Great thought provoking video

[BobBski]

Very insightful video, on life, from a van dwelling couple of 18 months....finite resources

 

[BradKW]

That was really well done...he addressed a number of topics that come up on the forums often. If you have the bandwidth, I'd definitely recommend watching.

There's a recent thread here with "Keeping up with the Jones' " reference, and I've thought before about how that age-old stereotype just doesn't seem to fit me or really anyone I know anymore. In this video I found a quote which I think fits today much better: "If they can afford it, surely we can too?"

I've caught myself with that mindset more than once...I'd look at someone's nice vehicle or home, consider what they do for a living and guesstimate what they make, and think "well, that may look really expensive, but if they can afford it, I bet I could too."

This has really little to do with wanting something based on manipulating the perception of others, but more about how being able to "afford" something has morphed into "can I afford the payments?" Long-term revolving debt has become so common that it seems normal, and it takes effort to not think like that.

 

[WriterMs]

For those with limited bandwidth, the video does have a great message about how "normal" society in North America works to make us feel like resources such as electricity, water and gas are unlimited. He says he and his wife never worried about turning off lights in their apartment or leaving water running while they brush their teeth. But after 19 months of living in a van with 18 gallons of water on board and a small amount of solar -- they now "get it" that just because you CAN pay the utility bills it does not mean the resources are limitless.

His delivery is a bit dramatic, but it is well done.