We don't need this thing. What things shouldn't you spend money on? Specialized kitchen tools

In short, it is written in one piece, if the word carries statement, and is written separately if it carries negation.

Are these the right things?

No, not needed. (Necessity is denied).

In the last example, it can also be written together, if the need is not denied, but the uselessness is affirmed.

If written together, then the sentence will be equivalent to the following:

No, useless.

Detailed description

Adjectives are written together with " not"If they acquire opposite meaning with this particle. In such cases, as a rule, they can be replaced by an affirmative synonym without " not". For example: " useless», « nonsensical», « extra».

Note. It is not always possible to find an exact synonym, but the affirmative connotation of the word speaks of a continuous spelling.

Leave everything unnecessary and follow me.

2. Written apart if there is or implied opposition.

These tools are not necessary, but useless for me.

3. Written apart, if there are explanatory words of negative pronouns and adverbs (starting with “ nor") Or combinations" far from», « not at all», « by no means».

These tools are by no means necessary.

Note 2. If there is an adverb “ at all»Both continuous and separate spellings are possible, which is associated with two meanings in which the specified adverb is used:
1) "perfect, very";
2) "not at all", "in no way";

Compare:

These tools are completely unnecessary. (Completely useless.)

These tools are not needed at all. (Not at all necessary).

The adverb “ at all»:
1) " by no means»;
2) " completely, completely" - v colloquial style speech;

Compare:

Contrary to popular belief, the tools were not needed at all. (Not at all necessary).

He always invented devices of little use, and now they are completely unnecessary, in my opinion. (Completely useless).

4. Written together, if there are adverbs of measure and degree: " very», « very», « extremely», « almost», « utterly", Adverbial expression" supremely" etc.

These are completely unnecessary tools.

6. Written apart in an interrogative sentence, if negation is emphasized:

Did he bring the tools he needed?

Note. But it is written together if negation is not underlined:

These are unnecessary tools, aren't they? = These are useless tools, aren't they?

We live in a consumer society. Recently I had to go through a bitter experience - my father was gone. It is not customary to grieve for the loss of a loved one for a long time, because you need to have time to collect a lot of documents and notify different stations about what happened. Once I completed these tasks, it was time to clean up my late father's apartment.

Where to begin?

In the process of sorting out all the things, I felt like I was out of breath, since each of them was filled with a memory. It took me a week to sort out the boxes that had accumulated in the apartment over the past 10 years. I sold some, donated some, and threw away some of the things.

This process was difficult for me, because my father spent a lot of effort to acquire these things. And I wondered how humanity is destroying the planet, since many of us are busy earning money to buy things that are not needed at all by the owners or their descendants.

Awareness

I decided on an experiment - to refrain from buying any things for two hundred days. Agree, most of those who have a steady income spend money thoughtlessly. Or maybe try to do without supermarkets for a while? Of course, you should not take into account the purchase of food or drugs... If I needed something, I borrowed it or bought not a new thing, but a used one. Through this experiment, I learned 7 key lessons.

Main lessons

The world is not crowded the right things ... When I started selling my father's property, I reviewed thousands of ads on the global network. I was surprised how many things are produced in our country, and then all these dishes, furniture, clothes just end up in a landfill.
Shopping addiction needs to be treated. At the beginning of my experiment, I began to satisfy my need for a particular product by visiting special sites. The assortment of goods was simply amazing, and there were many packaged items on sale that had never been used. From which we can conclude that the buying process itself is not a conscious choice, but the result of influencing our consciousness.
We used to think that used things are not hygienic. ... I decided to record the result of the experiment in a blog and then came across several comments that buying used products is not hygienic. That is, in the understanding of many people, all, even packaged products "are contaminated with foreign microbes." This is very strange, you must admit. Remembering at least the volunteers who are happy to help people by sharing their clothes or furniture. Where did the stereotype come from that this is only suitable for the poor?
Companies need supermarkets ... During all the days of the experiment, I realized that I have no need for supermarkets at all. After all, all the necessary products can be purchased in a small shop near the house, where it is always cozy and polite staff works. When you go to the mall, you are guaranteed to buy unnecessary things that were not originally on your shopping list. In such stores, everything is designed for this, you plan to buy everything at once, and even save money, in reality it turns out differently - you spend much more money than you planned before leaving home.
It is not worth it. After 6 months of absence of spontaneous purchases and refraining from using credit cards, I felt relieved. Morally, it became much easier for me. Life without shopping is great, and you don't have to constantly face the fear of being left without Money... Nothing is worth it.
You can pay to one person, not in a company ... Buying something over the Internet, it turns out that many sellers are decent people who really want to sell something useful to you. In such cases, by the way, bargaining is appropriate, since people are trying to return the money they have invested, and not just make money. These sellers will be happy if you make a purchase, unlike the cashiers in the malls. And you will be happy knowing that your money will end up in the pocket of an adequate person, and not a ruthless company.
I don't need much ... Of course, there are certain things that need to be bought only new, for example, personal hygiene products. Reasonable purchases allow you to stabilize your financial situation, because you must admit that it is much better when incomes exceed expenses. I can afford to relax with friends and take a taxi home, but I do not feel stress, but only peace of mind. We often attach importance to things that don't really matter. My opinion - in the best way living in peace is the pursuit of minimalism. And to understand this, I had to endure a bitter loss - the death of my father. Hope this article helps you understand a lot. published by

