This quite a long story, but it does make me think about it...
So here the story goes...
MONEY MAKES MY WORLD GO AROUND
-BY Haikal Jamari
"What? You think money grows on trees?"
"Do you know how hard it is to earn money?"
Do your parents sound the same? Maybe the actual words differ slightly but the general theme, i suspect, would be similar. I'm sure they all attended the same lecture on "How to respond to your child when they ask for money" in the course called Frugality 101 at the School Of Parenting, University Of Life.
Anyway, my latest encounter came about when i spoke to my parent about my friend Akmal's latest handphone that his parents had bought him. (Hint! Hint!) His handphone boasts a 3.0 megapixel camera that enables him to take photos anytime, anywhere; an organiser to keep him aware of his schedules; a multimedia player that plays songs and videos of various formats; a built-in FM radio to soothe his aural needs; text messages with funky, pre-made emotions for his use; storage space enough for 500+ contacts; and let's not forget the technologies that keep getting better and better - 3G, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and loads more. Cost? S$400. I mean, let's face it folks. What more could one ask for than 101 functions installed in one cool, portable machine?
When it became clear that my hard-hearted parents could not be persuaded to fork out the cash to indulge their lovable, eldest offspring (ME!), i decided to take matters into my own hands and take up a part-time job to earn my own.
It sounded pretty good. S$5 an hour waiting tables at a restaurant in town. It was 'good' until i actually did it, of couse. It was back-breaking work. I had to be on my toes, be courteous and smile all the time until my jaws ached, regardless how ridiculous the patrons' demands are. The customer, after all, is always right. After a month of smiling, struggling and slaving, i brought home my very first pay packet: S$600 - every cent of it hard-earned with blood, sweat and tears.
But something strange happened. Now that i have the money to buy my mean machine, i started having second thoughts about spending so much of what i had to work so hard to earn. Advertisers love to make us think we really need their products, and with the aid of sleek graphics and catchy taglines, they often succeed (which is why they still have their back-breaking jobs). But honestly, how many are really needs? How many are wants?
On my way home from work the other day, i stumbled upon the very handphone model Akmal's parents had bought him; it was on a shop's display and there was a poster right next to it saying that is was on a 20% discount. With more than enough money in my wallet, i immediately went into the shop and, without any hesitation, approached the proprietor to further enquire about the product. However, while he was busy explaining to me the features in detail and why i really need them, my mind began to ponder about various things that didn't occur to me before:
Why would i need a mediocre camera when i already have a superb one that takes high-resolution photos? Is the digital organiser really that necessary when my diary is still more functional? Who would want to watch videos on a tiny 3-inch screen when you have a 32-inch LCD TV at home? Also, i don't really listen to the radio that much when i'm outdoors since i already have an MP3 Player with all my favorite songs in it. In fact, i hardly use the basic emotions, so what's the use of having all the sophisticated ones? And i absolutely don't have as many as 50 contacts to be filled in the phonebook, let alone 500. 3G? Bluetooth? Wi-Fi? When do i use those things anyway? Besides, the handphone i have now is funtioning pretty well actually.
When the shopkeeper finished his sales pitch on the product's magnificence, he asked me whether or not i would like to make a purchase. I remained silent for a short while as i thought to myself whether i needed the device or not.
"Maybe some other time," I told the proprietor, leaving him scowling as i walked out of the shop. Me: 1. Temptation: 0
