The Onus of New

Since my last blog post I've spent $987 replacing a Pixel 4 that slipped into the salt water of Tampa Bay. It was misleading as the phone didn't technically break until 72 hours later.

This was an impulse buy and not the smartest as the Pixel 4 has aged in time and I'm sure a better phone is launch soon. However, for this moment when work and hobbies depend on a phone that works - there is no time to spare. The time for careful research, review watching and logistics is gone.

I'm now typing this post with a brand new Pixel 4 next to me. It still feels brand new and I'm happy to feel comfortable with the same phone I've been using for almost a year.

Though this post is not about the phone, but just the notion of new things. I can look to my left and see a TV that was gifted to me when I left for University of Arkansas nearly 9 years ago. It has multiple bad pixels, even one entire pixel row that is busted refusing to show color. Additionally, it lacks any "smart" TV functionality and the available ports are starting to age with updated tech.

I've even had a few people ask me why I don't buy a new TV, because in comparison to a decade ago - it is relatively cheap to get a nice TV.

I can't explain why, but I will spend too much money on a gaming monitor and replace an expensive phone in under 24 hours. Though, my TV hasn't seen an upgrade in nearly a decade.

My car lasted a decade till the repairs were rivaling just purchasing a new one (I bought the same car - just 10 years later)

I'm still using a laptop that just hit a decade as well. It won't survive if unplugged, and I had to purchase a new hard drive a few years ago, but it works. I can feel the speed difference when I work on my work computer or new gaming computer, but I still continue to use this older laptop for hobby development and even writing this post.

So what drives humans to always strive for new things? My gut feeling it is all connected to experiences. A new item is a new experience at the end of day so like the humans we are - we avoid boredom and purchase things.

Though, I overheard a conversation at the apartment pool that really let me down. I was reading my book in the highly humid Florida weather when these two women were discussing swimsuits in the pool in front of me. One girl mentioned she only had one bikini that made her look cute and she wasn't going to meet this guy at the pool unless she had another cute one to wear. (My assumption here is that she already went swimming with this swimsuit once)

I can almost guarantee that unless the guy is an ass, no one will notice the same swimsuit or think badly because of it. It just bothered me that someone is so focused on buying new things to impress someone else.

My guess is there some scientific research regarding this phenomenon of chasing new things. The brain probably responds to the novelty of items and pumps our brains full of dopamine.

I'll keep buying a few things often, but otherwise I'll continue to drive a few types of items into the ground before purchasing a new thing.