I dumped TV in 1997. The after effect that I never saw coming was that it almost eliminated my consumerism. I simply was not being exposed to ads any more and I only bought things I really needed. Occasionally springing for something I saw at a store that I “wanted”
Even with the internet, I don’t even look at ads. I also did pay the $11 a month on youtube so I don’t see ads. And considering the way I use youtube, it is well worth the money. It’s the only streaming service I’ve ever paid the monthly fee for, and happily so. I also cancelled my subscription to microsoft Office 365 at the same time, so it was mostly a wash. I now use the Linux version, and it’s a LOT more reliable.
True for me. People ask me what I want for Christmas and I tell them, I’m trying to get rid of stuff, I don’t need more stuff.
Yep, absolutely. Regulate the wants or needs and ditch items that are purely status symbols, that is the name of the game. Like being in business, cut all unneeded wasteful overhead. But one does not have to live extremely Amish, some common sense compromises are still fair game.
Like I hate Verizon and AT&T, but it is the only way I can get internet where I am. The other carriers here will not let me hotspot or tether as a modem. And I have absolutely no other options available. But I buy no contract $50 burn phones and can do it cheap. There is no law or even status requirement to sign an expensive contract just to have an IPhone purely as a status symbol.
It is silly, and the corporations are gleefully taking advantage of our own silliness. We are our own worst enemy when it comes to feeding the machine. We complain, yet we keep right on foolishly buying their crap. Just tell them no and live without it. It is the last trend they would ever want because then THEY will have to compromise to survive.