Soundscape #103: The Things You Own…
October 3rd, 2008I think many would agree that the things we own directly or indirectly say things about us. While I wouldn’t imply that all of us are inevitably shallow and doomed to be materialistic, I would still like to think that the things we own, whether material or not, do in fact, define us to a certain extent. Even if you don’t care about what others think of you in your ratty clothes, that’s still a pretty accurate definition of you, no?
But I’m more interested in the flip side. I believe that as much as the things you own define you, the things you lack and want go a long way too in understanding the type of person you are. In the simplest sense, let’s say that you take public transport to work but long for that day where you can afford, say, a mini cooper. Let’s say that you are completely serious and have been budgeting your monthly salary to save up for one. As far as others around you are concerned, you are in fact, “someone who’s saving up for a mini cooper.”
No problem with that of course. But the problem comes when these definitions are all that define you. Instead of being a good father, mother, sister, brother etc, you become someone who “has the latest Hummer, the new it bag, the coolest games and the most expensive clothes.” It’s alright, even healthy, to want things; it’s not cool when these things start to own you.
Playlist:
1. (0:00) Yo La Tengo – Can’t Seem To Make You Mine (Camp Yo La Tengo)
2. (3:23) The National – Friend Of Mine (Alligator)
3. (6:50) The Smiths – I Want The One I Cannot Have
4. (10:02) Badly Drawn Boy – The Way Things Used To Be (Born In The U.K.)
5. (14:48) The Mountain Goats – Pale Green Things (The Sunset Tree)
6. (19:07) Belle & Sebastian – Simple Things (The Boy With The Arab Strap)
7. (20:52) Franz Ferdinand – Do You Want To (You Could Have It So Much Better)
8. (24:30) Portishead - All Mine (Roseland NYC)
9. (28:33) Lucky Soul – Ever Yours I Remain (Add Your Light To Mine, Baby)
10. (31:40) Teenage Fanclub – I Don’t Want Control Of You (Songs From Northern Britain)
11. (34:44) Toad The Wet Sprocket – All I Want
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