A popular saying from the depression era was, “waste little, want not.” It was a phrase often repeated by my grandmother who lived through the depression as a child and teen.
In today’s “gimme gimme” culture built on debt and instant gratification, the idea of making do and being greatful isn’t a popular one. Yet it’s one that can bring peace and centering in times of both plenty and lack.
Imagine feeling like what you have is enough. That you lack for and need nothing. Impossible? Chances are if you are like many today you actually not only have enough, but more than enough.
In fact it’s a common complaint today that people have too much! Yet despite homes filled with clutter and “stuff” they seek more, never truly filling the hole within.
Ironically, in a culture of abundance and self-centered-ness, people are more dissatisfied and lonely than ever. So maybe the secret isn’t more and “me” but less and “others?”
Waste little, want not.
What do you think? Please share in the comments.
Notes From a Red Pill Girl 
Apparently the original phrase was waste not want not. I swear my grandmother said waste little want not. But either way, good advice!
I feel like this article I just read about soaring depression rates among teens says it all about the effects of smart phones, social media, and the instant gratification #MeToo culture:
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-number-of-teens-who-are-depressed-is-soaring-2017-11
Copperfox wow that article is alarming! 😦 indeed time can also be wasted, think of all that time on smartphones and social media! What a waste. Not that I didn’t waste time as a teen, but I am very glad social media didn’t exist then!
From the Copperfox-linked article: “For example, while conducting research for my book on iGen, I found that teens now spend much less time interacting with their friends in person.”
…lack of experience interacting in person leads to reduced skills at interacting in person. Which may have something to do with the fact that surveys in multiple countries have found a substantial % of women view flirtation as sexual harassment. It seems likely that the reduced skills in person-person interaction lead to clumsy approaches by the flirter, and clumsy reactions by the flirtee.
Social media is basically like crack cocaine, it has the same effect on the brain. I personally know several of the original engineers at Facebook, and most of them admit to it and several of them disown it at this point.
It’s why I am constantly writing on my blog about basic premises that should be common knowledge …
Perhaps copperfox should write a post about the evils of social media
I would not doubt it. I know many people who seem to live on Facebook! Most of Dancer and her boyfriend’s spats are based on Facebook. Some old girlfriend or boyfriend “likes” something and it’s on. I called them both out on it and suggested they try a one week break fro Facebook. Both refused! They couldn’t go without their “fix.” Sad.
I used to do Facebook but one day was just over it. I think mainly after reading in the manosphere about how Facebook was affecting people. Now I post only for biz reasons, nothing personal.
Facebook cheaper than crack it is
Perhaps a virtue this would be
Though probably not
My guy doesn’t do Facebook. No Facebook fights for us! I much prefer it to what Dancer and her guy do.
That might be a good idea …
It is interesting the use of technology to create “artificial dopamine triggers” is leading to people making a lot of poor life choices, as well as developing various mental health issues. A lot of Red Pill realism in that notion alone.
Copperfox…possibly of interest: my post Duz Web Mak Us Dumr?
https://chicagoboyz.net/archives/5851.html
Pretty much the only thing I spend “regular” money on is Cigars. Other than that my wife has to beg me to spend money on stuff she says I need. Last big purchase took me two years to finally decide to acquire.
She won’t spend it on junk either, It wasn’t until her car hit 300,000 miles that she was finally convinced to buy a new vehicle. It’s amazing how much crap she won’t buy, though for some reason she loves to window shop.
I always thought window shopping was like a hungry person visiting restaurants just to smell what they couldn’t have. Torture.
Which leads me to the following question. What is the attraction with window shopping? I don’t get it.
Which leads me to the following question. What is the attraction with window shopping? I don’t get it.
Isn’t that much of what Facebook is about?
“Which leads me to the following question. What is the attraction with window shopping? I don’t get it.”
LOL 😀 Allow me to explain the intricate guilty pleasure of window shopping….
I also love to do this, but I hate spending money, so I think that has a lot to do with the psychological aspect of enjoying window shopping. I was raised with the rule that buying something not on sale, was practically a sin lol. So window shopping was our guilty pleasure since most things aren’t on a *good* enough sale (50% or greater).
My DAD was the biggest window shopper ever! And I found it adorable (my mom found it annoying), that he was able to go everywhere and *look* and enjoy, but never hardly buy anything.