I, perhaps, agree with the statement of Socrates. Indeed, there are many different things in the world: necessary, optional and unnecessary. As Socrates said: "Easy pastime and pleasures received immediately, without labor, neither the body can give strength, nor the soul does not deliver any valuable knowledge; on the contrary, studies combined with hard work lead to the achievement of moral perfection." opinion, by pleasure, he meant things that are not needed and without which you can do without losing anything.These things are easily accessible, but they also take away the main thing - time.

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Hello. I think here you can agree with these two philosophers. I agree with Lao Tzu because for any old unnecessary thing you can think of new life... So it is with emotional feelings, with material, etc. Time passes and unnecessary thoughts, feelings go to the old plan and new emotions will always come to a new life, while the old ones will remain in the same memories. And we give new life to these memories, set new goals, using life experience that no one needs.
But Socrates also speaks correctly. You need to give up unnecessary things. Probably they were created in order to be unnecessary in a timely manner, and they always get rid of old rubbish in order to acquire a new one. This is the essence of life. We gain something, but we need to get rid of something!

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Good evening! I agree with Socrates because, I believe, not every thing in the world can be useful to a person in one or another branch. A person has exactly as much as he needs for life. Sometimes, for whatever reason, a person cannot acquire this or that thing, but it so happens that this thing is simply not needed by a person. Thus, each person has his own value, his own essence of the thing that he needs. After all, there is no such thing as a lot or a little, there is exactly as much as a person desires. When we want this or that thing, we acquire it, but after a few days it turns out that we do not need it at all, and we do this the second and the other time. Before you buy something you need to think, but do I need it? And for what? And will there be any benefit to me from this thing? It is better to follow the fact that many things in the world and in truth are unnecessary for us. And if you have already acquired some thing, then be kind and appreciate it, next time you will be wiser. I totally agree with Socrates!

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Hello! On reflection, I agree with the quote of Socrates, and at the same time I support Lao Tzu's statement. There are, indeed, many things in the world that we do not need. But we need these things, and someone needs these things. For example, I have a lot of new all kinds of clothes that I did not wear for some reason. But there are the poor, homeless, deprived of everything, who would be in dire need of clothing. Everyone has their own unnecessary things. But if you do not need them, this does not mean that others do not need them either.

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After reading these statements of two philosophers, I can say that I adhere to the point of view of the philosopher Socrates. Since, a person does not always need a thing in life. For example, if a car is not important to me in my life, it has no value for me, then I will not buy it either.
But, on the other hand, Socrates means most likely the moral values of a person. For example, someone values their honor, while another does not need it at all, and therefore such a "thing" a person will no longer need.
Therefore, here it is worth thinking not only about material things, but also about spiritual ones. After all, for whom this or that thing will be more expensive than gold, and for whom it has no value at all, or does not need it at all.

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I cannot choose a certain side, since both philosophers are right to one degree or another, the quotes colorfully and succinctly reflect the essence of the human mood and the desire for perfection. But, however, Socrates's quote does not at all contradict Lao Tzu's quote, because Socrates does not make statements about the use of things, especially for any specific purposes. On the contrary, he confirms that in our life there are many things that we do not use, and that we do not encounter many things at all. Accordingly, we do not need them! And if a person lacks a grasp of something, then an inquisitive mind connects, and we begin to look for a thing that could replace what is missing. We use things that are already unusable in one area or another, slightly modifying them and start using them again. Then Lao Tzu's statement will be appropriate!
For example, a teacher has his own piggy bank, where there are many unnecessary things, but he does not throw them away because he knows that they can sooner or later serve for some purpose.
That is why, in my opinion, both philosophers are right. Yes, there are many things in the world that I do not need, and yes, if a thing that is not suitable for one purpose, therefore, it can be used for another.

