Why Are People So Concerned About How Others Spend Their Money?

In all fairness, I should add a third group of people to this example: those who don’t give a crap on neighbor’s house, and are more than happy with their own house. Obviously, this is perfectly fine.

Hi @onhwy61

I clearly see your point with the home/real estate analogy. Homes are in most cases bought for shelter and certainly to some extent as an appreciating investment asset over the course of time. In your example, yes one is definitely a wiser purchase than the other.

High End audio (At least for me) is more in the realm of a pleasure purchase rather than a need/necessity of a home (We all have to live and survive somewhere). It seems that audio is more guided by emotion and desire to enhance one’s connection to the joy of listening to music. I think this is in some ways more complex as it incorporates personal factors that determine satisfaction and happiness.

So for example someone with ample disposable income wants to buy a Robert Koda Takumi preamplifier. Someone else vehemently objects and says a Don Sachs preamplifier is excellent, far cheaper and just makes far more sense. The Koda  Takumi is a waste of money and foolish decision and you’re a gullible idiot (I’ve seen comments to this effect on this forum).

A person is berated by a stranger very critical and disapproving of how disposable income is spent (That is not his by the way). Absolutely none of their business and just plain wrong in my opinion. Different from the house buying scenario you submitted.

Charles

Time is the most valuable currency, what you do with it, who you spend it with, how you use it to help those around you - way more valuable than money...and it provides a better return too!

agree with @mitch2 ​​​​@charles1dad

money, like air and water, is critical for existence, but once you have enough of it to live the way you want, more of it doesn’t add much to the quality of life

so many people spend a lifetime chasing money, obsess over it, treat it as if it is an indicator of self worth -- these are such futile endeavors, once one surpasses what is ’enough’ - people don’t think clearly about the notion of ’enough’ when it comes to material wealth

otoh, time is the critical resource... i think of it this way - with effort and skill, you can fairly easily convert time into money, but when you are out of time, all the money in the world don’t mean a thang...won’t buy an additional minute

even on this forum, we just recently bid farewell to loving souls like almarg and oregonpapa -- their spirits are now gone, what's money got to do with it?  sooo irrelevant

when you are out of time, all the money in the world don’t mean a thang...won't buy an additional minute

I find this a very strange way of looking at life in the 21st century, obviously money purchases a lot of minutes.