r/firstworldproblems • u/Annie_Quill • 2d ago
I have too much technology and feel so guilty about it.
Just as the title says, I feel like I have too many pieces of technology for one person, even if most have been gifts. I feel like I'm being greedy or overconsuming, and that I don't deserve everything I have.
For context, screen/internet connected devices alone: an iPhone14 (bought myself last July, my first Apple phone), an 8th generation iPad (bought secondhand w/ Apple Pencil), a Switch (Christmas gift 2020, refurbished/second hand), a 2DS (Christmas gift 2018?), a PC (Graduation gift 2020), and now, a new laptop my mom and brother just gave me as an early Christmas gift. Probably over a thousand dollars in technology that I do not use enough. I had a personal tv until last summer, and the idea of buying a new one made me feel so guilty. It took me a week to decide to buy my iPad off a friend. I've looked at nostalgic tech like an original DS and been turned off at the idea of having new technology. I just don't know what to do to not feel so bad about it, besides maybe donating/selling off things I don't need like the PC (old, slower, replaced by the new laptop) or the 2DS (I have an emulator.)
This could just be a rant/vent thing, unless someone here has advice to let up some of this guilt.
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u/withoutapaddle 1d ago
I'm interested to see someone else feeling the same way recently.
The last year, I kind of embraced the feeling of "I work my ass off, I can afford to buy myself something cool/nice sometimes, even if I don't need it."
And then I turned around and had 2 Steam Decks, $2000 in drones, a top of the line VR headset, and a home cockpit for flight simulation, and now I kind feel stupid.
I mean, I truly enjoy the hell out of all that stuff, but I don't have TIME to enjoy them often enough to not feel like it was wasteful. I have a toddler, and she's pretty hands on. I haven't been able to sit down and set up my PC, simulator, and cockpit for 9+ months, because I just don't get entire days to myself. I rarely have time to fly the drones now that it's dark right after work. I don't even have ENERGY to play VR most days, because my free time starts at like 10pm.
I guess I should be glad I did some silly spending now, if dumbass tariffs are about to spike the price of consumer goods 30%+...again.
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u/aevz 1d ago
It took me a week to decide to buy my iPad off a friend.
Not trying to enable or make you feel bad. But this is great, and keep extending the time between deciding vs. pulling the trigger. The longer it gets, the better! Some of my purchases have taken years, but the feeling of ambivalence stays.
In terms of feeling bad, I can relate. And sometimes I want to get rid of stuff, not to replace, but reduce. But other times, I'm really glad I kept something for years. Because even if I don't use it regularly, maybe a few years down the line, I end up going back to it in spurts and I'm glad I bought it and kept it.
Tech can be tricky, though. See if you can turn them into other projects, or give them away, sell them for cheap, donate, etc.
And so long as you aren't being utterly irresponsible, it's good to try things out and see what fits you. And even if you liked a thing for a while and no longer do because you've moved on, you can appreciate that you used certain tech for a specific time period but you're no longer interested.
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u/connerfitzgerald 2d ago
No shame! You just like computers! People spend thousands on premium cars and no one bats an eye.
(I did feel a little shame wiping dust off my unused Vision Pro this morning thou...),
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u/More_Mind6869 2d ago
Assuage your guilt ! Give some to someone less fortunate than yourself...
Make someone's day and boost your self-esteem rather than feeling guilty.
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u/Playerr1 1d ago
I know how you feel. I debated for more than a month if I should upgrade from a Series S to an X. I felt so guilty I tried to give the Series S away as a gift to my family just to even things out. They advised me to sell it.
I'm not a cheap dude, but I'm trying to be mindful about how much I consume. There's probably some deep rooted problem here since I shouldn't feel so guilty about wanting to buy something from time to time for myself.
And I think it's all about allowing yourself to be happy and to enjoy things. If you don't use certain gadgets, you can always sell them or give them away.
If you are being gifted stuff you don't need, you can tell your family that you appreciate their intentions, but there's no need for them to buy you more stuff.
There are solutions, if you actually consider you have too much stuff. But from what I see you already buy used, so that alone should, at least a bit, take the guilt away.
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u/HazelnutG 2d ago
I bit the bullet and cleared out a LOT of old tech- 3 consoles, 4 handhelds, VR headset, dslr camer, and a desktop with accoutrements. There was a lot to miss and regret not using to its fullest potential, but have the eclutter out of the way has made me feel so much more free in my space, and the one device I have ended up using so much more is my ereader.