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Good afternoon, Svetlana Leonidovna. Great and wise philosophers offer us a little speculation. I personally am of the opinion of SOCRATES. Why do we need things? Apply in practice! But we never use many of them. Even the ones that just bought. Why? Yes, only because the impulse to buy a beautiful thing obscures a simple and important thought, why you need it, you need it. Many things, in essence, remain in the chest "for later", they will suddenly come in handy. And these chests with things, already dusty and "decayed", we finally take to the landfill, thereby making room for new "unnecessary" things. Lao Tzu is also right when he says that things can be used for other purposes. Yes! But if there are not many of these things, and you know what these things are and where they are. But, if you have a lot of these things, most likely you will buy or make a new thing, for a specific purpose, than you will look for it in your "chests" in order to apply it not for its intended purpose. How many practices do educators have, various games, manuals, etc. They are accumulated every year, because new games, manuals, and developments are being made. It's a pity to throw them away, and they lie dead weight in boxes, boxes, and closets ... Only sometimes, there is a general cleaning, everything is revised, very old developments ... are thrown away, something is taken out and used, and the rest is folded back into " long box ". And again the games are being prepared ... etc.
Free up your space. Breathe freely. There are so many things that I, and you, do not need.

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Hello, I believe that both philosophers are right to some extent. After all, there are things that really become unnecessary for us, but for some we find a new use, give them a new life. That is why Socrates and Lao Tzu are right, we do not need everything, but we do not throw everything away. Also, from a spiritual point of view, we forget about something and it becomes unnecessary for us, but we take care of something and find a use for it. for any purpose.

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Hello, Svetlana Leonidovna!
I agree with the quote by Socrates and Lao Tzu. Indeed, there are things that do not constitute any value in life. We acquire them, and then get rid of them without hesitation, or use it for some other need. And of course, again, depending on what things are we talking about? You need to look at things with an open eye and understand why you need them.

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Hello! Svetlana Leonidovna. According to legend, Socrates said these words when he entered a rich house and examined its decoration.
I heard it a few years ago, I agreed intellectually. But I really felt them deeply, I realized them now.
What did Socrates say? Yes, that the more you can create, the less your desire to acquire, consume, absorb. I realized that the more stable your self-esteem, the less you need to reinforce it with elegant fashionable exquisite clothes, furniture, accessories, chains, a luxury car, a director's chair.
I began to appreciate and love in a new way those things of mine that I classify as "tools". I choose them carefully, because they are my assistants who come to the rescue in a tense moment. Sparing no expense for their purchase, because these are a computer, a camera, a car. I am attentive to the state of my house, because it protects me from bad weather and heat, accepts me and my family and helps to rest and gain strength for new steps forward.
And everything else ...
Souvenir shops, endless rows of counters with clothes, furniture, jewelry, something generally incomprehensible to me - they are always full of customers. Psychologically, they are vital.

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Hello, Svetlana Leonidovna.
Each philosopher born in his era thought in his own way.
Socrates and Lao Tzu believe both are right in their statements.
Each person has a different concept of the value of things. Someone will first acquire a thing without thinking about whether he needs it. And some, before purchasing, will very well weigh the pros and cons. But there are people who will still have this thing or not. I think every sane person should have his own concept and reasoning about the meaning of things, both materially and spiritually.

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Hello, Svetlana Leonidovna.
I agree with the Socrates quote.
You don't have to have a yacht, a car, or a lot of money to be happy. It is much more important not to be burdened by the past, to enjoy the present (here and now), not to need anything and not to be afraid of the future.

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Hello, Svetlana Leonidovna.
I believe that Socrates is right, indeed, there are so many things in the world that I do not need. But Lao Tzu is also right. If a thing is not suitable for one purpose, it can be used for another. For example, I was presented with some thing that, from my point of view, I do not need. She lies idle, but now I have an idea to make a craft out of this thing and take it to work, in Kindergarten where it comes in handy!
I would combine these two sayings into one: "There are so many things that I do not need, but if a thing is not suitable for one purpose, it can be used for another."
Udovina Galina

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Hello, Svetlana Leonidovna!
“There are so many things in the world that I don’t need” (Socrates)
Many things we really do not need in life, but our human way of life in everyday life, says the opposite. We are accustomed to stock up on "just in case", "and suddenly come in handy", but from my point of view, this is not right. We ourselves litter our lives with unnecessary things. It is necessary to take as a rule: clarity, necessity and necessity.

