The "specialness spiral" leads us to not use some ordinary objects (2021)(cnn.com)
cnn.com
The "specialness spiral" leads us to not use some ordinary objects (2021)
https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/06/health/specialness-spiral-partner-wellness/index.html
53 comments
You should be careful to consider your privilege when judging other people's decisions here. This is an absolutely reasonable choice on your part, but you're (a) buying the most expensive model (and I'd guess doing so on a 2 year cycle), and then (b) paying for Apple care for it. That's a reasonable amount of money to spend for a shiny iPhone, a perfectly reasonable amount in your case.
For other people though, it might not be worth it or affordable at all. If one $30 case saves paying Apple care, or if helps use the phone for three or four years rather than two then that is a significant financial saving.
For other people though, it might not be worth it or affordable at all. If one $30 case saves paying Apple care, or if helps use the phone for three or four years rather than two then that is a significant financial saving.
Please don’t encourage stifling of discussion by invoking privilege. This person gave an opinion that contributes to the discourse. Self censorship is a slippery slope, especially in this context.
> Please don’t encourage stifling of discussion by invoking privilege.
I didn’t read it that way.
Pointing out that being able to buy the most expensive model and then risking harm to it is something not everyone can afford is not stiffling the discussion. It is the discussion.
It is hard to be aware of one’s own biases due to personal circumstances. It is a “fish can’t see the water it is swimming in” kind of situation.
Many people I know don’t consider phone protectors on an aesthetic axis, but on the “what is the probability that this slippery brick falls and shatters and then I won’t have a phone for the next few years at all”. If you are financially in a situation where you can buy a new flagship phone at any time you might not even think about this viewpoint.
I didn’t read it that way.
Pointing out that being able to buy the most expensive model and then risking harm to it is something not everyone can afford is not stiffling the discussion. It is the discussion.
It is hard to be aware of one’s own biases due to personal circumstances. It is a “fish can’t see the water it is swimming in” kind of situation.
Many people I know don’t consider phone protectors on an aesthetic axis, but on the “what is the probability that this slippery brick falls and shatters and then I won’t have a phone for the next few years at all”. If you are financially in a situation where you can buy a new flagship phone at any time you might not even think about this viewpoint.
>If you are financially in a situation where you can buy a new flagship phone at any time you might not even think about this viewpoint.
You might even feel attacked for being privileged enough when someone points that possibility
No, really. Just what is it with that fragility? Did people get all defensive back in the day when someone said "that's only valid if you are sufficiently rich"?
Might be that I just never noticed it, but it's getting real annoying just how often people get all defensive about what they said only applying to people who have it good enough
You might even feel attacked for being privileged enough when someone points that possibility
No, really. Just what is it with that fragility? Did people get all defensive back in the day when someone said "that's only valid if you are sufficiently rich"?
Might be that I just never noticed it, but it's getting real annoying just how often people get all defensive about what they said only applying to people who have it good enough
I absolutely DID read it that way.
Comments like that are online bullying.
If you have a financial/wealth argument to make, by all means make it ... then let it stand on it's own merits.
Comments like that are online bullying.
If you have a financial/wealth argument to make, by all means make it ... then let it stand on it's own merits.
> If you have a financial/wealth argument to make, by all means make it
They did.
> I absolutely DID read it that way.
What do you think is the cause of this fragility?
They did.
> I absolutely DID read it that way.
What do you think is the cause of this fragility?
I can't afford a new camera right now, even though my current one is over a decade old, and I would really like a new one. My phone is also several years old and I can't afford to replace it on a whim either.
I make a fraction of what a typical IC in silicon valley might, and I'm not what you'd categorise as "rich" by any means. Middle class, more like.
My point is that I've seen people that only fly first-class put phones in plastic cases.
I make a fraction of what a typical IC in silicon valley might, and I'm not what you'd categorise as "rich" by any means. Middle class, more like.
My point is that I've seen people that only fly first-class put phones in plastic cases.
> An example is that professional photographers don't "baby" their cameras. The corners are dinged, everything is worn, and they pick them up in one hand without putting the strap around their neck to stop it falling. If it's too fragile to use, it's too fragile.
