A Tough Question


Was watching "Fight Club" the other night and in it Brad Pitt's character opines that you don't own your possessions, but your possessions own you. As applied to our hobby the question becomes, do you own your system, or does your system own you?

There have been times in my audiophile progression that my system has definitely had me be the short hairs, but as of late I've felt like I'm the one in control, at least most of the time. Basically, when I'm enjoying music, I'm on top. When I'm concentrating on the sound of the system, then the system has the upper hand. Unfortunately, my system generally sound quite good, but it's far from perfect and there's always something I know I could do to improve it's overall performance. As a result, I'm never sure where I stand. Do you know where you stand?
128x128onhwy61
Distortion, nice phrasing. We are not owned by objects but by our intentions.

P.S. Thanks for the kind words Kublakhan
Distortion, that's like the alcoholic who says "I can stop drinking any time I want." Unless you stop there is no real reason to beleive that you can.

It is disengenuous to say you are not owned by your possesions, cars wives, homes. They are the controling factors in your life. The lawn must be mown. It is not a question of whether you want to mow it!

A person has obligations whether they choose to voice them or not. My wife does not demand quality time with me, since it is an implication of marriage.

I can deny my obligations but that does not change the reality of them. Your statement of ownership is true to a degree. There is no title deed involved in stereo ownership (for example) but by the place of priority given it, ownership is implied.

The Burger King hamburger does indeed own you as long as it is within the confines of your digestive tract. It should provide sustanence for your body, and thereby you are dependent on it. It is more likely though that you will have to fight of the debilitating effects of having eaten it! Then it really owns you, until your immune system finally defeats the hamburger.

You cannot 'bank' time. It will be spent. The issue is not whether you are owned, it is, by what are you owned???

By way of summary, I checked the listening room, and 'I' still own the power cords, or do they own me?
This is a light subject, there really is no right or wrong. I may have overstepped, getting to serious, and for that I apologize. Sometimes I get too wound up. I certainly understand we all feel enslaved by our desires from time to time.

I prefer a tough love approach =)
Good lord "alcoholism" is quite serious, surely you cant be comparing an audio hobby with "alcoholism."

Maybe I am wrong about the Hamburger, but until I start eating audio gear for sustenance, awww never mind.

Disengenious or not, you need to have a talk with my neighbor, he clearly isnt "owned" by his lawn. This time year you can barely make out his roofline through the jungle.

Maybe its a matter of "pride of ownership?" I take pride in alot of things, but ultimately my yard, house, stereo, and other material things, are reflective of me and the workand time that bestow upon them.
Distortion, I loved your last post. It made me laugh. Say "hi" to the neighbor if you ever see him again!
We can have different opinions and still share the same enjoyment!
Cheers!