“There is a thing that is not suitable for one purpose, it can be used for another” (Lao Tzu).
Maybe you are right. But in life, the priority of the goal should prevail. If I set a goal, then I should go to it, and not exchange opinions.
And in conclusion:
How many people, so many opinions. There is no one in life. Some will adhere to the opinion of Socrates, others Lao Tzu. Therefore, you need to set a purposeful goal and strive for it. Develop and try to live by the rules.

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It's hard to say which phrase is closer to me. There is some truth in both one and the other. I agree with the Socratic phrase, because it is probably difficult to imagine a person who can use all things, objects, since a person is limited by life time, interests, profession, social circle, etc. and, on the other hand, Lao Tzu's phrase appeals to me, since all people are again different. And it's great when a person can come up with a non-standard purpose of a thing. This is a trait of a creative personality or, conversely, a pragmatic one. At the expense of such people, society is changing, progress is taking place.

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Hello, Svetlana Leonidovna!
Janusz Korczak "How to love a child"
"to lie - not to lie, to steal - not to steal ..."
My principle: "Let the child sin" is not beautifully written, paradoxically not beautiful and not clever ... The child begins to learn the surrounding phenomena and life in all its manifestations, offered by the parents while still in the crib ... Loving the child does not mean that it is necessary, smiling, to pick up a nipple for him, which he throws on the floor or carelessly and already rudely pushes the glass of milk and pours it ... Mom in the eyes ... Already catches on the word and on the actions of the parents!
Growing up a child acquires life experience For parents, for many he remains a child for many and even very many years. Parents' love for a child globally depends on themselves. What are they different. Let's list this series: drunkards and rowdy, brawlers, nervous patients, drug addicts , with a criminal past. Well, very positive parents: judges, lawyers, teachers, diplomats, presidents ... Now we will directly answer the question: Korczak Ya. "How to love a child." What should be the dose of "bad for vaccination? growing up, acquires a colossal experience: bad and good. A clever parent, with his love, guides the child on the right path: punishes (as he does), forgives, knowing that the child has thoroughly realized what he has done and "wound", as they say, "on a mustache." Loving a child means putting him on his feet. Trying to make him an honest, fair, naturally intelligent person, well, educated. This is how you need to love a child ...

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Hello, Svetlana Leonidovna!
"There are so many things in the world that I don't need" (Socrates
ancient Greek thinker and philosopher).
Things that surround a person, starting from birth, childhood, adolescence and adulthood, are needed as needed. First, we note: in order to survive, that is. for an elementary existence in the world around him. Things - to eat, develop mentally and physically, have a relatively normal rest, sleep ... The presence of things that are needed and surround a person completely from the "type" of this person, so to speak, from his attitude , character, his hobbies. Basic, ie global aspirations to achieve something more in life, as well as a "hobby", ie. small hobbies.Each person has their own individual ...
Socrates, a thinker and philosopher who lived in ancient historical times, had his own living environment and those things that he encountered in everyday life. He used those things that interested him, that he needed, that were in his area of attention. ..
From here we will say that there was a lot of things that he did not need and naturally he did not use them. In our present time of the 20th century, with an even greater mass of things, aspirations and hobbies, similarly for any person (individual), many things are not needed ...
"If a thing is not suitable for one purpose, it can be used for another" (Lao Tzu-Chinese philosopher and thinker).
In those very old and ancient times, such a huge country like China with a huge population even then did not live and develop so comfortably ...
The large population lacked exactly those things that Lao Tzu mentions.
If a thing is not suitable for one purpose, it was partially altered, modified and used for another purpose, or in general this thing (a device, all kinds of tools, machinery, mechanisms were used for other purposes. They worked, performing other functions, operations, obtaining a certain positive result.
As a result, our little philosophy based on these two statements of the great thinkers and philosophers Socrates and Lao Tzu is as follows ... The great thinkers and philosophers Socrates and Lao Tzu, in my opinion, of course, are both right.

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Hello, Svetlana Leonidovna!
"There are so many things in the world that I don't need" Socrates
"If a thing is not suitable for one purpose, it can be used for another."
Lao Tzu
These statements sound different, but I agree with both Socrates and Lao Tzu. One quote complements the other. Each person interprets them depending on their visions, experiences, fantasies.
If you look at the generation of our grandmothers, then each thing was necessary, because it was obtained by a hard way, and was kept in the house for many years and was always used.
But now we live in a civilized world in which everything is. When buying a new thing, we try to throw it away or give the old one to someone.
Everyone decides for himself what he needs and what does not. However, indeed we sometimes surround ourselves with things that are not at all necessary. As they say, just in case.
If a person from the civilized world is swapped with a person from a tribe who lives in harmony only with nature and with himself, he will not be able to survive there without "supposedly unnecessary" and necessary things to which he is accustomed.

