that amount on one if I bought it myself. I received some good advice from someone close to me many years ago which I took and for me it has worked. Cut the crap out of your life you don't need or really enjoy. Be it activities, things or people and replace that time and money you spent on them with things you do enjoy. Sounds simple but it's amazing how much time you can free up when you cut out all of life's bullshit. No amount of fancy watches, headphones or envious glances from your neighbour when you have a new car etc can ever match that.

In 10 years, A worth £0-20; B worth £1000 plus

People sell these watches? Didn't realise that. That's understandable. Unless they just buy a more expensive one with the profits. 😉

Anyway, I don't [i]judge[/i] or [i]care[/i], I just don't get it and don't do it.

Dual footy scarfs. Sporting support is tribal so for god's sake make your bloody mind up who you support and get on with it. There's thousands of things I think I understand but would never ever get involved with, politics, religion, TV soaps, caravans, personal number plates are obvious examples but it's not my place to mock peoples choice. Diversity is great.

With respect to people with lots of lucre who continue to work long hours, I think you have to understand that they like doing stuff that incidentally brings in a lot of money. The money isn’t the end, hence they keep working.

Makes me think about premier league footballers - I mean your average mid-table professional earns more in a week than I will earn in 2–3 years, but that doesn't stop him getting out of bed in the morning and wanting to perform better, win stuff etc...

 I think you have to understand that they like doing stuff that incidentally brings in a lot of money

Bit of a generalisation? The amount that moan at me about my longer and regular holiday time and their lack of time off suggests many dont like it that much.

Makes me think about premier league footballers – I mean your average mid-table professional earns more in a week than I will earn in 2–3 years, but that doesn’t stop him getting out of bed in the morning and wanting a new contract.

FTFY.

AA - I grew up better off than most of my peers. comfy middle class existence for me as a kid

Don't really get the sort of obscenely rich people who are dedicated to becoming even more obscenely rich. It's like a little kid who doesn't just want a four-pack of Mars Bars, but needs to have everything in the sweetshop even though they can't possibly fit it all in their greedy little mouth. It's right at the heart of our screwed-up, wound-up, consumerist culture and ongoing destruction of the planet.

Apologies to any of the obscenely rich, STW multimillionaires reading this, but I just think you're nuts. Go and ride your bike instead FFS.