A professional photographer will have gear built to take that kind of abuse; most enthusiasts will not have that to the same degree (e.g. may have weatherproofing, but not to the same standards), and professionals will have insurance in case that goes wrong (and backups for the most important pieces), and there's something tangible to gain from taking the risk (getting the shot, getting a better shot, delivering better value, ...)
> But here's the thing: the bare phone is beautiful. It has a very well designed glass and metal body. It's shiny. It's elegant. It's as small as it can be made.
Phones are designed to be put into cases. They're as slim as possible at the expense of battery life, heat management and better hardware so they don't feel like bricks when put into a case because pretty much everyone will put them in one. My iPhone handles like crap without one, despite its sleek lines, and cases are actual fashion statements these days.
A professional photographer will have gear built to take that kind of abuse; most enthusiasts will not have that to the same degree (e.g. may have weatherproofing, but not to the same standards), and professionals will have insurance in case that goes wrong (and backups for the most important pieces), and there's something tangible to gain from taking the risk (getting the shot, getting a better shot, delivering better value, ...)
> But here's the thing: the bare phone is beautiful. It has a very well designed glass and metal body. It's shiny. It's elegant. It's as small as it can be made.
Phones are designed to be put into cases. They're as slim as possible at the expense of battery life, heat management and better hardware so they don't feel like bricks when put into a case because pretty much everyone will put them in one. My iPhone handles like crap without one, despite its sleek lines, and cases are actual fashion statements these days.
There’s a big difference here between people who can afford to replace the phone and those who can’t. And the way they’re marketed makes it really hard for some folks to buy anything but the latest and greatest, anyway.
I would hope that it is not only being able to afford a replacement, taking care of your stuff not only saves money but also avoids waste and saves resources.
I'm not sure these are good examples.
Casual photographers don't baby their cameras. They simply don't know the abuse tolerance their camera has as well as professionals that use them every day. It's perfectly reasonable to be careful with expensive tools that you aren't used to.
Phones are different of course, but mine is slippery and uncomfortable to use. A plastic case actually enhances its usability, as well as protects it.
Casual photographers don't baby their cameras. They simply don't know the abuse tolerance their camera has as well as professionals that use them every day. It's perfectly reasonable to be careful with expensive tools that you aren't used to.
Phones are different of course, but mine is slippery and uncomfortable to use. A plastic case actually enhances its usability, as well as protects it.
Without a case, my samsung A51, when lying on the screen-side, simply slides off the table after a while. Any table.
Not sure what the mechanism of action is here, but I guess it's too smooth?...
Not sure what the mechanism of action is here, but I guess it's too smooth?...
Hydrophobic/oleophobic dirt-resistant coatings probably. I had a phone that was the same way, put it on a table with the slightest gradient and it'll gradually slide off.
I'm careful with my phones but don't like cases, and I solved the slippery phone problem with some non-slip tape - a couple of strips on the back meant the phone didn't slide, and didn't add bulk. It has worked well for several years, but I can't seem to find the same stuff any more.
It's not such an issue when it's lying on its back, as the camera sticks out slightly and I guess adds enough friction that it doesn't start to move.
The front is the issue. My current case is a hard plastic case that lifts up the screen, so it will never touch the table. Maybe a screen protector would work as well, but I really don't like those.
The front is the issue. My current case is a hard plastic case that lifts up the screen, so it will never touch the table. Maybe a screen protector would work as well, but I really don't like those.
>A device or a tool will never thank you for taking care of it.
It will thank you by not failing when you need it most.
A proper craftsman takes care of his tools. Yes, they're banged up from many years of use, but they are otherwise in good state of upkeep. They are also never deliberately abused.
If a "craftsman's" tools are in a badly kept state, he's not worth your time or money to hire.
It will thank you by not failing when you need it most.
A proper craftsman takes care of his tools. Yes, they're banged up from many years of use, but they are otherwise in good state of upkeep. They are also never deliberately abused.
If a "craftsman's" tools are in a badly kept state, he's not worth your time or money to hire.
As others have said, there's also a question of practicality.
My iPhone 7 is slippery as hell. Even if money were no object and I had a stack of 100 spare ones, I would still absolutely hate for it to break when I'm randomly out and about just because it slipped from my hand.
Even just taking 30 minutes or however long to move everything to a new one would be a nuisance, let alone having to go to the apple store or wait for a delivery. I just want my phone to get out of my way. I don't use it often, but when I do, I want it to work right then and there.