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I believe Lau Tzu is right. A thing that is not suitable in one, may be useful in another. A person must be differently developed. If a thing does not suit him in one, he can accept it in another.

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Hello, Svetlana Leonidovna! I agree with the statement of Socrates. According to legend, Socrates said these words when he entered a rich house and examined its decoration. Indeed, we surround ourselves with things that, in fact, we do not need, but there are times when unnecessary things become my helpers who come to the rescue in a tense moment. For example wrench it may be needed once and lie for years, or it may be needed the next day. But I also agree with Lao Tzu's statement. There are a lot of things that one thinks they are unnecessary, while others need these same things to create beautiful, and sometimes irreplaceable items. For example, traffic jams from plastic bottles, from which you can make a beautiful garland or from unnecessary car tire flower bed. From there my conclusion: that unnecessary things become necessary. If you have a developed imagination and if you can create, then an unnecessary thing for you will turn into an object for creating something beautiful, necessary, and useful.

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Hello Svetlana Leonidovna. I am more inclined to the statement of Lao Tzu "If a thing is not suitable for one purpose, it can be used for another." Let me give you an example, 2017 has been declared the year of ecology. A thing that has served a person can find a second life. For example, any packing boxes can serve as bird feeders, substitute toys for children, and pass waste paper to save the forest. Those things that are not needed according to Socrates (everyday things) can be useful in various charity events.

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Hello Svetlana Leonidovna.
One can agree with the statement of Socrates, indeed there are many things in our life that one can do without. For example, you can live without fashionable gadgets, internet, TV, car, etc. And you don't have to be fashionable! To follow fashion means to live by someone else's opinion, and not to be the master of yourself and your life!
It is more difficult to agree with Lao Tzu's statement, since each created thing always has its own functional, direct purpose and there is simply no need to look for any additional functions.

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The statements of both philosophers are equally close to me.
Let's turn to history ...
Socrates lived in constant need. "The less a man needs, the closer he is to the gods."
He did not care about supporting the family. "You have to eat to live, not live to eat."
Socrates always walked around the city barefoot, in one cape. Often, looking at the many things put up for sale, he said to himself: "There are so many things in the world that I can do without." And this was relevant for him, since he was used to being content with little.
In our time, Socrates would be called a minimalist.
A minimalist is a person who values his time and spends it on his family, and does not flip through a ton of unnecessary information in search of something incomprehensible, a person who appreciates simple things and simple relationships with them, a person who understands that comfort in the house is created with with the help of their own special gizmos, valuable for their history, and not bought in a fit of shopaholism at a random sale
A person who adheres to the principles of minimalism rather deliberately refuses unnecessary purchases - because he understands that you should not overload your home and life with things, that it is quite possible to do without a new acquisition - he does not suffer if he refuses to spend.
I think minimalism is fortunately a universal worldview. And everyone can apply it to their life situation to the extent that they are ready, and based on their own needs.
And now regarding Lao Tzu's statement “If a thing is not suitable for one purpose, it can be used for another”, I would like to recall one parable. Diogenes (who was sleeping in a barrel) once saw a child drinking water from a stream, scooping it up in handfuls. “Old goof! - shouted the sage, immediately grabbed an earthen jug from the knapsack and smashed it to smithereens. - And I have been dragging this weight with me for so many years. And that's it…
We are educators, we teach children to create at first glance from unnecessary things.
And things that have outlived their time acquire a new life. And that's great!

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Hello Svetlana Leonidovna! Both statements are suitable in our time and everyone will understand it in their own way. I stick more to Socrates. Life is one and you do not need to live in the past, you need to go forward!

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Hello, Svetlana Leonidovna. I believe that both philosophers are right as they live and Socrates says that there are many things that he does not need, but he does not think and does not want to think about what he does not have, but Lao Tzu says that how much you don’t need every unnecessary thing and absolutely every one can be used for other purposes, but if there are a lot of things and they are really not needed, then you need to revise your chests and say to cleanse your thoughts and your house from unnecessary things. You always need to think before you commit acts, because today you can say that you do not need “this”, and tomorrow you will not be able to live without “this” and everyone has their own idea of what he needs and what does not. It is worth respecting your choice and the choice of your loved ones, many people think that they don’t need this or that thing, but they don’t think about their loved ones, because if you don’t need this thing, it’s not a fact that your loved one cannot but need it. You need to take care of things and not think about where to put it or where to put it, you need to think about the fact that this or that thing can be used somewhere else, adapted to another place, in any case, I think that things need to be protected.

