Stepping Stones

Almost a week ago, my iPad finally entered the opening arms of the concrete floor of my garage. Having spent $600 on the iPad from my own hard work 2 years previously, I was a bit distraught as the screen was entirely ruined as were many of the iPad functions. I soon looked into how much it would cost to get the screen replaced, to then realize that just getting the screen replaced would not give me the same iPad that I once had. I soon found out that apple will exchange my iPad for the same model for $250. Yes, I am still considering this offer... But, I thought about what the iPad would do for me. I use a sufficient laptop that provides me with much of the needs the iPad does. Of course I don't have my favorite apps on this laptop, but there is no need for a tablet. To wrap things up quicker- I am sick of materialism and consumerism. True- the reason I still do not have smartphone is because I don't want to pay for it and that still holds true today. I don't believe in paying some multi-million dollar business $$$ a month to be able to use snapchat, instagram, vine and god knows what else, because that's the appeal of smartphones to people my age. I will admit, having access to google, the new york times, der spiegel, music and a camera at all times can be nice but is it really necessary to have it anywhere?

 No matter what I do in this life, I will never fully be able to escape consumerism or the grasps of popular looks and ideas... but, I can try a little bit harder to allow myself to think for myself and not for gap, vicotria secret, ikea, bmw, starbucks, or even for the LDS church. if anyone really knows me (probably just myself) I have a strong hatred towards conforming. Hence why I took a year abroad, not necessarily why I left the LDS church but one of the factors in which i refused to be a part of the provo/lds culture, becasue i full-heartedly believe that one should create their own. Why I no longer praise celebrities and view them as if they were gods. Why I don't dress like the average girl around here. One of the reasons why i choose to leave the american high school mindset (leaving cross-country.) Why I don't believe one has to follow the get-out-of-highschool-go-to-college-get-a-degree-as-fast-as-you-can mindset.

 Yes, I still buy too much fast food. Yes, I still buy things at the mall that I don't necessarily need, but want. Yes, I use facebook too often. Yes, i've bought too many starbucks refreshers.... and similar wants will probably follow me until the day I die. I could care less if one purchases an item from any of these major brands, I just plead with you to ask yourself if you really need it. When you turn on your radio in the car, which not many people use anymore, turn it off when the ads come on. We need to realize that these materialistic things do not make one happier.