Being a Minority

That’s right, I’m a minority. Not because of my ethnicity, but due to my failure to adopt popular technology platforms. I don’t own a TV, a “smart” phone, a gaming system (except an old Ninetendo 64 that lives in the closet), or a new iPod (I do have a second generation Nano, and guess what, it still plays music just as well as a new one :O). Let me make one thing clear, my failure to adopt these technologies is by choice and not due to financial or intellectual constraints. So why don’t I adopt these popular technologies?

Technology should serve a need, not a self-esteem issue. Let me explain. Why should I buy a new and larger TV? Does having a larger/nicer TV really make media consumption that much better? I don’t believe that it does. (In fact, we actually just recently went from talking about upgrading from our 32 inch TV to getting rid of our TV altogether.)

When I get into my TV Zone (The state of becoming so engrossed in what I’m watching and hearing that I don’t hear or see my wife), I don’t realize what the size of the TV is. So say that on a 1 – 10 scale, 10 being the best, that I am watching a show on my computer that rates as an 8. Watching that show on a 50+ inch TV, with a great sounds system, will increase my satisfaction to maybe 8.25. So because I have a computer that I can watch television shows on, why do I need a TV? Is spending $800+ really worth the .25 increase in satisfaction? I don’t see it. It’s all about the law of diminishing returns. I probably reach the point of diminishing returns earlier then most.

Here is one more explanation for my decision. When you buy something expensive you feel obligated to justify your purchase by getting as much use out of it as possible. That makes sense right? However, do I really want to feel obligated to watch TV? TV was made for man, not man for the TV. In my opinion, TV watching and happiness have an inverse relationship; the more you watch, the more unhappy you become.

So if a larger TV doesn’t really contribute to making me happier, then why should I keep buying them? I can really boil my desire to buy a larger TV’s into two reasons. First, “A luxury once used, becomes a necessity.” Enough said on that one. Second, it’s because we got to keep up with the Jones’ and have begun to see technology as a status symbol and no longer as a tool. (This could be said of the housing market bubble as well) This is great news for consumer technology companies, but not so good for the overall well being of consumers. Kind of reminds me of the clothing industry. I have always found it funny that we are willing to pay a price premium for a t-shirt that has a brand name on it. Think about it, we are paying for the privilege to advertise some company’s brand at our own expense! To make matters worse, paying for the privilege of advertising a brand usually comes at the cost of the quality of the actual product. So you are essentially paying for a status symbol to help boast you self-esteem and aren’t primarily seeking to fulfill a need. Sounds like junior high all over again L

So what’s my point? Think before you buy and before you judge. Perhaps you will find a significant improvement in your happiness by having a new TV or by being an early adopter of new technologies. Perhaps you feel that the benefit really does outweigh the real cost and the opportunity cost associated with your purchase. However, some crazy people out there might not share those feelings and that’s okay too.