Dear consumer,
you are living in a wonderful world, one where you can convert a piece of your time and effort into money, which in turn can be exchanged for Stuff. In fact, you are free to exchange your money for whatever Stuff you want.
The consumerist society you are part of is great. You have the free choice where to spend you money, and the companies have to do their part to convince you to actually want their Stuff. The companies know that your wanting is fuelled by newness and surprise, and to create a constant stream of newness the development cycles of Stuff are short. This results in a fast progression, and even faster rejection. Stuff has become caught in a fast-paced survival of the fittest.
However, there’s no free lunch with consumerism. After a short while the surprise of your Stuff wears off, and the companies try to lure you into their newest surprises. Behind the new Stuff hides an increasingly shorter development cycle, and in creating the newest surprise many of the strong points of the Stuff you already own get thrown out of the window.
This new Stuff, with its fresh surprises and shiny appeal distracts you from the wonderful Stuff you have already acquired. Therefore, freeze this moment in time and take a look at the Wonderful Stuff you already have.
If you have a cat, you probably love it. You don''t love your cat because it requires little maintenance. It requires attention and care. You don’t love your cat because it has a new shiny colour every year, but because it slowly grows with you. You don’t love your cat because it follows the latest trends, because the manufacturer of your cat does not follow trends.
The Wonderful Stuff you have should be like your cat. You should love it, take care of it and let it grow. It will show you that Stuff can have a lasting value, and that the relationship between you and your stuff strengthens and grows.
If companies know that their Stuff will be cherished, they will prove more than willing to design Stuff that’s maintainable, expandable, adaptable and – most of all – loveable.
Love your Stuff!