It seems in today’s world, we are obsessed about upgrading. For example we want to upgrade our clothes, our phones, our laptops, our cars, our homes, etc. But when we desire upgrades, what is it that we really seek?
The first part is maybe we desire more higher power and ammunition, thinking of our tools like our modern day weapons. For example, you could make the analogy that your iPhone is like your modern day sword, and your car is almost like your modern day attack or defense vehicle. Consider that a lot of people with big trucks, SUVs, they almost look like military vehicles.
Second, a sense of progress. It seems that we humans like having a feeling that we are progressing. But what is progress? Accumulation. Accumulation of more power, influence, and space.
Third, getting rid of the old, getting the new. It seems that the typical biases that we prefer the new and young over the old and withered. For example, nobody seeks old age, everyone wants to be young forever. Therefore, if we have an old car that is falling apart, maybe it feels like we are falling apart. That your car becomes an externalization of your ego, and when you see your car in ill repair, you feel like yourself and your ego is in ill repair.