Plagued Consoomers / Consoomer Culture - Because if it has a recogniseable brand on it, I’d buy it!

[h0387]

I'd say there are fair arguments for keeping DVDs around, largely because they're full of supplemental material that that just can't be found elsewhere. Like, to this day it's still a toss-up as to whether or not a pirated movie will even have subtitles, and they almost never come with commentary tracks. Making-of featurettes and the like tend to get taken down on YouTube, and even a lot of rereleases, including Blu-Ray releases, tend to shun those. Streaming services never have them for anything older, either. It's not unheard of to have to buy multiple special editions of a movie to get every single extra, either. There was just a short, golden point in time where it'd be disappointing to look at the back of a DVD case and see that the only extras were trailers and Interactive Menus as if that's a selling point, and the adoration for all that shit just kinda fell by the wayside over time and I never hear anyone talking about it anymore.

It's also nice that physical copies of movies now just straight up come with every single version you could possibly need, with some movies coming with I think like five versions of the film for whatever situation you're in: a 4K version, a 3D version, a standard 1080p Blu-ray version, a DVD version, and a streaming code. It's kind of like the opposite of video game collecting now: it's getting increasingly harder to justify buying games on discs, considering they'll be tied to one console, with no guarantee they'll work on a future system that'll inevitably be out within a decade, no support for mods, and even the game's cases tend to be depressingly empty.

Film and TV piracy usually comes with a quality compromise as well. Most scene releases are compressed down several GB from the discs they were ripped from for easy online distribution, and this compression is noticeable especially if you have a larger (> 40") television.

The exception is if you are able to obtain a cracked ISO or a remux of the film; raw DVDs aren't very cumbersome to store on a hard drive at 4-8GB per disc, but Blu-rays require much more storage ranging from 20-50GB per disc. 4K discs can reach around 100GB in some cases, and HDR/Dolby Vision is a pain in the ass to stream locally in my experience.

and you still more than likely have to update the game because so many have day one patches now, and if you only play online, the only benefit is resale value anyway. Of course, video games are much more popular to buy and resell physical copies of than movies, so I guess games are getting the bare minimum because they'll sell anyway, while movies have to bend over backwards to compete with streaming.

I have to disagree with you on this. I don't see Blu-ray or UHD as competing with streaming at all, because the target audiences are different. Even a few of the "boutique" labels like Criterion and Arrow Video have their own streaming services which supplement their disc libraries. Home video, and especially UHD, is being held up almost entirely by enthusiasts, whereas streaming is a much more convenient option for the regular folk who simply want to watch the new Hollywood releases or whatever Netflix has curated for them.

 

[Pissmaster]

I have to disagree with you on this. I don't see Blu-ray or UHD as competing with streaming at all, because the target audiences are different. Even a few of the "boutique" labels like Criterion and Arrow Video have their own streaming services which supplement their disc libraries. Home video, and especially UHD, is being held up almost entirely by enthusiasts

I figure there's still some competition against streaming in how DVDs are remarkably still a thing with their own aisles in stores, and I wouldn't be surprised if all but the very cheapest players you can buy nowadays can play Blu-rays too. I still see people using Redboxes occasionally, too, so I guess there are enough people out there still using discs for that to be a thing.

No argument here on the 4K UHD side, though. And same goes with pirated movies, those artifacts in dark scenes are gonna start sticking out like sore thumbs if/when OLED screens become more common.

 

[Matt Damon]

As soon as I saw this I wondered what happens when it's time to move. That's going to be the XL U-Haul.

I absolutely agree.

To me, the practical considerations (like packing all my shit into a truck) of an anti-consumerist mindset are almost as compelling as any ethical or psychological issues. Life is just easier when I maintain a high-speed low-drag lifestyle as much as is reasonable.

I hope I'm never taken by the "nesting" instinct so many people seem to live by.