Taking the 10 seconds to install a non-slippery cover helps tremendously with that.
I think there is a definite difference between babying something and being absolutely reckless with it. It may also depend on the device. My galaxy s5 wouldn't slip from my hands, so I didn't bother with a cover. I would also buy an iphone "rugged" instead of a "slim" if it were an option.
My iPhone 7 is slippery as hell. Even if money were no object and I had a stack of 100 spare ones, I would still absolutely hate for it to break when I'm randomly out and about just because it slipped from my hand.
Even just taking 30 minutes or however long to move everything to a new one would be a nuisance, let alone having to go to the apple store or wait for a delivery. I just want my phone to get out of my way. I don't use it often, but when I do, I want it to work right then and there.
Taking the 10 seconds to install a non-slippery cover helps tremendously with that.
I think there is a definite difference between babying something and being absolutely reckless with it. It may also depend on the device. My galaxy s5 wouldn't slip from my hands, so I didn't bother with a cover. I would also buy an iphone "rugged" instead of a "slim" if it were an option.
I put my (slippery) iPhones in cases because if I don’t they stop working. Your phone might not care that its screen is cracked but I very much do mind not being able to read the display and have to pay several hundreds to put it back the way it was vs spending 20$ or less on a case and screen protector so I can keep the original display intact and get 5-6 years of use out of the device.
When I drop it, I just have to swap the screen protector (a 2$ consumable you can buy on aliexpress) which takes 10 minutes vs having to pay 100x as much and wait a few days to get my phone back to swap displays (and maybe get a knockoff display with inferior performance)
IMHO it’s just wasteful not to spend so little time and money to make the device last several years longer.
When I drop it, I just have to swap the screen protector (a 2$ consumable you can buy on aliexpress) which takes 10 minutes vs having to pay 100x as much and wait a few days to get my phone back to swap displays (and maybe get a knockoff display with inferior performance)
IMHO it’s just wasteful not to spend so little time and money to make the device last several years longer.
I also buy the most expensive Apple phone and not put it in a case. My experience is quite different from your, perhaps unintentional straw man. Let’s take this assertion by assertion.
> I put my (slippery) iPhones in cases because if I don’t they stop working. Your phone might not care that its screen is cracked
I would be hugely bothered by a cracked screen or an otherwise non-operative screen. But Apple’s Pro level phones feature steel cases. This makes the phone very robust. I have yet to crack or otherwise damage my phone.
> have to pay several hundreds to put it back the way it was vs spending 20$ or less on a case and screen protector
Always get AppleCare Plus. It serves as my screen protector. If I ever did crack my screen service fee to fix a broken screen is $29.
> which takes 10 minutes vs having to pay 100x as much and wait a few days to get my phone back to swap displays
As per above the price difference between a case and AppleCare is minimal close to 0x as much.
And it doesn’t take days to have your screen replaced. Apple stores will do it in minutes within the space of a single service appointment.
iPhones are truly works of art and should be enjoyed without cheap plastic cases. Just make sure you have AppleCare Plus.
> I put my (slippery) iPhones in cases because if I don’t they stop working. Your phone might not care that its screen is cracked
I would be hugely bothered by a cracked screen or an otherwise non-operative screen. But Apple’s Pro level phones feature steel cases. This makes the phone very robust. I have yet to crack or otherwise damage my phone.
> have to pay several hundreds to put it back the way it was vs spending 20$ or less on a case and screen protector
Always get AppleCare Plus. It serves as my screen protector. If I ever did crack my screen service fee to fix a broken screen is $29.
> which takes 10 minutes vs having to pay 100x as much and wait a few days to get my phone back to swap displays
As per above the price difference between a case and AppleCare is minimal close to 0x as much.
And it doesn’t take days to have your screen replaced. Apple stores will do it in minutes within the space of a single service appointment.
iPhones are truly works of art and should be enjoyed without cheap plastic cases. Just make sure you have AppleCare Plus.
I guess we have very different use cases. The most I’ll pay for an iPhone is about 50$/year so I buy a couple year old used iPhone in near new condition for about 200$ tops. AppleCare itself isn’t free, it certainly costs more than a 10$ case and a 3$ screen protector. Plus you can’t get it for used devices.
Same as sibling for me, there are no Apple stores near where I live, I have to send it to a service provider who will send it to their service center and back to me, turnaround is easily a week.
