Comment by vnuge | Hacker News Reader

Comment by vnuge | Hacker News Reader

I understand, like others have pointed out this will be an echo chamber result set. However it's nice to know I am not alone (especially being young). My newest vehicle is from 1999, my smartphone is going on 6 years old (still 2 days on a charge) I have 15 apps total on it and spend a max of 20 minutes a day on it. My newest computers are in my rack from 2018 (I have a small hosting business). Asus ultrabook from 2016 still plays my video games fine and decent battery life.

No IoT, no automation stuff. I have a tv w/htpc but it has been unplugged for 6 years. I get all of my current events/media from RSS feeds or email (highly curated). During the day mobile notifications are silenced. I mostly pay in cash when I go out. Had a fitbit 5 years ago never connected to phone, got rid of it when it died.

I like the sound of the engine when I drive, otherwise FM radio. I avoid taking my phone when I go places unless I need GPS, but I often print directions if I'm traveling to semi familiar areas. I always keep a few maps in the glove box as well.

I was recently laid off and I'm bummed because it's going to be hard finding a new remote work job in tech that isn't soul sucking in regards to tech.

If your vehicle is a car, modern cars are a lot safer than the 90s cars. It’s not only about the structure and airbags in case of a crash, the stability control electronics have improved a lot in the recent years. Now you can turn the wheel to aim where you want to go and the electronics try their best.

Yeah, I don't want it. I spend the past 7 years in automotive engineering (firmware/controls systems stuff) I much prefer older stuff. Every time I hop in a newer car and it jerks the wheel from me or slams the brakes because a smudge is on the camera or a reflection. My truck weighs nearly 8klbs and is over 20ft long, I carry enough insurance to assume myself and the vehicle I hit will all be dead, god forbid it ever happens. Again my experience in automotive I have learned that newer is not "built to last" in a business sense and parts manufacturers (and remans) obsolete parts for newer vehicles faster as well (or at least the supply chain dries up MUCH quicker), we have seen vehicles scrapped for easy reasons because the repair job cost more than the vehicle was worth IMO due to complexity or availability.

I could continue to blow hot air in your direction for hours. Needless to say I'm hoping to get out of automotive and keep my old vehicles on the road for as long as the government allows.

I gotta ask:

Why?

Why throw all the working stuff away? I don't feel any need-for or right-to new & shiny things if there are less new things that work just as well.

I'm bothered by the fact that my partner doesn't want to use silverware from a thrift store... Despite the fact it's no different than eating at a restaurant... But mostly because why new? If everyone always buys new shit then we're always throwing out old shit and things start getting made for the sake of being new and shiny rather than by doing any one thing better. We add niceties like auto-adjusting steeringwheels and heated seats as an excuse to keep producing. Ah. Well. Steam ran out. I just prefer things simple.

What point would you like me to hit? Surveillance even if it's passive and I have nothing to hide is probably the biggest reason for most of my habits. Money and trust. The other reason is probably mental health, reducing stimulus helps me dramatically with anxiety. I typically walk around with headphones in silence. I can still hear everything, it's just quieter. If you do it long enough you'll know what I mean.

And ttt11199907 covered the consumerism part

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