 

[Gar For Archer]

I'd say there are fair arguments for keeping DVDs around, largely because they're full of supplemental material that that just can't be found elsewhere. Like, to this day it's still a toss-up as to whether or not a pirated movie will even have subtitles, and they almost never come with commentary tracks. Making-of featurettes and the like tend to get taken down on YouTube, and even a lot of rereleases, including Blu-Ray releases, tend to shun those. Streaming services never have them for anything older, either. It's not unheard of to have to buy multiple special editions of a movie to get every single extra, either. There was just a short, golden point in time where it'd be disappointing to look at the back of a DVD case and see that the only extras were trailers and Interactive Menus as if that's a selling point, and the adoration for all that shit just kinda fell by the wayside over time and I never hear anyone talking about it anymore.

It's also nice that physical copies of movies now just straight up come with every single version you could possibly need, with some movies coming with I think like five versions of the film for whatever situation you're in: a 4K version, a 3D version, a standard 1080p Blu-ray version, a DVD version, and a streaming code. It's kind of like the opposite of video game collecting now: it's getting increasingly harder to justify buying games on discs, considering they'll be tied to one console, with no guarantee they'll work on a future system that'll inevitably be out within a decade, no support for mods, and even the game's cases tend to be depressingly empty.

You spend $70, open it up, and all you see is this:
View attachment 2491735


and you still more than likely have to update the game because so many have day one patches now, and if you only play online, the only benefit is resale value anyway. Of course, video games are much more popular to buy and resell physical copies of than movies, so I guess games are getting the bare minimum because they'll sell anyway, while movies have to bend over backwards to compete with streaming.

Of course, if you know of a big repo somewhere that hosts all the extras from tons of DVDs, let me know, because I've never heard of one before

Fair enough, hadn’t considered that aspect. Personally it’s not something I care about but if you do, then I can see why physical media would be the only option for you.

 

[NoReturn]

This is how I choose to vent.

Spoiler: More videos

 

[Pissmaster]

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I've never before seen three things I hate wrapped up into such a concise package

 

[LinkinParkxNaruto[AMV]]

This is how I choose to vent.
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Spoiler: More videos

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Wasting time Just to be able to waste money on something that is also bad for your health to drink. Smh, what a ROI.

 

[Scheele's Green]

In regards to the Starbucks/Yoda mask, another fascinating coonsumer is the Disney cucks. There are two NBA players who are brothers named Brook and Robin Lopez, and they're obsessed with buying Disney shit and going to the parks. One of them bought one of those million dollar homes in the Disney mansion development by the Florida park. Also, one brother unknowingly bought stollen Disney items that were taken from the Florida park. It was a costume from the Haunted Mansion ride that was on one of the moving robots. He spent way too much money on it. There were some other items that I can't recall. Just weird shit. What the hell is anyone going to do with old robot costumes? There's a whole market for stolen items from the parks, old Disney merch, etc. A NBA forum I visit sometimes spent a lot of time discussing this story:

NBA player Robin Lopez unknowingly bought stolen Disney World items, records show

The newly released records shed more light on the case, including NBA player Robin Lopez's connection as a victim in the case.

www.orlandosentinel.com

At least if you're a rich NBA guy, you're probably paying someone else to move all your shit when it's time to relocate and not responsible for dusting/maintaining your clutter. I really, really don't understand the average Joes who have to do that shit on their own and continue to accumulate useless shit.

 

[Yeeted Teet]

In the times before social media flex culture, when you bought a high end handbag it was because you wanted something sturdy and dependable that'd last for years if not decades without looking dated, and even celebrities and trophy wives probably only had one.

Now there are circles where luxury consoomerism is rampant where people collect dozens of these status symbols, often under the misguided belief that bags are an "investment" and if you sell them you'll get back the money you spent or even make a profit, and in rare circumstances that's true (pretty much just Hermes Birkins and Kellys, maybe some core Chanel pieces if they're in pristine condition) but generally you're losing at least half the value on resale. There's a much more fast fashion feel to a lot of high end bags and clothing now, there are a lot of gimmicks and trend hopping and things being discontinued quickly, which would be fine if you were shopping in H&M and wanted to experiment but these things cost about three grand each.

Spoiler: Collections of bags worth several years salary

Not all of these people are rich, some have admitted to getting into credit card debt for this.