I also find iPhones very slippery and super easy to drop. I don’t think it’s on purpose but I also don’t think it’s not not on purpose. I’d rather have my iPhone be a few mm thicker if it meant it’s not as fragile, I don’t care for a glass back that will break and is very hard to replace without paying hundreds, etc. I’d buy a fairly priced utilitarian iPhone that lets me do phone things (calls texts emails browsing) if they made one.
I guess I’m on the opposite side of your argument. I see it as “if I can keep something fully functional, in excellent condition, and without having to pay for repairs or buy extra parts for the cost of maintenance/protective equipment that costs a tenth of the device it protects, it’s a no brainer to spend that tenth and save my money + time in the long run (and reduce waste)”
Same as sibling for me, there are no Apple stores near where I live, I have to send it to a service provider who will send it to their service center and back to me, turnaround is easily a week.
I also find iPhones very slippery and super easy to drop. I don’t think it’s on purpose but I also don’t think it’s not not on purpose. I’d rather have my iPhone be a few mm thicker if it meant it’s not as fragile, I don’t care for a glass back that will break and is very hard to replace without paying hundreds, etc. I’d buy a fairly priced utilitarian iPhone that lets me do phone things (calls texts emails browsing) if they made one.
I guess I’m on the opposite side of your argument. I see it as “if I can keep something fully functional, in excellent condition, and without having to pay for repairs or buy extra parts for the cost of maintenance/protective equipment that costs a tenth of the device it protects, it’s a no brainer to spend that tenth and save my money + time in the long run (and reduce waste)”
> iPhones are truly works of art and should be enjoyed without cheap plastic cases. Just make sure you have AppleCare Plus.
I agree they are beautiful to behold. Nevertheless, if I want art, I'll go and buy actual art. My iphone is, foremost, a tool. If I have to wait an hour for it to be fixed, it's failed its purpose.
> Apple stores will do it in minutes within the space of a single service appointment.
I don't know how it is where you live, but I had to wait the next day for an appointment, and they held onto the phone for something like four hours. They also didn't honor the appointment hour, so I had to wait in line for 30 minutes.
I love my iphone otherwise, but this was just horrendous. I've lost half a day waiting around to fix the phone. This was for a battery replacement, not a broken screen, but the process is likely similar.
I agree they are beautiful to behold. Nevertheless, if I want art, I'll go and buy actual art. My iphone is, foremost, a tool. If I have to wait an hour for it to be fixed, it's failed its purpose.
> Apple stores will do it in minutes within the space of a single service appointment.
I don't know how it is where you live, but I had to wait the next day for an appointment, and they held onto the phone for something like four hours. They also didn't honor the appointment hour, so I had to wait in line for 30 minutes.
I love my iphone otherwise, but this was just horrendous. I've lost half a day waiting around to fix the phone. This was for a battery replacement, not a broken screen, but the process is likely similar.
Items might be made to be used, but it doesn't mean they are well designed for the average lifestyle. This is what you get with a phone. It might be beautiful, but they definitely aren't designed for modern life, to be used with slippery gloves while riding public transportation (for example).
My case literally has small chunks missing from a few plastic bits. If my case didn't take the direct impact, my phone would have. I don't buy the most expensive models, and I do want the phone to last as long as possible. Not taking care of it seems wasteful, and care - with my lifestyle - means having a case.
My case literally has small chunks missing from a few plastic bits. If my case didn't take the direct impact, my phone would have. I don't buy the most expensive models, and I do want the phone to last as long as possible. Not taking care of it seems wasteful, and care - with my lifestyle - means having a case.
I typically stick to lower midrange phones. I absolutely prioritize functionality over looks. Don't care what it looks like at all as long as the screen isn't cracked. I've dropped and broken several and the cost to repair was not competitive with buying a new phone. Since then I keep my phone in a protective case mainly for the extra bumper space around the screen and I have a sacrificial glass screen protector installed. I've dropped this phone countless times and gone through 4 screen protectors while the actual phone keeps working fine. I don't even remember what color the back of the phone is under the case and I don't care. This is the phone I've used the longest and I now find myself in the strange (to me) position where I'm looking to buy a new phone not because the old one broke but because it's old enough that it feels slow.
