Lasting Long
I was randomly playing some songs from Jay Z‘s album 4:44 in my head today, and some thoughts:
Will this song, and this album last, or not?
Probably not. Why?
Jay Z‘s 444 album was kind of a strange album, part apology album for Jay Z continually cheating on Beyoncé, and also, I think Jay Z just wanted to put out an album for the sake of putting out an album, maybe in order to make money, etc.
Why last?
Nietzsche once said that durability was one of the highest human goods, or things on planet earth. Durability.
Merino wool?
I used to be a huge proponent of merino, especially for traveling, living in hot and humid climates like living in Vietnam, Cambodia, etc. I still think that merino wool is phenomenal, for example the outlier.nyc merino wool tshirt was insanely great (the ramie, ramielust t shirt is interesting to me for travel this summer to Korea and Vietnam). However, this is by far the biggest issue of merino wool:
It just doesn’t last.
For example, I have at least three or four outlier.nyc merino wool T-shirts, which have essentially been torn to shreds, through over-wear and tear over the years. They are all just sitting in a drawer now.
This is a tricky thing, because, the thought:
Does durability matter, if, your goal is to have the most apex thing?
For example, let us say that you are traveling in the hot and humid climate for the summer, and you want the best possible T-shirt, or material to travel with. You can only bring one or two. Then certainly you will choose the best thing, which is 100% merino wool, in lieu of knowing that it may only last a year or two tops.
Maybe the same analogy with road bikes, or racing bicycles, let us assume that the chassis is 100% carbon fiber. If you are doing a race, and you need every last advantage, certainly having a chassis which is 100% carbon fiber is best, although it is more prone to breaking, and it will not last as long as an aluminum or steel chassis.
Having to replace things is just annoying
Are currently speaking, I have a conundrum; I love the record your digital cameras, however they keep breaking on me. For example, my Rico GR 3X, which I might have only bought a year or two ago, has already went kaput, it doesn’t even charge or turn on anymore.
Or, my previous Ricoh GRIII, which has this perpetual lens error issue.
I contacted Ricoh to send me a new one, however, they just told me to repair it. To send it in, and pay around $340 to fix it. I can’t be fucked doing this.
Therefore, trying to think long, I was thinking:
What is a camera that I could purchase, which I know will be reliable, durable, and will last a very long time, and also is very compact, which won’t break on me?
Retractable lenses are bad
First note from a design perspective; cameras which have retractable lenses, seem like a good idea because it makes the camera more compact and slim, but are horrible because it leads to more parts which will lead to breaking.
Thus, the best camera in the best lens is a lens which is non-retractable. This means all Ricoh GR cameras are out.
Leica camera is interesting, because at least, their cameras either have fixed lenses, like on their Leica Q series cameras, or, interchangeable lenses, like on their Leica M cameras.
However a big downside of this is that the cameras are insanely big and bulky. Don’t be fooled, the Leica M digital rangefinder camera is still a very big and bulky camera, not that much lighter than turning around a DSLR camera.
From a design perspective, the Leica Q camera is very cool, I reviewed the Leica Q2 a few years ago and I liked it, but the big issue with the Leica Q camera:
I can’t stop help thinking that it is just a really expensive Panasonic Lumix camera.
Also, the big issue with the Leica Q camera is that it is also like having a very very expensive iPhone. Why? Can you imagine as if you spent $6000 on a iPhone 6s, do you imagine that you’ll still be using it today?
Likewise, even if you have the newest Leica camera, Leica Q2 camera, I think the longevity on it will be quite poor.
Also, I am sure there is already a Leica Q3 in the works — just hold out.
Just buy what is newest?
From a longevity perspective, it seems that a good strategy is to just buy what is the newest. That is, which was released in the current year.
For example, as I voice dictate these words on my iPad Pro M1 chip, only buy a new digital camera which has been released in the year 2023, or within the last few months.
Also the same thing goes with devices, smartphones, iPhones, etc.
Cars
For example, the good thing of lagging behind, and being a late adopter is many-fold:
For example, let us say that you were an unfortunate purchaser of an early model Tesla model S, or Tesla model 3. Very quickly, your car got outdated. For example, to my understanding the touchscreens of the older Tesla model S cars are very slow, unresponsive and laggy. Or, to my understanding the brand new Tesla model 3 has a different type of battery, battery architecture from the older Tessa model 3 with the chrome trimmings.
Or, now that the all black everything aesthetic is becoming more mainstream, even the misfortune of owning an older Tesla car, with chrome trim instead of just simple black trim.
The difficult and tricky thing with purchasing a new car, electric car, or a Tesla car is this:
The battery technology in cars and electric cars is evolving so quickly, it seems on wise to actually purchased or on a brand new electric car, because within a year or two, or two or three years, it will probably already get outdated.
Or let us consider how everyone is excited and waiting for the cybertruck to come out. Once the cyber truck comes out, everyone will want to get rid of their Tesla model three cars, their Tesla model Y cars, they’re a Tesla model X cars, and their Tesla model S cars.
Or, when the Tesla roadster finally comes out, everyone will want to get rid of their Tesla model S plaid cars.
iPhone Pro?
The reason why it seems wise to always delay and lag in regards to buying a new phone or iPhone is this:
There will always be a new new iPhone.
For example, it seems that the iPhone 11 Pro, 12 Pro, 13 Pro, and 14 Pro has evolved very quickly. As I write these words, iPhone 14 Pro is already dated. I’m sure that the iPhone 15 Pro is already in the works.
As a consequence, imagine that you bought an iPhone 14 pro just a few months ago, imagine your extreme dismay and frustration when the new iPhone 15 pro comes out.
So in regards to phones, or iPhones, what is the best strategy?
What I have personally discovered is just buy the cheapest, newest iPhone. Currently speaking that is the iPhone SE. Even though I don’t really like it that much, at least it is cheap, and the processor is actually quite new, and I don’t feel like I am married to it.
Invest in the new
It seems that the best strategy is to just buy what is new, newest. Why?
First of all, technology moves so quickly. By buying or investing in what is new, typically speaking there is a higher likelihood of longevity. Even buying a technological thing, whether phone, tablet, laptop, car, electric car, Tesla, digital camera etc … even something first released 1 year ago, or 2 years ago is too old.
How to have you last?
In regards to “dedicationâ€, what does this really mean?