The worst of all has to be Hermes "journeys". As mentioned above, these go up in value rather than down as soon as you leave the shop with them, and that's because you can't just walk into a shop and buy an Hermes quota bag. You need to open an account with them, set up a wish list , the buy other things regularly to the tune of tens if not hundreds of thousands of euro and kiss arse in the hope that they eventually reward your loyalty by offering you a bag that's close enough to what you asked for. Pricing is secret because if you have to ask you can't afford it, but Birkins and Kellys start in the region of 10k brand new and tend to go for at least double that second hand. But considering how much you need to spend to be offered one, second hand is actually cheaper.

Spoiler: People who begged for the privilege of spending more money

But no matter how classic and exclusive something is, there'll always be some new money to make it look tacky.

Spoiler: Money talks, wealth whispers

 

[Free the Pedos]

You need to open an account with them, set up a wish list , the buy other things regularly to the tune of tens if not hundreds of thousands of euro and kiss arse in the hope that they eventually reward your loyalty by offering you a bag that's close enough to what you asked for.

I always wondered how they select the people for quota items, besides household name tastemakers. Thank you. It's a smart move on the designer's part, but it really highlights how even fabulously wealthy people are just fish on a hook held by the company in question. The only way to win the consumerism game is not to play.

Now there are circles... people collect dozens of these status symbols, often under the misguided belief that bags are an "investment" and if you sell them you'll get back the money you spent or even make a profit...generally you're losing at least half the value on resale.

This is also very true of jewelry, especially engagement rings. Buy a vintage piece if you want to spend a lot of money, or a moissanite if you don't, is my advice.

 

[Yeeted Teet]

I always wondered how they select the people for quota items, besides household name tastemakers. Thank you. It's a smart move on the designer's part, but it really highlights how even fabulously wealthy people are just fish on a hook held by the company in question. The only way to win the consumerism game is not to play.

Officially that's not how it happens and if you ask customer service they'll deny it, and different locations have different stock and volumes so there's no set number you need to spend. I've heard that in Hawaii and Australia, for example, they get a lot of Chinese customers who tend to be more slight and prefer the smaller bags, so if you're trying to score a Birkin 35 you might have a better chance there because the larger ones take a bit longer to move.

Occasionally you'll hear of someone lucking out and getting an offer without much of a history but it's very much at the whim the sales associate assigned to you, and as far as I'm aware their managers have to approve offers so even if they might want to offer you one they might not be able to if a higher spending account has something similar on their list.

Personally I wouldn't get one even if the cost wasn't way beyond the point of diminishing returns for quality. They're kind of ugly, they have that really harsh 1950's trapezoid shape and it gives me granny vibes. I think a lot more people would say the same if they weren't so exclusive, they just want one because it's difficult to get.

 

[Vingle]

Spoiler: Collections of bags worth several years salary

I saw a chick in my city with a variant of this bag in print, this summer. If it didn't say Dior on the shoulder strap. I would think it was Michael Kors, because it looks so cheap.

This shit infuriates me, this is why people think Versace as tacky. They have nice pieces, but people nearly always pick the most tacky and cheap looking opinions. It's discontinued yes, BUT. La Medusa which is from this year, looks damn near identical.


This is a nice one, and I swear every bag collector have bad taste. At least chose something nice.
And the last chick at least look like she's 40. The black Chanel bag with the pearls is horrid, mostly shape. The white one with the pearls is nice though.

Spoiler: Money talks, wealth whispers

View attachment 2494801

Nice fupa there lady, maybe use the money on a personal trainer

 

[NoReturn]

Pricing is secret because if you have to ask you can't afford it, but Birkins and Kellys start in the region of 10k brand new and tend to go for at least double that second hand.

Maybe I'm just brand-blind, but they don't actually seem that nice to me. I mean, it seems like a study bag, but you're clearly buying for the brand name, right?

But no matter how classic and exclusive something is, there'll always be some new money to make it look tacky.

Nice fupa there lady, maybe use the money on a personal trainer

Ugggggghhh... Think of all the cool shit you could do if you had that much money! Going off that first image, and counting based on that low-end price Hoi mentioned, $10k x 25 = $250,000 on the lowest end. Internet tells me that's Cardi B and the collection is actually worth closer to $500,000.
Are celebrities just... obligated to spend conspicuously? Like, it's part of their contract to "Show wealth" and sell a lifestyle to the unwashed masses to stimulate the economy and promote their producer's brand? Or maybe only people like this are the ones chosen to become famous because they're easy to manipulate with things.
I don't want to believe Enya is the only person who spends her wealth in a semi-rational way and everyone else is acting this way of their own volition.

