Slightly off topic, but the sadness of this thread just hit me.
Back in 2021 the original poster shared about his excitement about his new expensive $150k dream watch that he just purchased, but just 3 months later he was gone.
I just got word that James Phillips from Tennessee recently passed. He was an avid shooter, reloader and contributor to our sport! He was one of the first guys to earn a name at IBS 600 yard shooting in the early 2000’s. He was a great guy and always eager to help new shooters. Prayers to his...
forum.accurateshooter.com
I hadn't seen the posting about James's passing, so this was news to me. I remember that he was always a positive contributor here on the forum.
It's a good reminder for me that I shouldn't get too enamored with the things of this world. I find myself too easily caught up in wanting the next thing (guns, watches, vehicles.... stuff....), when I should be paying attention to things that have more eternal significance.
Sheldon, looking inward, you are right on materialism, but looking outward, one man’s materialism is another man’s livelihood.
Our enthusiasm in paying for goods, keeps both sides productively employed, we the buyers, and the producers. We have to work too. That is good. This remains true whether that custom gun was needed and gets used by us much, or not.
Do we want the families our hobby relies on to do well, do we like the fact that Rolex, the world’s largest watch maker is also a charitable trust, do we want new graduates to put their energy into the roles of retiring folks in our favorite interests instead of eking out a living studying algae, I say yes, yes, and yes.
The things we all tend to spend money on require machines and hand work, skill and entrepreneurialism. Those traits are on an endangered list the way the world is going. The results are a material product that tends to last, that can be used, admired and shared between generations. Not only will we enjoy them now but so will descendants and theirs. Should the laws change, they will likely be “grandfathered” and even more special.
Last example, interstate 35 is lined with giant Harley Davidson box stores. They roll them in and out into the sun hundreds of times each. Why? Because everyone wants to make money off their belief that other people are buying Harley’s, so they throw money at the stock. What Harley needs is more customers, not more investors. More riders, not more people asking for dividends.
We either buy, or we dampen the dreams of everyone except commissioned money handlers.