What you see is not necessarily what you "get"

There is a problem with the people today. There is a distinct belief that life is nothing more than consumption. There is nothing that define us other than what we buy, what we do and how we spend our time.

I was walking to the mall for lunch today and beyond the festive embellishments to liven the Lunar New Year mood, people constantly seemed obsessed with flashing their wealth on a day where luck and freshly minted cash is the name of the game. People were withdrawing money on a day where 80% of shops are closed and two ATM machines in two separate locations- one which is open and the other in a secluded spot- get totally separate receptions.

Status and consumptions have gone beyond mere brands but have been labeled, branded to "demonstrate" qualities such as "wealth" on daily and everyday actions. This means that our daily actions "signifies" wealth rather than actually signaling "wealth".

The important difference is that the latter attempts to tell everyone that "I am willing to spend", and the former signals "I am rich." The question is "so what!!"

This is simply materialism brought onto the next level- where buying is not necessary consumption but rather labeling oneself is consumption- this means that I define myself as rich regardless of whether "I am rich."

The last decade is define by large monograms of Louis Vuitton bags and flashy mobile phones to define and demonstrate one's wealth. This require a certain level of "real" wealth. Now apparently even paupers can be rich. This is because I am rich because I don't care that I have brands, but rather I have money in the account but I have no wish to spend it hence therefore I am rich. In order to allow to identify likewise, I would simply demonstrate wealth by "doing something" for free to conspicuously demonstrate my wealth. [ like withdrawing money on a day where the smell of freshly minted cash is in the air]

Go to any ATM machine on any afternoon today, and suddenly the ATMs are all jam packed. [ By the way, your account details are actually secret]

We either think spending $2000 on a LV bag was just a waste of money or think that it is worth the money because it makes us feel good, but now a LV people is simply for poor, dumb and "flashy" people. We just make sure everyone sees us that "we have money"- that's good enough.

We have begin to question whether $2000 is actually $2000 in real terms.

Crazy nut cases.

Always Close but oh so Close.

I once met a girl, we never spoke more than 5 sentences. But the connection is on a certain level romantic and sexual at the same time even though I know close to nothing about her.

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I was new to this part of the town. Graduated from school trying to find my direction, I hovered till I found this quiet little town which was so embracing.

I have left my hometown seeking an adventure and I chanced upon this place. I sat down across the inn. It was start of a busy day at the market place. Everyone have started about their business and haggling.

I took out my map and planned my route ahead. I could go to Mangler town and stay for a few days before taking the river boat back home. This would save me some money and give me a leisure route back to Bretton.

She touch her hair and show her cheeks to me. She wants me to say something, but I stared blankly into my homie.

For the next few days, the same thing happened. I was scared.

I made some friends at the bar. They sold me some painkillers to go along the way.

I liked her on an level which is obligatory. She does not wish to know my opinion of her or whether the hair is really an hindrance. She does not care whether the accent is funny and voice is really non-enchanteur. She is daughter of the innkeeper but she acts like a slut. Touching her hair at any hint of any eligible man. But she always reserve that one look: the cheeks. Because I am always behind her.

Like bees to honey, my fellow homies also goes crazy. They say the same thing, I am the one for her and not you. The inn owner is not helping because he sells wine by the buckets. It seems promiscuity is his value driver.

After a few days and having known each other by face, we sat down for lunch. She scared me because she threw a bowl of beef soup at my face for no reason and then she disappeared. I was increasingly terrified of her.

She continues her ways and flirts with all the men that she sees. She smashes her plates in anger and constantly loses her temper in public aurally.

I was increasingly getting frustrated because I am the customer and not your husband- you have no right to do this to me. Flirt with me but do not take it out on me. This is not love, this is torture.

I pay the same coin back. I flirted with her. I sang songs on my guitar and looking straight at her in my puppy eyes. One day, she got so angry because I asked her to sing a duet "I finally found someone" by Bryan Adams and Barbara Streisand.

We sang together, but the next day, the inn owner took a gun and said: "do not sing with my daughter again."

I was constantly harassed by everyone in Mangler especially the rich land owner's lackeys for asking the most beautiful girl in town to sing with her. [ I told them, she flirts and smashes plates in my face, and you blame me- who does she think she is. I am the customer and not the other way around.]

I never sang with her again.

She still flirts with guys, I am still there but she moved uptown in another district.

I never sang that song and smash that guitar.