Everything I buy is meant to be used
I saw a comment on Instagram the other day, basically saying that nobody uses a fountain pen to write grocery lists. It was some kind of rant about spending R$5,000 on an instrument that does “the same thing” as a three-Real Bic.
First of all, if someone wants to take all their money, roll up the bills, and shove them into various bodily orifices, that’s their problem. If they buy a fountain pen to write grocery lists, that’s also their business.
In my case, I spend some of my money on fountain pens that I use to write grocery lists, among other things. I also spend a fair amount — which many would consider excessive — on mechanical keyboards.
The difference is that I would never try to convince anyone to do the same. These are my choices, made with my money. Likewise, I don’t feel I have the right to tell someone else how they should spend theirs.
Coincidentally, both are writing instruments. Not coincidentally, they are relatively expensive objects that I use all the time because everything I buy is meant to be used. Those who prefer to collect or simply admire their objects are just as entitled to do so as I am.
Besides being used for writing, pens and keyboards have another thing in common for me: they are work instruments. A Bic and a membrane keyboard would do the job just fine; I could work with them without any difficulty. But I didn’t buy a fountain pen or a mechanical keyboard just to solve a problem. I bought them because I enjoy using them.
The smoothness of a steel nib gliding over paper and the “creamy” sound of a mechanical keyboard make my long workdays a little more pleasant. If I’m going to spend a good part of the day writing, I’d rather enjoy the experience.
That’s precisely why I don’t understand the idea of saving good things for special occasions.
To me, writing a grocery list is a special occasion too.
After all, it’s part of my life. And everything I buy is there to be used.