The back-up theory

[Altis]

The strange thing is I dont use the loved thing as much as I use a less preferred one.
I still dont find a good justification for this attitude.

I know many people feel this way about things they get. You see it a lot with anything 'collectable' (or that we perceive as so). For example, often a nice guitar will sit in its pristine collectors case while we bring out the old beater and actually have fun with it. I used to have a beater acoustic guitar because I didn't want to risk my "nice" one (which was nothing special at all, even). I brought the beater to the cottage and out with friends and it had all kinds of great use. I never bothered with the "nice" one so just sold it. I now have another "nice" one but have decided that it's worth risking wear to actually enjoy it.

At the end of the day, nobody's making it out of life alive, and I'd be really surprised if anyone cared what condition my stuff is in. May as well enjoy it! And while I sometimes fear these things are irreplaceable, 95% of the time there will be something I'll like even more that comes along anyways.

There are some good posts on the psychology of it in this thread that really do make sense. I will add my $0.02 that us advanced monkey brains are still programmed with a long evolution that insists we gather as much as we can. It was never natural to be satisfied and complacent when you could obtain more resources, tools, etc.  Of course, that was long before amazon prime. 

[MacGyver]

I know many people feel this way about things they get. You see it a lot with anything 'collectable' (or that we perceive as so). For example, often a nice guitar will sit in its pristine collectors case while we bring out the old beater and actually have fun with it. I used to have a beater acoustic guitar because I didn't want to risk my "nice" one (which was nothing special at all, even). I brought the beater to the cottage and out with friends and it had all kinds of great use. I never bothered with the "nice" one so just sold it. I now have another "nice" one but have decided that it's worth risking wear to actually enjoy it.

At the end of the day, nobody's making it out of life alive, and I'd be really surprised if anyone cared what condition my stuff is in. May as well enjoy it! And while I sometimes fear these things are irreplaceable, 95% of the time there will be something I'll like even more that comes along anyways.

There are some good posts on the psychology of it in this thread that really do make sense. I will add my $0.02 that us advanced monkey brains are still programmed with a long evolution that insists we gather as much as we can. It was never natural to be satisfied and complacent when you could obtain more resources, tools, etc.  Of course, that was long before amazon prime. 

 

Especially regarding the guitars...

I remember a few years ago a fellow guitarist that was shocked i use my Fender Custom Shop guitar to play all the time.
It's a Fender Custom Shop David Gilmour signature Strat, bloody thing costed over 4500€ when i bought it, and the guy was shocked that i actually used/played the hell out of it, and not keep it safely at home behind a glass case, cause it's a "collector's piece"...   

I was like..... "Really...  Do you really think i'd spend that amount on a guitar, and just put it in a glass display and but a cheap Squier to play with...?"
I play the hell out of that thing since i got it, recorded with it, gigged with it, you name it...
Yes i take good care of it, and worry that it may get damaged, and it's got dings, scratches and lacquer checking from temperature changes, but that's made to be played, it's his function no matter how much it costed. And i't probably would never be able to afford another one even half the cost...
If you don't use the "nice things" just because one is scared of loosing it or damaging it, you are just completely missing out on them.
And this applies to everything. 

[Ron Who]

Wait!!!  I am sane, I have a release certificate that says I am now 🤪.     

 

You made me realize I stopped buying SAKs after I started taking Abilify.

I found a cure for alox pox! 

[ElevenBlade]

You made me realize I stopped buying SAKs after I started taking Abilify.

I found a cure for alox pox! 

 

[dmattaponi]

I have only purchased a couple of backups in case I lost one.  Those were...

1) A second SwissChamp
2) A second Explorer Plus
I wish I had bought a backup for my Craftsman which has been discontinued.

To date, I gave the original SwissChamp as a thank you gift to a student who assisted me in a field school (and often saw the knife in use during that time).

I gave the original Explorer Plus to my daughter.

Now I only have a single one of each and I use them often (and one or the other of the three have been my edc knife since 2007).  I don’t think I’m worried about having backups anymore though.  I just don’t care to have knives sitting in boxes unused.  If I ever need another I’ll pick something up or use another knife I’ve already got sitting around.  I think age and some health issues have led me to the realization that there is more to my life than collections of things.  To each their own, though.  Have at it, if it’s your thing.


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[cbl51]

 I think age and some health issues have led me to the realization that there is more to my life than collections of things. 


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That right there is the ultimate truth of it!!!!!

[Simon_Templar]

That right there is the ultimate truth of it!!!!!

...maybe, but please don't tell anyone, otherwise this forum would be dead and all the entertainment it provides with it...

[Boonies]

You made me realize I stopped buying SAKs after I started taking Abilify.

I found a cure for alox pox! 

Don’t worry, that “cure” will eventually wear off.  You’ve had “the pox” too long.  You’re incurable 😜.