I need to baby the phone if I don't have a case and screen protector. Need to take care because if it drops, it breaks. Even keys and grains of grit are hazards.
On the other hand with a good case, I can be more carefree. Lightly hold onto it with fewer fingers, throw it onto tables, use it as a hammer, etc. It gains robustness, which is valuable.
On the other hand with a good case, I can be more carefree. Lightly hold onto it with fewer fingers, throw it onto tables, use it as a hammer, etc. It gains robustness, which is valuable.
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Your philosophy is plain wrong because if you want to be in Apple ecosystem and you wanted a rugged phone, you would not get one without a case. And that's reasonable because a lot of cases would make a phone rugged in a modular fasion
> PS: Everyone I know who has a protective case on their phone has broken the screen at least once. Typically they just get it repaired for ~$100 and then... they still have their unblemished pretty phone again, which they put back inside an ugly case.
That's just simply not true. I regularly hang out in a circle of rollerbladers who use their iPhones in the worst conditions, where they would most certainly not survive for even a week if not for cases.
> PS: Everyone I know who has a protective case on their phone has broken the screen at least once. Typically they just get it repaired for ~$100 and then... they still have their unblemished pretty phone again, which they put back inside an ugly case.
That's just simply not true. I regularly hang out in a circle of rollerbladers who use their iPhones in the worst conditions, where they would most certainly not survive for even a week if not for cases.
I buy phones, computers for what's inside them. For the outside they have to be good enough. They sure need have a high quality display. But that's it.
I bought my current phone (pixel) and the previous one (pixel) very cheap from ebay, both with a cracks on screen, current one has broken corner. No protective casing. These don't hinder me in any way. Cracks are barely visible when phone is on. In early days of phones, I use to have a phone with a tape around it because back cover was loose and battery use to fall of.
Only I consider buying new electronic items like these is the uncertainty of if it will work well and how much life they might have left in them.
I bought my current phone (pixel) and the previous one (pixel) very cheap from ebay, both with a cracks on screen, current one has broken corner. No protective casing. These don't hinder me in any way. Cracks are barely visible when phone is on. In early days of phones, I use to have a phone with a tape around it because back cover was loose and battery use to fall of.
Only I consider buying new electronic items like these is the uncertainty of if it will work well and how much life they might have left in them.
Been going without a case with the newer iphones and I must report their engineering is simply spectacular.
A brand new iphone 14 flew off its stand from my motorbike riding 80 km/h on a Vietnamese highway. No case. It now has just a few scratches on the sides and thats about it. A few years ago, if my phone fell of the table I would expect it shatter, now it just dinged up a bit and still water proof, I'm honestly very impressed.
> I must report their engineering is simply spectacular.
I agree with your observation. Let me add my own anecdote: We were practicing a low-pass over a grassy runway with a cessna-150 when the door opened on its own. (It seemed to be a thing with that plane.) We got a radio call from the ground that they have seen something fall out of the airplane. We quickly checked everything starting with the engine instruments, when my instructor realised that his iphone which was previously wedged between his seat and the door is missing.
We landed, tried to find it but couldn’t. Days later a glider pilot spotted it during a landing. It got back to my instructor and turns out it was in perfect working order. (Altough i don’t remember if he had a protector case or not.)
I agree with your observation. Let me add my own anecdote: We were practicing a low-pass over a grassy runway with a cessna-150 when the door opened on its own. (It seemed to be a thing with that plane.) We got a radio call from the ground that they have seen something fall out of the airplane. We quickly checked everything starting with the engine instruments, when my instructor realised that his iphone which was previously wedged between his seat and the door is missing.
We landed, tried to find it but couldn’t. Days later a glider pilot spotted it during a landing. It got back to my instructor and turns out it was in perfect working order. (Altough i don’t remember if he had a protector case or not.)
> for the benefit of the device, not for your own benefit.
I'm sure someone else has already brought this up, but I feel remit to point out that the benefit to not damaging very expensive items is that the items were not expensive to themselves, but to the owner. There is a risk and cost analysis, in which adding a case is almost always worth it unless you are an edge case user like yourself.
What benefits the device benefits the owner, with 1:1 parity in the metric.
I'm sure someone else has already brought this up, but I feel remit to point out that the benefit to not damaging very expensive items is that the items were not expensive to themselves, but to the owner. There is a risk and cost analysis, in which adding a case is almost always worth it unless you are an edge case user like yourself.