 

[Vingle]

Maybe I'm just brand-blind, but they don't actually seem that nice to me. I mean, it seems like a study bag, but you're clearly buying for the brand name, right?

They look very plain. Just like you would expect a lady back in the day would use. There's nothing cool or anything to it, its just there. The newer alterations with the fucking horse charm and stuff is tacky though. Don't fuck up stuff that works.

 

[Hangry Olivia Hye]

I want to take a quick detour into makeup consoomers to show off this nonsense:
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Spoiler: And yes, it's a whole "trend"

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Came here to talk about this and I'm glad you already did.
Makeup consoomerism is getting so out of hand that some makeup companies (like ColourPop) release new products EVERY DAMN WEEK!!! Everyone wants to be a youtuber/influencer nowadays, so they spend tons of money on new products, try them once, make their content and put it away with their old purchases.

Unless you're a makeup artist, there's no reason to buy so much. I love makeup, have worked in the industry, but shit is getting crazy.

Spoiler: slight powerlevel

I'm also bitter because of my former employer, who was an aspiring influencer, and would rather spend money on makeup to review online than giving me a raise, the person who single-handledly managed her business. She had a room full of old makeup, because her mom wouldn't let her give/throw it away. Keep in mind that they are filthy rich. Hope they drown in mfking makeup.

 

[NoReturn]

Came here to talk about this and I'm glad you already did.
Makeup consoomerism is getting so out of hand that some makeup companies (like ColourPop) release new products EVERY DAMN WEEK!!! Everyone wants to be a youtuber/influencer nowadays, so they spend tons of money on new products, try them once, make their content and put it away with their old purchases.

Unless you're a makeup artist, there's no reason to buy so much. I love makeup, have worked in the industry, but shit is getting crazy.

Spoiler: slight powerlevel

I'm also bitter because of my former employer, who was an aspiring influencer, and would rather spend money on makeup to review online than giving me a raise, the person who single-handledly managed her business. She had a room full of old makeup, because her mom wouldn't let her give/throw it away. Keep in mind that they are filthy rich. Hope they drown in mfking makeup.

I really want to hear more about this person.

 

[Hangry Olivia Hye]

I really want to hear more about this person.

Spoiler: tl;dr dont work for family members

tl;dr dont work for family members
She's a family member (lets call her Boss) who hired me to help with her makeup related business. I loved working with them (when I enjoy working on something, I work harder because it's a great source of happiness to me, I love feeling useful) but I should've noticed the red flags. Her mom is the main problem, she's a bit younger than me but cant fart w/o mommy's approval.
While very rich, Mom was also very cheap with other people, so she wanted to cut expenses wherenever and whenever possible.

- We had to go abroad for work purposes. The company paid for everything except for my visa (that costs 70% of my monthly income), because "I could use it to travel" afterwards. I couldn't pay for a trip out of town, let alone to another country, lol. But I agreed to pay it back slowly. Yes, I'm dumb. Luckily I didnt pay for all of it before I quit.

- I was hired as x, but had to do the whole alphabet. Besides Boss and Mom, Boss's boyfriend was there to help (aka playing online games all day long). I covered for everyone's asses, planned ahead and gave my blood, sweat and tears, and Boss wanted to hire famous influencers to talk about the brand and spent a lot of money in it, while I got a raise only once.

Boss is used to spending big money on whatever the fuck they want, so they get frustrated when Mom says no to everything we try to come up to advertise their product. I gave the idea of bringing in some newbie models to put on makeup and take photos, and give them a product or two as payment, since we don't have a budget. Mom and Boss say no, because Boss' makeup skills are top notch and worth $$$. No advertisement pictures were ever taken.

As the brand became known, Boss would become more popular, obviously. So she started trying to market herself as an influencer: it's a win-win situation, since you can advertise yourself on your brand's page and vice versa.

COVID showed up and our sales, that were already down, nearly ceased. I was tired of working for peanuts so I decided to slack off like everyone else. Had my duties done quickly and spent the rest of the day doing fuck all.

