Do we know what we "need" anymore?

World peace and universal respect. With no war a lot of other problems could be fixed and there would be money to spare to make life easier and healthier for most.
Sorry if I am being a bit way out.

Justin Bieber?

My mobile is a simple pay-as-you-go thing. I use it mostly for texts.

Re cars. I suppose they need some extra speed built in in case need arises to get out of difficult situations quickly. That's the only way I can account for it.

I try not to get sucked into the buy buy buy mindset, my mobile is 2 years old and I only bought it because my 10 year old one died on me. I did recently buy a new TV but that was to replace a very old one which was on the blink and will probably see me out. I don't have a tablet as having looked at them I can't see it would be advantageous for me to have one. I don't have Sky as I don't think I need it, I don't have a Blue-ray player because my DVD player is good enough.

However, as jingl says the world can't and won't stand still. It is up to the individual to decide whether they want the latest technology

I can't understand why they make cars that go faster than the speed limits.

I like the safety features that modern technology brings to cars though.

People enjoy buying cars that can go faster than any speed limit on any roads in the world and faster than anyone can possibly drive safely on any roads in the world – but it's modern technology and the world can't stand still.

I wonder how those children felt about being 'different' from their friends finnochio. Not being able to join in discussions about the latest in Star Wars, no idea how to handle an i-pad.

Sounds a bit Luddite-ish to me. Can't see anything wrong with progress. People enjoy upgrading their phones and getting the latest technology.

The world can't stand still. There are probably off-shoot benefits too for people in the less developed parts of the world.

And it all makes work for the working man to do.

finnochio I like that saying, am going to adopt it. (voluntary simplicity)

Bags yes, we need art . I want it and carry it home e.g. in the shape of stones or bits of driftwood. Husband buys paintings, I can look at them and not want them.

Put a wet mobile phone into a plastic bag with some rice and seal it - leave for 24 hours or so and you have a very good chance of it working again.

I find that a very worthwhile quote to keep in mind, MiceElf.

Another one is Thorstein Veblen's 'Invention is the mother of necessity'.

I like progress, invention and innovation, and where would we be without it.

One example is Shelter Box - A tent that is used in disaster areas. Someone thought about it, designed it, marketed it and sold it. Great idea.

I suppose it's sorting out the wheat from the chaff in terms of what one needs. That will differ for everyone.

I recently read about a family of 4 living in a very small and simple house and the mother said she practiced 'voluntary simplicity'. I liked that and thought that's what I do.

I think that William Morris had the truth of it.

'Have nothing in your homes that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful'.

When I think about the invention of apparently unneeded things in the same way as I think about Pure Maths – playing with numbers and mathematical concepts just for the hell of it and because it is beautiful rather than because it is "useful" – then inventiveness of things for the hell of it makes sense. Something may not appear useful initially but the maths or technology that comes along with it will, sooner or later, help solve some practical problem or help our understanding of how life works.

Try arguing that we don't "need" art and I think you'll understand what I'm trying to say.

Something I find helps me not to get 'sucked in' to materialistic ways is that I simply don't know what I'm missing. I don't watch TV (except BBC iPlayer) so I don't know what it is that I can buy to make me more beautiful , or that will make life easier etc.

I cannot remember the last time I watched Dragons Den, but it was a programme where they never bought into any of the ideas. All the time I was thinking, who needs one of those, and the dragons were obviously thinking the same, thank heavens.
When I had the cafe, the son of someone who worked for me invented a pop-up tent to be used by refugees. I cannot remember which charity took this idea up, but I thought it was a brilliant idea.
That was over 20 years ago and they are used quite a lot now.

I think we should concentrate more on "doing" and not "having". As you get older you tend to look back and value your experiences rather than your possessions. Mind you, I do love my iPad!

posie I really don't know how to change it, other than to try personally not to get too "sucked in" to the great marketing machine.

durhamjen Yes, of course, clean water and sanitation is an absolute essential.

grannyknot Yes, why do some people want so much?

A huge proportion of the world's population don't have access to some - or any - of these basic needs.

So right, Eloethan. We should concentrate on need rather than want...

Couldn't agree more Eloethan. But how to change it?

Eloethan, I also watched the Dragons tonight and you are right.

Before that I watched Simon Reeve in Vietnam with the 'Coffee King' who owned 5 Bentleys and 12 Ferraris, and I thought - who needs that many cars.

Clean water?