He was so cute… he hated things like Starbucks and stuff that were simply status symbols. ONCE a Canadian friend he had (they were really close and so intellectual together ❤ ) convinced him to just TRY a Starbucks drink when he was down here visiting.
My dad walks in… takes a look around and at their menu and prices… and decides to order plain black coffee, thinking that well if they had any value or prestige at all, at least their coffee would have to be really something.
LOL… nope, didn't convince my dad. He complained about that one overpriced, plain, black coffee for years afterward 😀 ❤
I myself, have been addicted to Starbucks glass drinks ever since I was a teen and my mom made sure I had one every morning. She also would drop me off at a Starbucks near my private school and give me money to buy one of their "dessert drinks" as she called them, while she'd go in to work early. I remember sitting there enjoying my drink and book while carefully observing every person who came in. The regulars and their relationship with the other regulars was so interesting to me.
***
Why is window shopping so fun and fulfilling for people? I think it's the enjoyment of seeing beautiful things, and not having to pay a price (negative experience) for that enjoyment. You realize you don't REALLY want to take anything home, but it's still fun to look and see something pretty or interesting.
Yeah David, that is interesting. The internet was the base platform, of course. When people started designing tools on top of that platform (e.g. social media) to purposely exploit people’s innate dopamine mechanisms, it’s taken on another dimension. At early Facebook design meetings, those ideas were openly discussed.
Of course, it is smart in a way, a good way to make money. Of course, so is selling crack cocaine to middle schoolers. All about exploiting people’s vulnerabilities.
Chicago Boyz? Interesting, I write out of Chicago these days too.
@ Stephanie
I was driving down the road with my wife one day and she was pointing out the different colors of the trees and how beautiful they were in the fall. I looked and didn’t really “get it”. Then my teenage daughter piped up saying that ” well dad you do know women tend towards differentiating subtle colors more then men.”
I thought yeah I understand that. Maybe that’s what women get from all the new pretties they see in a store. The explosion of colors and sparkles that I as a man don’t see. Seemed an adequate explanation at the time.
Was your father able to make subtle distinctions in color? I don’t know if that suffices for everything but it may be in there somewhere as to why window shopping maybe more attractive to women and some men.
Hmm… that’s a good explanation! I’m sure it’s true for most women – we DO love colors and sparkles and things… for my dad, I’m not sure. He’s always been partially color-blind… he found out from an eye-exam he can’t really tell the difference between greens and brown. His sense of humor was so awesome, he found that fact extremely hilarious and would joke about it with brunettes that maybe their hair was really green! People who worked with him loved him for his sense of humor.
I think for him it must have had more to do with the senses. He’d window shop at chocolate stores – never buying anything, but somehow enjoying the smells and different ideas they had in creating chocolates. He loved antique shops (again, never ever buying anything) mostly for the inspiration of what could be found there.
And he loved food samples LOL… it’s the little things when you don’t have to pay for them 😉
The regulars and their relationship with the other regulars was so interesting to me.
A chick you are
No Facebook here. And I try to waste nothing (probably because I didn’t grow up with much at an early age), but also hate clutter to it’s a conundrum at times to get rid of things.
Definitely good advice. Don’t focus on what you don’t have, and appreciate what you do have.
LOL Yes, Yoda… I like being a chick!
Husband would have major problem if chick I was not!
it has been interesting over the years to see my girls adapt and adjust to different lifestyles, to see how they value things and people, and to see how all of that has evolved in their lives. they’re to the point where they don’t want anything and need little that can’t be bought at a grocery store (food) or thrift store (clothes). kinda makes it hard to come up with something to get them for their birthdays and christmas! 🙂
Copperfox – that article is really scary. i like facebook to keep up with people all over the place … and to keep up with design-type places – i love the pics they post, the colors and design ideas they have. only one of my daughters has a fb acct but she never uses it. neither have any other form of social media. they do use screens a lot but for research and fun … and my Aspie Girl needs her music (and we all need her to have her music!)
but that’s really scary … and right in the exact age range of my girls. wow.
i hate wasting things, too. and i hate having to buy something more than once … but, alas, even towels will wear out over many years 😉
i actually do like window shopping in person but more so online. i love to see the changes in styles and colors. did you know there’s this whole, huge, mega-huge process to determine which colors are used every season? and did you know this affects everything you buy?! i think stuff like that is so cool! but i love art and design and crafts and how things are put together and mixed together and how they’re marketed. i rarely watch tv, but if i choose to turn it on, i’ll almost always watch a design show of some sort.
i also find it very intriguing that most things i like can be found at a thrift store or garage sale or craigslist if i just wait a season or two for a fraction of the cost new. i hate paying for things new if i can find them previously-owned. i feel super guilty if i buy something new and not at a good price.
i’m sure y’all are just dying to know this stuff . . . 😉
How, exactly, do companies and organizations come up with these colors?