A few moons later, Boss tells me she's going to close her business, and I have to restrain myself from cheering instantly. I'm fired, and they have to give me some paperwork, which Mom whines to do and tries to make ME do it. I remind her I dont work for her anymore and it's required by law, which changed her mind.

Bonus:
- complained about being poor all day long while being obviously very rich (I've been told the number of 0's in their account, though I dgaf/NEVER asked about it)
- left expensive products receipts on my desk, such as a brand new iPhones
- wanted me to sell my notebook to buy a new one for the company (obviously I said hell nah)
- computer broke? Buy a brand new one at the very same day!

edit: I have a theory that rich people are used to getting everything so easily, they dont think they have to work as hard as everyone else. They believe that everything will be handed to them, just like mommy's limitless credit card.


I'd give more spicy details but I guess I've been specific enough. I feel better after letting it out my chest tho. Cheers

 

[Jonah Hill poster]

I guess women can be bronies, too.

 

[NoReturn]

Spoiler: tl;dr dont work for family members

tl;dr dont work for family members
She's a family member (lets call her Boss) who hired me to help with her makeup related business. I loved working with them (when I enjoy working on something, I work harder because it's a great source of happiness to me, I love feeling useful) but I should've noticed the red flags. Her mom is the main problem, she's a bit younger than me but cant fart w/o mommy's approval.
While very rich, Mom was also very cheap with other people, so she wanted to cut expenses wherenever and whenever possible.

- We had to go abroad for work purposes. The company paid for everything except for my visa (that costs 70% of my monthly income), because "I could use it to travel" afterwards. I couldn't pay for a trip out of town, let alone to another country, lol. But I agreed to pay it back slowly. Yes, I'm dumb. Luckily I didnt pay for all of it before I quit.

- I was hired as x, but had to do the whole alphabet. Besides Boss and Mom, Boss's boyfriend was there to help (aka playing online games all day long). I covered for everyone's asses, planned ahead and gave my blood, sweat and tears, and Boss wanted to hire famous influencers to talk about the brand and spent a lot of money in it, while I got a raise only once.

Boss is used to spending big money on whatever the fuck they want, so they get frustrated when Mom says no to everything we try to come up to advertise their product. I gave the idea of bringing in some newbie models to put on makeup and take photos, and give them a product or two as payment, since we don't have a budget. Mom and Boss say no, because Boss' makeup skills are top notch and worth $$$. No advertisement pictures were ever taken.

As the brand became known, Boss would become more popular, obviously. So she started trying to market herself as an influencer: it's a win-win situation, since you can advertise yourself on your brand's page and vice versa.

COVID showed up and our sales, that were already down, nearly ceased. I was tired of working for peanuts so I decided to slack off like everyone else. Had my duties done quickly and spent the rest of the day doing fuck all.

A few moons later, Boss tells me she's going to close her business, and I have to restrain myself from cheering instantly. I'm fired, and they have to give me some paperwork, which Mom whines to do and tries to make ME do it. I remind her I dont work for her anymore and it's required by law, which changed her mind.

Bonus:
- complained about being poor all day long while being obviously very rich (I've been told the number of 0's in their account, though I dgaf/NEVER asked about it)
- left expensive products receipts on my desk, such as a brand new iPhones
- wanted me to sell my notebook to buy a new one for the company (obviously I said hell nah)
- computer broke? Buy a brand new one at the very same day!

edit: I have a theory that rich people are used to getting everything so easily, they dont think they have to work as hard as everyone else. They believe that everything will be handed to them, just like mommy's limitless credit card.


I'd give more spicy details but I guess I've been specific enough. I feel better after letting it out my chest tho. Cheers

I'm impressed you didn't just steal things after a certain point.
As a thank you for the story, enjoy some more makeup consumerism.

Spoiler: More images

Spoiler: This is one person

TikToks

Spoiler: TikToks1

Spoiler: TikToks2

Spoiler: TikToks3

 

[Vingle]

enjoy some more makeup consumerism.

A lot of Jeffree Star makeup there, even though plebbit are seething because of him. I really hope he's releasing skincare one time, because the skincare community is seething and telling he's not welcome