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Hello, Svetlana Leonidovna. I think both great philosophers are right. Indeed, there are things that some people do not need, but other people need. It all depends on the person himself, on his hobbies and type of activity. Each thing has its own purpose, and if it is already there and named, then someone really needs it. Socrates said very wisely and gave food for thought. There are things that are in people's homes and they do not use them at all, then it's worth thinking. why do you need to store it at all? You can offer to give it to someone and then this thing will be in demand for more than one year. Lao Tzu says that one thing can be used for other purposes. I began to think about what things can be used for another purpose. And I found many bright and wonderful ideas. I came to the conclusion that the statements of Socrates and
Lao Tzu can be combined into one statement. Things that are not needed can be used for other purposes and enjoy things with a new history.

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Elena Yarunina
I will probably support the statements of both philosophers, since Socrates’s statement contains the truth that in fact the things that we have sometimes turn out to be completely unnecessary for us. But we do not always get rid of them. And here the truth points to the statements of the philosopher Lao-tzu, since it really happens often - a thing that seemed completely unnecessary to us suddenly acquires a second life if we find it in a completely different application. And even if we do not give them a second life, we can give it to others, giving these things we do not need, to those whom they can still serve….

We all buy things from time to time that we don't really need, and it's okay to allow yourself this, but only as long as you control it. If it becomes more and more difficult to deal with the disorderly, impulsive purchases, after which you are tormented by remorse, then pay attention to the instructions below, which, perhaps, will correct your brains.

Understand How Your Brain Is Working Against You

It's no secret that stores use a variety of tricks to get them to part with your money, and your brain is actively helping them in this. Here are some of the tricks that stores can use to manipulate customers.

Colour. Stores use color to make products more attractive, and they also use a specific color on price tags. Red is eye-catching and can motivate you to take action, as it is commonly associated with advertisements. So when you see red, remember: with this color they are trying to manipulate your brain.

Location of goods. Before you get to what you really need, you will have to pass by many unnecessary but seductive things. Before going to the store, make a list of everything you need. And when you enter the trading floor, go straight to these things, imagining that they only sell them here.

The touch factor. Items that a store wants to sell faster are usually positioned so that they can be easily reached and touched. Do not do that! As soon as you pick up something, you will most likely buy, because your mind suddenly feels like the owner of this object.

Smells and sounds. Upon entering the store, you can hear classic, sweet tunes. Nice music makes you happy and joyful, and a familiar tune makes you feel comfortable. Pleasant scents are also used to turn off your mind. A happy mind placed in a comfortable environment is a very dangerous combination for the wallet. There is almost nothing you can do about it, unless you buy products online. But at least you should be aware that you are being manipulated.

Of course, you can blame the stores for everything, but the way they operate will not change. All we can do is know how our brains fall for their bait. Even if there were no stores, the brain would still be working against you - due to some cognitive biases.

For example, the so-called confirmation bias forces you to believe only information that matches your previous beliefs, and everything else is considered less significant.

Advertisers use this feature directly, convincing you that one item is better than another, accompanied by visual images and other gimmicks, and all this is often completely unrelated to specific facts. So treat everything with an open mind.

Make a list of everything you have and get rid of the junk

Now that you know what you are struggling with, it's time to change the way you think. Before you stop buying unnecessary junk, you need to define what exactly is meant by that word. The first step along this path is making a list of all the things you own. This may seem like an extreme, however, in order to reprogram your mind, you have to collect all the possible data.

The purpose of this exercise is twofold: you will see what you already have and therefore do not need to buy again. Plus you can see what you shouldn't have bought at all.

When all your property is on the list, break it down into categories. In doing so, it is extremely important, as much as possible, to be honest with yourself.

"Necessary": This thing is absolutely necessary for you, as it is used daily.
“Only needed sometimes”: you don’t need this thing every day, but you use it periodically.
“Want”: you bought this item because you wanted it, not because you needed it.
"Trash": you cannot explain why you need this thing.

Leave the items marked as “necessary”, put the items marked as “junk” in a box for disposal later, and turn your attention to those listed in the categories “only needed sometimes” and “want”. As you look at the lists of things in these categories, ask yourself three questions:

When was the last time I used this item?
When will I use it again?
Does this thing bring joy?

