Times Of Swaziland: SOMETHING’S ARE UNNECESSARY

SOMETHING’S ARE UNNECESSARY
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Bongani Simelane on 05/10/2024 07:26:00


What does that mean?
This is a great minimalist statement. Not in that it is as brief as some of the
famous ancient statements, but because of what it implies. So much of what we
have, we don’t really need.I am explaining this in the slightly longer version
of the statement: Until we have begun to go without them, we fail to realize how
unnecessary many things are. We’ve been using them not because we needed them
but because we had them.
Think about that for a moment. How many things have you misplaced, and somehow
managed to get along without? And then when you found it again, had some of the
‘shiny’ or gotta-have-it had worn off? It is my belief that this statement
implies that we might want to consider what we really need before we go out and
more stuff.
Why is asking if you really have a need important?
This is the battle of the advertisers, who try to get us to buy things we
don’t really need. We might have a desire, and they will do what they can to
peak our interest in their product. But, in theory, we are supposed to make sure
we really have a need for the product.There is also the issue of the cost of the
items, and whether they are worth the price, but I consider that to be outside
the scope of this discussion. We are primarily concerned with things we may have
purchased which are not indispensable, and often quite superfluous.
Do we need a super pen that costs hundreds of emalangeni just to take notes? Not
really. Nobody does, really. That is where want and self-image come into play. A
cheap pen or even a yellow pencil will do what needs to be done. The fancy pen
can sit in a drawer for years, and you will still manage to write things
down.The question that is usually missing is the utility of the item in
question. Is there anything else you already have which can do what this new
item purports to do? Can you get by without the new item, or will you find it is
absolutely necessary?
Where can I apply this in my life?
Man, am I guilty of this. I have a whole workbench full of nifty toys, some of
which are still in their wrappers. I even built a little oscilloscope, but still
have yet to use it to debug a circuit. The garage is full of nifty tools, and
more than just a few have yet to be used in a project. Yes, self-discipline is a
big part of the issue. Lifestyle and self-image are a big part as well. Do you
need to have the fanciest or newest thing because you’re an early adopter, and
appreciate the finer things? Do you need the fastest PC, because, um, well, you
know, right?
Yet for writing an article, how powerful a computer do you need? But I got an i7
based laptop. Yes, I got a screaming deal, but it was way more than I needed.
And that is what the statement is about. If my laptop had a problem and I had to
go back to the 6 year old laptop, it would still work. What about all the
gadgets in the kitchen? We have knifes we have never used, glassware we
haven’t used, and plates that may have been used once. Why do we have all this
stuff? Perhaps it seemed like a good idea at the time, but we could get along
quite nicely without most of it, right? It might be a new kind of non-stick
frying pan, but my grandmother cooked eggs just fine on a cast iron skillet. It
might take a bit more practice and might require you to watch it like a hawk,
but the old cast iron behemoth still works quite well. Do you really need
another new fry-pan?
If we focus on what is actually necessary, you can start to see what falls
outside that circle of need. Is a slotted serving spoon necessary, or just a
fancy thing to have? What about a toaster that does 4 bagels at a time? These,
again, are as much about self-image as they are about utility. Everyone has
different needs, based on their unique situation. But I bet all of us have a few
things we really don’t need. And, if we aren’t careful, we may actually buy
something unnecessary in the next few months! It’s not that bad, but what else
could you do with that money? Your cash, your choice, right?