What benefits the device benefits the owner, with 1:1 parity in the metric.
Professionals have worn gear because they know how to handle it without breaking. Looks like you extracted the wrong lesson from photographers.
Did I?
I took better photos by putting my camera into places where it could (and did!) take a little damage.
Its purpose is to take photos, not to remain pristine.
I took better photos by putting my camera into places where it could (and did!) take a little damage.
Its purpose is to take photos, not to remain pristine.
I mostly agree with your comment which echoes the sentiment in the article: Things are meant to be used. Don't fall for the psychological trap, that makes you never use your best items.
The point I was making is that the inference, from seeing examples of to worn gear to assuming rough handling is fallacious.
Inappropriate use usually leads to failure far before many signs of wear appear. The person who mistreats his tools is more likely to be seen with new tools, since they had to replace them, while the professional who takes care of his tools is most likely to be seen with worn tools, since they survived in his care long enough for wear marks to become obvious.
This is why I say you extracted the wrong lessons. System 1 thinking matches two intensities: wear and usage. The conclusion seems plausible but is wrong.
Professionals might appear to be unconcerned, but it's more likely the "making it look easy"-effect. The accumulation of decades of experience leads to a trained and steady hand, intimate knowledge of how fragile, grippy, heavy, etc. each part is, and an almost instinctive feeling of handling the tool as an extension of the human body. They won't drop the camera, but you might.
The point I was making is that the inference, from seeing examples of to worn gear to assuming rough handling is fallacious.
Inappropriate use usually leads to failure far before many signs of wear appear. The person who mistreats his tools is more likely to be seen with new tools, since they had to replace them, while the professional who takes care of his tools is most likely to be seen with worn tools, since they survived in his care long enough for wear marks to become obvious.
This is why I say you extracted the wrong lessons. System 1 thinking matches two intensities: wear and usage. The conclusion seems plausible but is wrong.
Professionals might appear to be unconcerned, but it's more likely the "making it look easy"-effect. The accumulation of decades of experience leads to a trained and steady hand, intimate knowledge of how fragile, grippy, heavy, etc. each part is, and an almost instinctive feeling of handling the tool as an extension of the human body. They won't drop the camera, but you might.
Love the point around the iPhone in particular. Part of the joy of the object is using it naked, feels as it should and what a joy that is.
Putting a beautiful work of art in bubble wrapping May we’ll protect it, but would diminish its joy, beauty and sheer pleasure to that of bubble wrap.
Putting a beautiful work of art in bubble wrapping May we’ll protect it, but would diminish its joy, beauty and sheer pleasure to that of bubble wrap.
I'd like to see this explored a bit further, and compare both reusable items (such as "the good silverware" that you only bring out for holiday dinners), vs items that get used up (consumables). And in the case of consumables, is there differences between ones that are compose of 100% disposable components (such as a stack of stationary paper) or something that has a rather nice component, and then parts that get used up (like a bound hard cover Moleskin or Fields notebook).
For durable items (silverware, premium dishware) there is wear-and-tear that can dissuade daily use. But I think it is more that it makes the occasion itself feel more premium if you bring out the gold plated forks for that once a year meal, rather than concern over wearing that item out. On the other hand, for consumable items I think it is more of wanting to maximize the value from it (don't waste it on trivial things) rather than making the specific occasion more special.
For durable items (silverware, premium dishware) there is wear-and-tear that can dissuade daily use. But I think it is more that it makes the occasion itself feel more premium if you bring out the gold plated forks for that once a year meal, rather than concern over wearing that item out. On the other hand, for consumable items I think it is more of wanting to maximize the value from it (don't waste it on trivial things) rather than making the specific occasion more special.
Can you think of any restricted-use items that do not degrade with use, so that the cost/trouble of replacement is not an issue?
I don't think something like Christmas decorations would qualify. I don't use a hammer when I'm not pounding something and I don't use decorations when I'm not celebrating that holiday. "Restricted" would mean that you don't use it even in an appropriate situation.
I don't think something like Christmas decorations would qualify. I don't use a hammer when I'm not pounding something and I don't use decorations when I'm not celebrating that holiday. "Restricted" would mean that you don't use it even in an appropriate situation.
