Some days ago I was talking to my good old friend over a coffee. As we were chatting he asked me “en magaa, en plan’u life alli munde?” (What are your plans for the future?) I told him, I want to give my family the best what ever I can and want to enjoy the life. And as we moved on our casual talk made me think... & rethink on some of the matters…
Can’t I give my family & myself best things? Yes I can. I earn pretty decent salary. Over the weekend I go to best restaurant, I watch movie at multiplexes, I wear branded clothes. Once in two months I go for outings, like to have coffees at good coffee shops and buy best electronic gadgets. And yes, I get Gunda designer wears; buy my appa imported perfumes etc... Hmm I don’t feel I waste money or I am a spend theft. I only spend on the necessary things, just that my standards are high. On this my friend told “en machaa, neevella Hi-Fi”.
Is that true? Am I suffering from Hi-Fi syndrome for the want of best world?
Did I set my bar bit too high that I am finding it difficult to adjust with anything less than top-class? My spending was almost equal to my earnings with a bit of savings during my early carrier. My thought was over the years my salary will increase and so I would save more as my expenditure would remain same. But that was my misconception; I only have some savings just to meet my IT needs. And now my fresh plans needs seem like big problems…
I may not be alone. Many around me may be suffering from this – guy goes for Sony TV when you have other lesser priced TV’s in market; buy pants/shirts cause there is a good sale, not cause he needs them right now; takes flight back to native when he has train/road options; spends a lot on functions saying “its once-in-a-lifetime affair”; goes for a car though his current need is just a bike… the list goes on…
Is the solution lies in controlling the expenditure? May not be, as there may not be too many expenses but the ones we spend on will be BIG. Can the income growth compensate this? I don’t think so; higher we earn, higher we raise the bar and greater would be our problems.
If you people agree this is a syndrome then I hope you too agree that only the realization and concentrated effort would take us out from this disorder. But still don’t know why, though I have Bajaj Avenger, and would be booking Scooty Streak next week for Gunda, I am planning to buy a car by May this year…
Can’t I give my family & myself best things? Yes I can. I earn pretty decent salary. Over the weekend I go to best restaurant, I watch movie at multiplexes, I wear branded clothes. Once in two months I go for outings, like to have coffees at good coffee shops and buy best electronic gadgets. And yes, I get Gunda designer wears; buy my appa imported perfumes etc... Hmm I don’t feel I waste money or I am a spend theft. I only spend on the necessary things, just that my standards are high. On this my friend told “en machaa, neevella Hi-Fi”.
Is that true? Am I suffering from Hi-Fi syndrome for the want of best world?
Did I set my bar bit too high that I am finding it difficult to adjust with anything less than top-class? My spending was almost equal to my earnings with a bit of savings during my early carrier. My thought was over the years my salary will increase and so I would save more as my expenditure would remain same. But that was my misconception; I only have some savings just to meet my IT needs. And now my fresh plans needs seem like big problems…
I may not be alone. Many around me may be suffering from this – guy goes for Sony TV when you have other lesser priced TV’s in market; buy pants/shirts cause there is a good sale, not cause he needs them right now; takes flight back to native when he has train/road options; spends a lot on functions saying “its once-in-a-lifetime affair”; goes for a car though his current need is just a bike… the list goes on…
Is the solution lies in controlling the expenditure? May not be, as there may not be too many expenses but the ones we spend on will be BIG. Can the income growth compensate this? I don’t think so; higher we earn, higher we raise the bar and greater would be our problems.
If you people agree this is a syndrome then I hope you too agree that only the realization and concentrated effort would take us out from this disorder. But still don’t know why, though I have Bajaj Avenger, and would be booking Scooty Streak next week for Gunda, I am planning to buy a car by May this year…
March 23, 2009 at 8:20 PM
Guess this is wat we call as 'Moving Up the Ladder', rather than 'Suffering'!!!
Even otherwise we do enjoy this 'Suffering' don't we???
If we dont undergo this we miss so much in life....
This is a syndrome that has stuck to all IT proffessionals as u have mentioned...to come out of this is more painful than loving this!
In all 'When in Rome be a Roman'
But yes! this is a great blog Viju...enjoyed....it does make all IT proffessionals THINK!!!
April 30, 2009 at 4:51 PM
Yes what Sandhya said is true,,, Believe it or not everyone want to lead a life like the way u mentioned,,, No one would want to think of tomorrow as its very uncertain to think of it,,,, but yes would also say thanks for the IT Policy which makes us save a little atleast as our investments,,,
After sometime whether we need it or not we would climb up the ladder and start thinking on the status quo factors as house land etc as our basic needs would have been fulfilled by then,,,
Time teaches u everything,,, what how and when to want for different kind of needs in life,,,,
Anu