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Comment by scotch_drinker | Hacker News Reader

Another loophole is to always treasure what you have. I bought a 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe in 2009 because I really enjoyed the car I test drove. I still drive that car today with 135K miles on it. At least once a week, when I get in, I try to think "I really like this car." Even though it's now 7 years old, starting to get creaky and long ago lost the new car smell, I try to remember what it was like to really enjoy the car. By doing this regularly, I have been able to prevent some of the effects of hedonic accustomization. Reading Stoic philosophy helps too. A Guide to the Good Life is a good place to start.

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1996 Toyota 4Runner. Love that car, dreading the day I have to replace it, which also helps motivate me to take care of it (although I still take it on rough roads - that's what I have 4WD SUV for).

1992 F-150. 4.9 straight six. Upgraded to the ZF-5 five-speed from the Mazda which wore out reverse. 300,000 miles strong. Regularly haul 5000lbs of hay with no issues. No plans on retiring it.

Yeah, I agree with you that you can get joy out of old material possessions such as your car, I do so myself. But I wonder if you're applying the Stoic philosophy in the correct way?

I also read a part of the book so when you say you try to think "I really like this car", shouldn't the thought be "Boy imagine I'd lose this car today, or maybe it gets robbed, I better enjoy it before that happens" instead? At least that's what I got out of the book, to excercise "negative visualization regularly.

I think you're most certainly right that the negative visualization is a central part of Stoic philosophy as it's applicable today but I don't think you're example is correct in this scenario. Instead, in this case, I think it's appropriate to not drive the car and/or to remember that no matter how old the car is, it is still far-far better than the worst possible reality such as that where the OP doesn't own a car, or has one in significantly worse shape.

I like to practice this own philosophy in my life to remind myself that no matter how frustrated I am with my possessions or with my work that I could be in a much worse place than I am currently. It also helps, a lot, to be a minimalist because it makes you all that much more appreciative of the few things you have (especially when you own good ones!).

I also apply negative visualization but people don't like to hear about that. :-) I try to do without things, I fast regularly to know what hunger is about (plus it's probably good for me) and at least mentally think about what it would be like to have nothing.

Completely agree on Stoicism and A Guide to the Good Life. Gratitude, as you describe it, goes a long way for life satisfaction.

This is the cheesiest thing on earth but I swear by it: I write a "gratitude list" almost every night, ten items, and it's had a profound impact on my attitude and general well-being. (Not scientific, I know. Tough cookies. It works.) Sometimes it's things as simple as having a roof over my head and a warm bed—usually on days I've seen a lot of human suffering on the street. Other times it's gratitude for reacting calmly to a challenging situation. The important thing is to do it consistently over a long period of time. Focusing on what I have over what I want has really changed my outlook on life.

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Epictetus' "Enchiridion", the cheap Dover Publications edition, is all many need in getting started with the stoics.

Or download it from Project Gutenberg. Possibly not the latest translation but should be good enough: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/45109.

Now you can have it with you at all times.

Do the same with the Meditations: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2680

If anyone can link to more readable editions that can be downloaded it would be nice to know.

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