CMG, which is based in Alexandria, VA., is a non-profit that helps pick and predict colors for a variety of products. CMG members (color design professionals including officials from Pantone) gather throughout the year in a series of “ChromaZone” workshops around the world to discuss the future and what color it’s going to be.
Participants come armed with PowerPoints, swatches, test cards and other materials to present their stories about their proposed color choices. Former CMG Mark Woodman says that politics, pop culture, spots, technology and social issues can influence the selection of colors as well.
During CMG’s International Summit last month, 64 colors were selected and broken into groups (16 colors each) that were attached geographic regions: Latin America, Europe, the Asia/Pacific region and North America (which is where “Thrive” promises to be popular–or at least influential).
http://beta.latimes.com/home/la-hm-how-pantone-chose-color-of-the-year-20151202-story.html
Ame,
Polar bears in a snowstorm?
Sorry, the video only appeared after I posted that comment. Several refreshes did not bring it up.
Up late waiting for my guy to arrive for a visit over the long weekend, and getting stuff ready for our feast tomorrow! Turkey and all the fixings including my world famous made from scratch cornbread stuffing! Yum! The girls are very excited and are loving every bit of the traditions. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Ame, once an interior designer told me all about this. She said house colors follow clothing clothing trends but about a year later. So she was always able to help her clients be ahead of the trends. She worked for super rich clients who threw away all their holiday decorations every year for the “new” colors. And they spent like $10k a year! No kidding. That part yucked me out but the idea was interesting. I have watched and by golly it’s true! (Btw this designer lectured me for like 10 minutes why “blush” was NOT peach. Lol. Yeah, yeah lady… She was, ahem, interesting. Big attitude! And personally I thought her style was atrocious (very gaudy and fussy) but she was selling it.
I met her when I interviewed her for an article I was writing on holiday trends.
that is very interesting … i did not know that 🙂
i watched a video several years ago that documented the process through which colors are chosen. i tried to find it on youtube but couldn’t. might try again.
it is SHOCKING how much people spend on things sometimes. i had a roommate in college who would get angry with her parents and go charge up tons of stuff she never used. she would change out her wardrobe with every season – her whole wardrobe. but she was also the sweetest roomie, and we got along really well.
there are catalogs i love to look at, and i get a ton at christmas time. i’m always stunned at how much seasonal stuff there is and how much it costs, and i imagine there are people out there who buy that stuff b/c these places make good money. i just enjoy looking and imagining what i would do in certain rooms if i changed the style or color or … . i don’t want to do it, i just enjoy imagining it.
oh … cornbread dressing – my nemesis! cornbread dressing is HUGE in texas, and i’m TERRIBLE at making it, but my Husband LOVES it, so i try! and i never get it right. usually we go to boston market and get some to-go. he likes theirs (i hate boston market – blech). but i forgot. so i found a box of cornbread mix in my pantry and tried it, again. we’ll see how well i did tomorrow 🙂 . his daughter and ex put together his mom’s recipe, which she had never written down. i never met her as his parents adopted him late in life and they had long since passed when i met him. this is not the first time i’ve tried to make it. i haven’t got it even close to right, yet. thing is, i really don’t care for it so i have a really hard time making it. ugh.
anyway … my brother (who is a MUCH better cook than i) has tweaked our family’s mushroom stuffing over the years. i didn’t get it quite right last year, but i nailed it this time! the girls and i almost moaned it’s sooo good! lol! it will be even better after spending some time inside that turkey 🙂
enjoy your long weekend with your Man! my girls and i had fun cooking and baking together today 🙂 … and then i stayed up later to attempt my Man’s cornbread dressing, so i’m up late, too 🙂
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
i’m very thankful for ALL of you and the different personalities from all over the world and different pov’s and your willingness to share your own, personal stories. i learn so much from all of you and thoroughly enjoy my time out here! Happy Thanksgiving, Y’all, from The Great State of Texas, USA!!! 🙂
Last year I made a pre-boxed cornbread stuffing and it just was NOT the same at all. I have never tried mushroom but it sounds good! Happy Thanksgiving everyone and I too enjoy each and every one of you and am so thankful to have “met” you all and learned so much. We have so many different points of view and walks of life here and it helps round out my little view of the world for sure! Cheers!