That being said, remember to be honest with yourself. There is nothing wrong with keeping things that you once wanted. These things can bring joy to many people, but you need to make sure that the things on your want list are truly enjoyable and are actively used.

If a thing is rarely used or its use does not make you happier, it should be sent to the "trash". And before you get rid of the junk, take a picture of all these things together. Print the photo or save it to your computer. Some of these things are probably gifts, but in general, all this is junk that you once bought and which now you do not need.

See how much money and time you spent on things that you threw away

Now take another look at the junk category and calculate how much you spent on it. Remember the junk picture mentioned above?

Attach the total value of all your junk to it so that the number is clearly visible.

With the money sorted out, now let's look at other expenses.

Time is the same resource as any other, and the resource is finite. Remember how much time you spent buying these things, and how long you used them, write down these numbers. Estimates may be rough, but add up the time spent. Now attach the resulting number to the above picture and think of other activities that you could spend all this time on. This should provide your brain with information in an easy-to-understand form.

Intangible things that make you happier

It's time to make another list. Material things can bring a lot of joy, but there are other things in our life - they cannot be bought, but they make us happy.

List them on a separate sheet of paper. If it can't be bought, it should be on the list. It doesn't matter if it only makes you smile or you jump for joy - list everything. It is likely that these are the things you really need. Remember this when you go to the store.

If you can't remember your list, put it in your wallet. And the next time you feel an overwhelming urge to buy something, expand the list and remind yourself why you don't need it.

Stay away from material things for a while, this will clarify a lot.

If you're really starting to have serious spending problems, it may be helpful to move away from material things entirely.

When you are constantly surrounded by things and have the ability to buy them, it can be very difficult to break the habit of impulse buying.

Spend the day in the park, go hiking with friends, or go sightseeing where you haven’t been before.

Basically, you have to prove to yourself that you don't need new purchases to have a good time. When you understand how much pleasure you can get without all these trinkets, you will find the strength to resist the urge to buy them.

Create a personal test called "Do I need to buy this?"

If you don't have such a test, now is the time to develop one. When in your field of vision there is a thing that you think you need (or that you really want), then before you buy it, it must pass your test. Use in it the data that you collected before. Here are some important questions:

Is this a planned acquisition?
Will this thing end up on the trash list?
Where will I put it?
Will my budget allow it?
Why do I want it?

The test should take into account all of your weaknesses. If you are making a lot of impulse purchases, it should include questions that solve the problem. If you have any remorse after a purchase, there should be a lot of questions in the test that make you think about using the item after you buy it.

For example, you have a soft spot for high-tech gadgets. Ask yourself what kind of problem the purchased gadget solves. If you cannot clearly answer this question or you already have a device that solves this problem, then you do not need to buy a new one.

Learn to postpone pleasure and destroy the very urge to buy impulse

We love to have immediate pleasure, and impulsive purchases generate new rushes of pleasure. We like to think that we are in control of our impulses, but in reality, the opposite is true, and this is the main problem for our wallet.

The solution is to tell the brain that waiting for pleasure is good. You can do this whenever you want something. Look at what you are planning to buy, then run that thing through the personal test mentioned above and step back for a while.

When you come back to this thing again, you will find that you only want the pleasure associated with the process of buying this thing, and not the thing itself.

If you buy something online, you can do the same: just step away from your desk, or put your smartphone in your pocket and do something else.

You can also avoid unnecessary spending by making the buying process as difficult as possible. Block websites of online stores if your card doesn't have a lot of money. At regular stores, try not to buy things when you are hungry, angry, lonely, or simply tired, as these all overwhelm your ability to think rationally.

The last thing to consider when it comes to impulse purchases is called fake substitution. As Trent Hamm explained on The Simple Dollar blog, artificial substitution can happen if you reduce the time you spend on your primary interests:

“Every time I consistently cut the time devoted to the main interests in my life, I began to yearn for them. On my “typical day” I did spend a lot of time with my family, but my other two interests were missing. And as it went on for a long time, I actually began to read less. I really started to play less board games with friends. What happened next? And then I began to compensate for my frustrations: if I can't sit down and read a book for a couple of hours, I'll look for an alternative way to fill in the tiny gaps of time that I managed to carve out. And I start spending money. "

There are probably tons of fun things in your life, so try not to substitute impulse purchases for them. Always monitor if you are happy and if you have enough time to do what you love to do the most. So you will not have a subconscious desire to fill the void with useless rubbish.

