Yeah, I'll defend rich people's right to buy expensive stuff that actually has value, but $200,000 watches and $500,000 bottles of whiskey are just wasteful and excessive. This is the exact same thing. I get that there is a sort of objective positive correlation between rarity and value, but the slope doesn't need to be as steep as it is. Rip open old action figures, pave over "holy" architectural sites that might have one or two vases buried in them somewhere, and stop caring so much about things over people.
I've always had a huge aversion in my gut to attaching sentimental value to objects. It seems like a great way to unnecessarily expose yourself to pain, haha. Do you really get that much enjoyment out of a mint condition copy of Super Mario Bros.? I doubt it, but it's gonna really suck when you drop it and dent one of the corners! I'm only just starting to come around on human relationships being worth it despite the inevitability of loss, there's no way I'm letting myself get that attached to something that just sits on my shelf!
I appreciate your guys' negative reaction to this, because I do think that this type of materialism is an issue, and it's one that's hard to internalize. I don't doubt that if any of us had a billion dollars, we'd have been tempted to outbid this guy! My first reaction to reading this thread title was "huh, neat." I agree with JKR, the way we defeat greed is by setting an example of generosity in our own lives and not glorifying stuff like this. |