> there is wear-and-tear that can dissuade daily use.
I like things made of materials that lend toward gaining a patina of use, becoming more attractive with wear and imperfection. Wabi-sabi.
I like things made of materials that lend toward gaining a patina of use, becoming more attractive with wear and imperfection. Wabi-sabi.
I have an extremely nice Crombie overcoat that cost north of £1000. I wear it every day.
I've always liked to have a coat of that sort of style in the winter, and have usually ended up buying a new one each year. They get a beating, as I wear them throughout the winter, workdays and weekends, and I generally only have one. It's a second skin. Coats usually can't stand up to that for long.
I'm reaching the end of the third winter with the Crombie and it looks as good as new. It has always looked way better than any coat I've had. On several occasions random passers-by have commented on it, and I live in London where people generally don't do that sort of thing. It is a really rather fabulous coat, and I love wearing it.
The thing is, after 3 winters the average cost of this coat per winter is now about the same as that of all the other coats I've bought over the years. Probably a bit less. As it weathers a few more years, which I'm confident it will, it will become cheaper than them.
My father has a Crombie that I think he's worn like twice. What's the point?
Buy well made, hardwearing clothes (if you can find them), and wear them. You and the world will be better off for it.
I've always liked to have a coat of that sort of style in the winter, and have usually ended up buying a new one each year. They get a beating, as I wear them throughout the winter, workdays and weekends, and I generally only have one. It's a second skin. Coats usually can't stand up to that for long.
I'm reaching the end of the third winter with the Crombie and it looks as good as new. It has always looked way better than any coat I've had. On several occasions random passers-by have commented on it, and I live in London where people generally don't do that sort of thing. It is a really rather fabulous coat, and I love wearing it.
The thing is, after 3 winters the average cost of this coat per winter is now about the same as that of all the other coats I've bought over the years. Probably a bit less. As it weathers a few more years, which I'm confident it will, it will become cheaper than them.
My father has a Crombie that I think he's worn like twice. What's the point?
Buy well made, hardwearing clothes (if you can find them), and wear them. You and the world will be better off for it.
I think the hard wearing thing gets overplayed somewhat. I've never had a coat get destroyed in one year, except a cheap one once on a hard ski season. Pretty much any old thing lasts years and years if you're just walking around in it, maybe needing elbow patches or patched lining after a few years. I see people buy these "bag for life" overbuilt things with leather and toggles and stuff and yet my £10 polyester backpack has never broken. Shoes/boots are the exception, you will wear through the sole quickly.
That depends on what you want from your clothes. I like to dress smartly and prefer not to wear a coat that is visibly battered, even if it's comfortable and warm. You can make a valid moral argument that one should sacrifice sartorial preferences in favour of giving a garment a long life, but I get the same environmental benefit without making that sacrifice by buying a well made coat that continues to look new for years.
Those who don't much care about appearances won't make the same choice, and that's absolutely fine. There is of course a prominent contingent on hn who think dressing smartly and spending money on nice things are both somehow immoral in and of themselves, but I have no time for them.
Those who don't much care about appearances won't make the same choice, and that's absolutely fine. There is of course a prominent contingent on hn who think dressing smartly and spending money on nice things are both somehow immoral in and of themselves, but I have no time for them.
I think her experiment with the notebooks is misleading. This is a well known issue among stationery enthusiasts, that you are afraid to begin using a nice notebook because it means committing it to a specific use. People buy Moleskines or the like and are afraid to start using then. I got around that problem by switching to spiral notebooks, so I could tear out used pages and start a new task "fresh".
I've never understood this frame of mind. The notebook is a tool that's meant to be used. Part of learning to use a tool well is using it poorly, in order to learn what not to do. At least with a notebook you don't have to learn by missing the nail and not missing your thumb.
Also quite seriously: Moleskines are garbage. Poor bindings, shit paper, absurdly overpriced - I honestly don't know how they sleep at night. A Mnemosyne N195A is $9 or $10 from a reputable seller, and much better made with quality paper. Or, for the same money as a ripoff Moleskine, you can get an A5 Rhodia Webnotebook and have something so beautiful and palpably well made that it's at least understandable not wanting to sully it with use. (But if you do get one, write in it anyway, dammit! The only way you misuse a notebook is to let it sit gathering dust.)