This is pretty close to the version of cornbread stuffing we have always made in our family. Except I make jiffy cornbread mix (shhh) and then add bacon! I sometimes also simmer the turkey neck, heart, and giblets and cube all that up fine and add that too. 🙂
Oops forgot the link! https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/corn-bread-dressing
That looks like it could be good but it wouldn’t be his Mamma’s. The mix was just for the cornbread as I don’t keep cornmeal in the pantry because we’d never use it 😉
I really just don’t care for rubbed sage or poultry seasoning, both of which are in his Mamma’s recipe.
Yes traditions like the stuffing we have one time a year and it being “just right” are such a big deal! Hope yours turns out just like mamas! 🙂
This is a day to be thankful and I am thankful for the folks here who are awake. May you all have a blessed Thanksgiving.
LOL!
He liked it! Now I’ll have to re-write the recipe to how I actually made it 😊
There is a new post at Spawny’s
https://spawnyspace.wordpress.com/2017/11/24/baked-in-assumptions/
Think on this…
Mgtow is often not a choice but the lack of women to be grateful for.
(From comment at Dalrocks)
“Imagine a man obsessed with ordering his life so that he never had to depend on a woman, never had to suffer feelings of gratitude for women. We would instantly spot this bitterness for the twisted sentiment that it is.
You don’t have to imagine, we are here, we are now. The only difference here is the lack of choice. There are no women to do things for us that we would feel gratitude for… it is a forced action by women that has forced a growing amount of men to do that very thing – getting on with life without the need for a women. I suppose you would call it bitterness, don’t care though.
I prefer a life without the hassle that women bring, releasing me from any obligation to go out of my way to find out why I need a woman so that I can feel gratitude for her.”
“…to go out of my way to find out why I need a woman so that I can feel gratitude for her.”
Used to be a natural thing….
Having the need for the opposite sex and feeling grateful they were there to be a companion.
Really, in the end, thats all anyone wants…a companion.
Too bad really.
Horseman – It’s a pretty miserable existence in being married to a woman who refuses to be that companion after being married for 1/3 – 1/2 of your life. Many months in, I actually feel at more peace in being alone than with someone who can treat someone else as she did.
Horseman – It’s a pretty miserable existence in being married to a woman who refuses to be that companion after being married for 1/3 – 1/2 of your life. Many months in, I actually feel at more peace in being alone than with someone who can treat someone else as she did.
…….
Yup I can still vaguely remember those days but time heals most wounds my friend
@Roman Lance
I am a true Catholic. I am filled with joy that you have achieved the dream with many well raised and presumably devout children. I haven’t been able to find the actual source yet, but according to what I have read St. Thomas Aquinas said that a home is not perfect if it is not bursting with children.
Looking at some of your comment from recent posts it looks like you have some serious health problems. I believe that as long as one looks hard enough and is willing to think outside of the box of conventional medicine there is nothing except perhaps for amputations or genetic disorders or deformities that can’t be healed. The most powerful healing remedies that I know that do not cost money (except for educational materials) are “The Healing Code” (someone healed a hole in their heart with this modality that may be of divine origin) and water fasting. For water fasting (which has been used to heal hearing problems) you should probably check out the book “The Complete Guide to Fasting.” You might also try earthing as an additional therapy. Obviously, your diet should be top notch. I recommend the materials from the Weston Price Foundation.
Roman I am praying for your healing as well. Know I have asked archangel Raphael with you, day and night. And it is so. Be well my friend!
The Healthy Home Economist (https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/) is my first go-to site for most everything health related, and she’s all about the Weston Price Foundation and very involved with them.
There is a new post at Spawny’s
https://spawnyspace.wordpress.com/2017/11/26/metoo-defence/