Consumerism Gone Wild
Diane and I bought a new refrigerator a short time ago. While this may not seem like a big deal to most, it certainly was cause for quite a bit of conversation around the office. There seem to be two camps in refrigerator - call it large appliance - buying philosophy: "Those who would spend lots" and "Those who would spend little". Personally, I fall into the latter - our refrigerator cost around $500.
Before making the purchase, Diane and I spent some time reading and researching on the pros and cons of manufacturers, models, features, etc. This was a very eye-opening activity for me as I was unaware that there were such things in the world as $6,000 home refrigerators. Of course, I chalked it up to people like a doctor-friend of mine in Dallas who has never met an expensive gadget he didn't buy. Then again, he makes at least ten times the money I do, so he has less problem justifying it than, say someone living on my modest income. Nonetheless, I saw it is a lavish extravagance reserved for the wealthiest and left it at that.
Armed with our appliance intelligence, Diane and I went to the Lowe's on Bobby Jones Freeway in Augusta for the purchase. As we walked the appliance aisles, I saw more than a few $2,000 - $5,000 units in stock. I thought it odd that in a town where most folks are of "modest means" like me, a store would stock so many high-end items. Perhaps I had misjudged the cumulative wealth of Augusta. Perhaps I was living amongst a large cadre of movie stars and I was just not invited to the "right" parties. Perhaps some an expatriate community of dot-com billionaires was living under my nose and I had just overlooked them. Naaah. This had to be the "standard stock" that all Lowe's carried and the poor schmucks at the Bobby Jones location were stuck with a floor full of units that would never sell...not in this market! We are simple, common folks here in Central Georgia and as such, we demand simple, common appliances for our homes.
As our requirements were straightforward, "A box that keeps stuff cold and makes ice", we had a surprisingly short list of choices available. Back behind the rows of never-to-be-purchased, $3,000 stainless steel, double-doored giants we found a row for the "common man" - our row. After many openings of doors (and closings as well), after many a drawer and shelf were inspected, after many an imaginary frozen pizza was inserted into freezers...we chose the General Electric 18.2 sq/ft, top freezer unit. A solid "cold box" if you ask me. The fine folks at Lowe's would even deliver it for a mere $10 net after rebate on the $65 delivery fee. (When you live as far out as we do, that is a key selling point) I was excited! Cold stuff here I come!!
In the office on Monday, I told a co-worker about my $500 refrigerator and the hordes of stainless steel behemoths weighing in around $3,000. I laughed those off, knowing that my co-worker (who cannot make THAT much more than I do) would feel the same level of disgust at the arrogance of folks who would spend thousands on a simple "cold box". This is where the bottom dropped out for me.
My co-worker stared at me as if I was a "lost sheep". His wife found a $2,500 refrigerator on sale for $2,000, so they snapped that bargain up. Huh? Bewildered, I asked another co-worker how much they paid for their refrigerator...and another $2,000 - $3,000 unit down... How could this be? Simple folks like me...with bank accounts that might warrant a free toaster - maybe - were buying these overpriced appliances? Was I missing something? Did I need one of these myself? "Why? What does a $2,500 refrigerator do that a $500 one won't?" The question came out over and over...and the answers were frightening. My co-workers had many words to disguise the simple answer that they were all giving, "Because we can."
Since these office discussions, I have taken a certain pride in telling folks that I did NOT purchase the high-end appliance. I feel somehow smug with the knowledge that I paid what I saw as a fair price for the "cold box". Perhaps I am not much better (just a little richer). How far down the slippery consumerism slope have we fallen when we use appliances to make us feel better about ourselves? Too far.
Argh!
Before making the purchase, Diane and I spent some time reading and researching on the pros and cons of manufacturers, models, features, etc. This was a very eye-opening activity for me as I was unaware that there were such things in the world as $6,000 home refrigerators. Of course, I chalked it up to people like a doctor-friend of mine in Dallas who has never met an expensive gadget he didn't buy. Then again, he makes at least ten times the money I do, so he has less problem justifying it than, say someone living on my modest income. Nonetheless, I saw it is a lavish extravagance reserved for the wealthiest and left it at that.
Armed with our appliance intelligence, Diane and I went to the Lowe's on Bobby Jones Freeway in Augusta for the purchase. As we walked the appliance aisles, I saw more than a few $2,000 - $5,000 units in stock. I thought it odd that in a town where most folks are of "modest means" like me, a store would stock so many high-end items. Perhaps I had misjudged the cumulative wealth of Augusta. Perhaps I was living amongst a large cadre of movie stars and I was just not invited to the "right" parties. Perhaps some an expatriate community of dot-com billionaires was living under my nose and I had just overlooked them. Naaah. This had to be the "standard stock" that all Lowe's carried and the poor schmucks at the Bobby Jones location were stuck with a floor full of units that would never sell...not in this market! We are simple, common folks here in Central Georgia and as such, we demand simple, common appliances for our homes.
As our requirements were straightforward, "A box that keeps stuff cold and makes ice", we had a surprisingly short list of choices available. Back behind the rows of never-to-be-purchased, $3,000 stainless steel, double-doored giants we found a row for the "common man" - our row. After many openings of doors (and closings as well), after many a drawer and shelf were inspected, after many an imaginary frozen pizza was inserted into freezers...we chose the General Electric 18.2 sq/ft, top freezer unit. A solid "cold box" if you ask me. The fine folks at Lowe's would even deliver it for a mere $10 net after rebate on the $65 delivery fee. (When you live as far out as we do, that is a key selling point) I was excited! Cold stuff here I come!!
In the office on Monday, I told a co-worker about my $500 refrigerator and the hordes of stainless steel behemoths weighing in around $3,000. I laughed those off, knowing that my co-worker (who cannot make THAT much more than I do) would feel the same level of disgust at the arrogance of folks who would spend thousands on a simple "cold box". This is where the bottom dropped out for me.
My co-worker stared at me as if I was a "lost sheep". His wife found a $2,500 refrigerator on sale for $2,000, so they snapped that bargain up. Huh? Bewildered, I asked another co-worker how much they paid for their refrigerator...and another $2,000 - $3,000 unit down... How could this be? Simple folks like me...with bank accounts that might warrant a free toaster - maybe - were buying these overpriced appliances? Was I missing something? Did I need one of these myself? "Why? What does a $2,500 refrigerator do that a $500 one won't?" The question came out over and over...and the answers were frightening. My co-workers had many words to disguise the simple answer that they were all giving, "Because we can."
Since these office discussions, I have taken a certain pride in telling folks that I did NOT purchase the high-end appliance. I feel somehow smug with the knowledge that I paid what I saw as a fair price for the "cold box". Perhaps I am not much better (just a little richer). How far down the slippery consumerism slope have we fallen when we use appliances to make us feel better about ourselves? Too far.
Argh!
posted by bisbohemian at 7:30 AM
2 Comments:
You also need to factor in the point that most of the folks with the high-end models don't even cook! So the whole thing really is just for looks and status....! Pretty sad!
Good Lord -- and they could be spending that money on a Prius!
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