Also quite seriously: Moleskines are garbage. Poor bindings, shit paper, absurdly overpriced - I honestly don't know how they sleep at night. A Mnemosyne N195A is $9 or $10 from a reputable seller, and much better made with quality paper. Or, for the same money as a ripoff Moleskine, you can get an A5 Rhodia Webnotebook and have something so beautiful and palpably well made that it's at least understandable not wanting to sully it with use. (But if you do get one, write in it anyway, dammit! The only way you misuse a notebook is to let it sit gathering dust.)
At least for people with a designer/artist mindset, it's the fear of the blank canvas.
People have an idealized end state in their mind: buying the notebook they imagine what its pages could look like a year from now, filled with insightful notes and breezy sketches. By committing something to paper on the first page, they're breaking that mental image. The notebook of their dreams won't exist and something mediocre is inevitably creeping in its place.
People have an idealized end state in their mind: buying the notebook they imagine what its pages could look like a year from now, filled with insightful notes and breezy sketches. By committing something to paper on the first page, they're breaking that mental image. The notebook of their dreams won't exist and something mediocre is inevitably creeping in its place.
I suppose that makes sense, with the nature of the idealization as the problem. It is a reasonable problem to have, for anyone who hasn't yet realized that 99.9% of the stuff you see from "bullet journal" Instagram was created for "bullet journal" Instagram as purely performative #vanlife on paper, and almost no one who actually keeps notes or diaries for their own sake actually does anything remotely similar.
I remember when my mom got her first new car, and suddenly we parked at the end of the lot to avoid other people's doors scratching the paint.
I drive an old economy shit box that I beat like a rented mule. I'm indifferent to dings and scratches. It has been raced more than most Porsches. It cost the tenth of the price of one. I put the rest of the money into driving it to interesting places.
I took my not-adventure-bike halfway around the world and back with the money I didn't spend on a BMW. I shrugged after every fall, because it's not a BMW.
Tools are meant to be used. If you can't use them as you please, you have the wrong tools.
I drive an old economy shit box that I beat like a rented mule. I'm indifferent to dings and scratches. It has been raced more than most Porsches. It cost the tenth of the price of one. I put the rest of the money into driving it to interesting places.
I took my not-adventure-bike halfway around the world and back with the money I didn't spend on a BMW. I shrugged after every fall, because it's not a BMW.
Tools are meant to be used. If you can't use them as you please, you have the wrong tools.
The "endowment effect." It is the tendency for people to ascribe more value to things merely because they own them. This can make it difficult for people to part with their possessions, even if they are not using them or do not need them. The endowment effect has been observed in various contexts, from consumer behavior to negotiations and auctions.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endowment_effect
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endowment_effect
The same effect can keep you from getting the full value from objects. For example, you are allowed to write in your own books. If adding annotations helps you learn faster, that's probably worth more than the possible loss in value of the book. There might not even be any loss of value if somebody agrees your annotations are useful. And how often do you sell books anyway? There's also no schoolteacher waiting to put you in detention for vandalizing school property.
Discussed at the time:
The 'specialness spiral:' Why we label ordinary objects as too special to use - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28771893 - Oct 2021 (79 comments)
The 'specialness spiral:' Why we label ordinary objects as too special to use - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28771893 - Oct 2021 (79 comments)
Have recently been considering this regarding merino (or any other wool) clothing. If you treat it 'special' and keep it in the wardrobe, chances are, moths will ruin it. But if you wear it regularly, they won't (unless you have a _bad_ infestation)
An example is that professional photographers don't "baby" their cameras. The corners are dinged, everything is worn, and they pick them up in one hand without putting the strap around their neck to stop it falling. If it's too fragile to use, it's too fragile.
My application of this philosophy is that I don't put a protective case on my iPhone. I typically buy the most expensive model, and I have dropped them, and even scratched the screen.
But here's the thing: the bare phone is beautiful. It has a very well designed glass and metal body. It's shiny. It's elegant. It's as small as it can be made.
If you put a plastic cover on it, the phone gets bigger, heavier, and uglier. You're sacrificing something (usability, comfort, appearance) for the benefit of the device, not for your own benefit.
PS: Everyone I know who has a protective case on their phone has broken the screen at least once. Typically they just get it repaired for ~$100 and then... they still have their unblemished pretty phone again, which they put back inside an ugly case.