The newest, latest, greatest version of Product X is available today. It’s only X dollars and it does all the cool things you wish it could do. Act now and Product X will change your life.
We know we don’t need Product X to live a good life (even though we really, really want it). We know we don’t have to buy the new iPhone when our old phone works just fine. We know we don’t need a new car just because the old one isn’t as shiny, just as we know we don’t need the latest version of software, iPad, television, laptop, or gadget to make us happy.
Advertisers spend millions to create a sense of urgency to make us drool over their products, but we can refuse to play that game. We can turn down the noise. We can focus on what we have instead of what we don’t have. We already have everything we need.
Sure, sometimes things break or wear out—and when that happens, we are left with at least three options:
Go without. This option is almost taboo in our culture. It seems radical to many people: Why would I go without when I could just buy a new one? Often this option is the best option, though: when we go without, it forces us to question our stuff—it forces us to discover whether or not we need it—and sometimes we discover life without it is actually better than before.
Repair it. Sometimes we can’t necessarily go without. But, instead of running out and procuring Product X, we can attempt to repair the item first. You wouldn’t buy a new car just because the brakes needed to be replaced, would you? The same goes for many other household items.
Replace it. As a last resort, we can replace things. But even when we do, we can do so mindfully: we can purchase used items, we can buy products from local businesses, or we can downgrade and still have what’s necessary to live a fulfilling life.