Multiply your money saved

After you reprogram your mind and stop buying unnecessary junk, you have some free cash. Invest this money in your future. Perhaps you need new house, or a new car, or something else. But you won't get anything if you don't plan ahead.

Start by paying off whatever debts you have. Payments on loans, tuition fees, and even gasoline fees can make you live paycheck to paycheck.

Pay off small debts first, then large ones, and then stop creating new debts. Decide which payments are primary and which are secondary, create a payment schedule.

With debt cleared, create a rainy day fund.

No matter how well you planned everything, accidents, illnesses and emergencies have not been canceled.

After paying off your debts and preparing for difficult times, you can start saving for something serious. The money not wasted on the purchase of unnecessary junk can be saved, invested and multiplied, which will allow you to acquire a little more safety and comfort.

You've worked hard to reprogram your mind, so make sure you reap the benefits of your work for years to come.

The biggest disappointments in our life are associated with unjustified expectations. This is especially evident in relationships with other people. But if you stop expecting too much from others, you will free yourself from unnecessary suffering and will be able to focus on the things that really matter.

1. Don't expect people to agree with you about everything.
You deserve to be happy. You deserve to live your life the way you dream. Therefore, do not let someone else's opinions lead you astray. You are not in this world to live up to the expectations of other people, just as other people do not live to fully live up to your expectations. In fact, if you yourself approve of the decisions made, you do not need anyone's approval.

Take the risk of being yourself and relying on your gut, even if you are shy or afraid. Don't compare yourself to others or be jealous of their success.

2. Don't expect people to respect you if you don't respect yourself.
Strength is in the fortitude of the spirit, not the muscles. Strength lies in the presence of principles and self-confidence, a willingness to demonstrate and defend them. Understand that others will not show you love, respect, and attention until you value yourself.

It is important to be kind to others, but it is equally important to be kinder to yourself.

When you love and respect yourself, you give yourself the opportunity to be happy.

And when you are happy, you become better: best friend, best husband or wife, better son or daughter, better version of yourself.

3. Stop waiting for everyone to like you.
With some people, you may feel useless, unworthy, with others, you may not feel your own worth. Don't forget your value. And spend time with people who appreciate you.

No matter how well you treat other people, there is always at least one negative person who will criticize you. Smile, ignore, and move on.

Sometimes people can judge you for being "different." But it’s actually wonderful. What makes you different from others makes you who you are. And in the end, you will always find people who will appreciate you for who you are.

4. Don't expect the other person to be the way you want them to be.
To love and respect others is to allow them to be themselves.

When you stop expecting others to match your idea of what is right, you begin to truly appreciate them.

Respect others for who they are, rather than pressuring them to change. We cannot thoroughly know another person (despite the fact that we sometimes think so). And discovering new facets of his soul, character is always wonderful. And the more you get to know another person, the easier it will be for you to appreciate him and see his beauty.

5. Stop waiting for people to read your mind.
You probably know that people can't read minds. They will never know how you really feel if you do not tell about it yourself. For example, your boss might not consider a promotion if you don't talk to him yourself. And a nice guy or girl will never talk to you because you are too shy: how can he or she talk to you if you are constantly hiding from them?

It is extremely important to communicate with others regularly. You just need to strain your vocal cords and say the first word. You have to tell people what you think. It's simple, you just need to start.

6. Don't expect the person to suddenly change.
A common misconception is that if you take good care of someone, eventually they will stop disappointing you and change. No, it will not change. If you really want to change something in the behavior of another person, put all the cards on the table, tell everything as it is, so that he understands how you feel and what you need.

You cannot change another in an instant, you shouldn't even try. Either accept it as it is, or continue living without it.

When you try to change others, most of the time they stay the same. But when you support people, give them complete freedom, they miraculously change themselves.

7. Stop waiting for everything to be okay by itself.
Be kinder to those around you, because people around you can be difficult too. Every smile hides a tense inner struggle, often with the same problems as yours.

We are all endowed with the ability to go ahead through adversity and adversity, instead of avoiding them. Support, participation, and compliance are the best gifts in life. We get them often. We need to learn to accept them, because we all share the same dreams, needs and aspirations.

People don't always behave the way we want them to. As they say, we hope for the best and expect the worst. Remember, your happiness is in direct proportion to your thoughts and your choice of how you look at things. And always remember that if people made you feel something new or taught you something new, it means that they did not appear in your life for nothing, despite all the difficulties.

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