Cited on HN 3 times, 2017–2025, never outright recommendedscore 0
Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026
Posted as a humorous aside in threads about clutter, inheritance, and consumerism.
A short George Carlin stand-up bit about humanity's obsession with owning stuff and needing a place to put it. It satirizes consumerism and houses full of possessions.
(Maybe TMI) Last week my wife was admiring a pair of Patagonia boxers she gave me over 10 years ago. I did note they still looked great after probably a few 100 cycles of washing and drying. I commented that Patagonia made great stuff and actually cared about their materials. So this video is timely. I'm reminded about what Scott Bessent, the new Treasury Secretary, said earlier this month: Cheap goods are not part of the American Dream [0]. In the US we love our big houses and we fill them up with crap. When the crap overflows it just gets stored in our big garages were we also put our oversized cars. [1] How we got here today is just the result of the post-WW2 world-order. Global trade was designed to make cheap stuff. While labor rates skyrocketed. So you make more money but you can surround yourself with status symbols and things that supposedly make you more comfortable. [0] [link] [1] [this video]
I like to put all my photos on Google Photos. That way I don't have to store them in my house. I would love to use a Kindle for all my reading, but physical books are still more pleasurable to read. It makes it hard for me to part with some books for now. Though some books are only worth reading once and I am happy to give them away after finishing them. Just for fun, George Carlin (RIP) on 'stuff': [this video]
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