F.O.M.O. & Wet Shaving

This was sent to me last night from friend, I watched, and went wow. Had not heard term F.O.M.O. but got the meaning fast, and sort of got message.

Never realized a hobby, or sport could  be unhealthy to the point of creating house hold problems.  Like Alcohol, or Drugs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vvmIPAwHwM&t=154s

Enjoy

I've seen some of those bathroom pics. I've also seen endless posts about grabbing the latest base, scent, etc. from maker X. Then add on top of that, the posts where not only does a guy need the latest and greatest, they buy backups!

Sent from my SM-A256U1 using Tapatalk

Being sort of tight, or frugal let’s say I have degree of self control, but I understand marketing and the dissemination of info to drive people to buy, or over buying.

Spending 30 plus years in support of print media know how News was gathered, sometimes taking small local story, and building up to World Wide Story with just a few choice words like Latest, Newest, Largest, Unique, World Record, or. It was all about selling papers. Tabloids here in US & Overseas had it all down pat.

Today we get bombarded with Emails, pop up ads, and some time Biggest Sale just mean this week header was changed.

Say people fall into this trap, creating large credit card purchase, and last sometime crisis at home.driving

Well.....I am rarely pleased when someone proposes to speak for everybody else, and I'm not sure that I agree with his hypotheses of F.O.M.O. There are lots of natural restraints on over consumption. Cost comes first. Second, the desire not to financially reward predatory companies (looking at you Gillette). Third, for me, a refusal to reward unethical businesses even if they have turned over a new leaf. And finally, I just don't go for "cutesy" or "unsavory" marketing names and themes-I just don't see the appeal and I won't support it.

So, that really limits what I can buy. Moreover, there are lots of self restraint techniques one can use to prevent over consumption. For me, it is the size of my shave den (see my avatar). I can't buy anything else until I have used something up to make room.

Having said all that, if someone decides that they want a dozen different bushes, soaps and aftershaves, and they get genuine pleasure from that so be it. It is not my job to judge them.

Let me add this. Just be honest with yourself. A lot of these products are crap. They are not any better than mass market products, and often not as good. I find this especially true with soap bases. Most of the new "artisan" bases are "OK", but nothing better than old Tabac. Cella, or Fine Accoutrements, and often not as good. Synthetic brushes is another area of Sophistry. So, if I am being honest with myself, I certainly don't "need" them, or even want them. That is where this forum is great. I can let someone else test them for me. Now, many will say how great they are, but there is usually that one voice saying that it wasn't great for them. That is enough for me to quell an irrational urge to purchase.

Well.....I am rarely pleased when someone proposes to speak for everybody else, and  I'm not sure that I agree with his hypotheses of F.O.M.O.  There are lots of natural restraints on over consumption.  Cost comes first.  Second, the desire not to financially reward predatory companies (looking at you Gillette).  Third, for me, a refusal to reward unethical businesses even if they have turned over a new leaf.  And finally, I just don't go for "cutesy" or "unsavory" marketing names and themes-I just don't see the appeal and I won't support it. 

So, that really limits what I can buy.  Moreover, there are lots of self restraint techniques one can use to prevent over consumption.  For me, it is the size of my shave den (see my avatar).  I can't buy anything else until I have used something up to make room.

Having said all that,  if someone decides that they want a dozen different bushes, soaps and aftershaves, and they get genuine pleasure from that so be it.  It is not my job to judge them.

Let me add this.  Just be honest with yourself.  A lot of these products are crap.  They are not any better than mass market products, and often not as good.  I find this especially true with soap bases.  Most of the new "artisan" bases are "OK", but nothing better than old Tabac. Cella, or Fine Accoutrements, and often not as good. Synthetic brushes is another area of Sophistry.  So, if I am being honest with myself, I certainly don't "need" them, or even want them.  That is where this forum is great.  I can let someone else test them for me.  Now, many will say how great they are, but there is usually that one voice saying that it wasn't great for them.  That is enough for me to quell an irrational urge to purchase.

My grandfather use to give men maybe $1.00 for some odd job in 1950, when her had he added before you spend, come see me.  He owukld ask what I proposed to spend all or part of $1.00 on?  Then ask do you want or need?

Conversation got interesting at times.

I give very little thought to videos on YouTube unless it addresses something I’m looking to fix and do not have the manual for.  

You have to look at people’s motivation - most in the shaving world want free product to review and then sell it after.  The reviews by most tell you how great the product is (and why not they got it for free and stand to make a little money off of it).  So the reviews are biased.  

I cannot speak as to Tobin, I saw one of his videos about a scoop Ian makes and I enjoyed watching about it.  But many of the others I have watched crack me up, FOMO - far from it, I have been lucky enough to have every shaving item I have ever wanted except one razor and one brush. 

The only shaving videos I watch on shaving are Dave in KY and that is simple, Dave is a shaving friend and it’s not a sales pitch.  

It’s a hobby so I don’t mind spending money on it, but every time I hear this is the greatest, I pretty much tune out.  

Life has a lot to see if we put the phones and computers down and spend time participating.  That is why I enjoy shaving…

I laughed. FOMO. Ok, to be fair I look at virtually zero YouTube “influencers” and no other forums except for DFS, but what’s going on now in the wet shaving space is nothing compared to ten years ago.  Limited releases and new best ever must haves dropping regularly and selling out within minutes.  Unhappy people and crashing servers, daily perusal of “what’s new” releases on multiple vendors, anger directed at James Dufour or whatever artisan couldn’t meet someone’s unrealistic expectations. Good times man, good times.  Now it’s matured into a much more civilized pace of business.  the long time survivors on the supply side are there for a reason.  Good products and good business practices will win out.  New ones still come and go, some dabblers and others just aren’t up to the realities of the business.  Many will do it as a side hustle and that’s rarely a good plan a for long term success.  Again, I don’t spend time on social media and on the odd occasion that I’ve checked out one posted here, I’ve found it to be, not to my tastes is probably the best way to phrase it.  I do wholeheartedly disagree with the member who posted above that mass market products are as good or better than the artisan / specialty products that wet shaving enthusiasts enjoy.  That’s just not true in my experience but, YMMV as they say and if you truly believe that then good for you.  That said, neither do you need to spend a fortune on gear to get a pretty decent experience. I could shave for the rest of my days with a EJ DE89, twenty five cent blades, semogue boar brush and tub of Stirling soap with Thayer WH post product.  Do I? No, not every day but the point is I could and I could do it happily without feeling hard done by.  It’s a free country and if someone wants to spend more, then more power to them.  Who am I to judge? At least they’re not spending all their money on hookers, gambling, cocaine and booze which again would be their choice although I personally would draw the
Line when it becomes illegal but that’s just me.