I am aware that seeking thoughts on sanity from you lot is… bold but fuck it, it’s Friday.
Over the years, I have found that with a number of items, I will buy the same version of it (or that version gently updated if it exists in a category where such a thing happens) to the exclusion of any other brand/version. The mental reasoning is that I’ve found something that meets my needs and I have no interest or desire to expend further energy looking at other alternatives because, while they might be better, they almost certainly won’t be and I can’t be arsed to have the phase of using something that isn’t as good.
In no particular order, over the years, this means that my toothpaste, mouthwash, shampoo, socks, trainers, laptops, microwaves and probably a good ten or fifteen other things have been from the same brand and quite often, exactly the same thing- often for over a decade or more. I feel this is perfectly logical; find something that works, use it 'til I die and focus on things where I might not have found something as satisfactory yet. I figured it was an aging thing.
My Girlfriend (who is to all intents and purposes the same basic age as me) disagrees. She feels that this is truly peculiar behaviour and that it’s one of the many dozens of reasons she wants to break out the ‘are you/your child mental’ software suite she’s been issued for child psychology work and see what it says. As many of you are at least as fucking odd as me, I wanted to see if this behaviour has absolutely no precedent with any of you. It won’t stop me being psychologically evaluated at some point but it’ll make me feel better.
I was about to point out what a feckin’ weirdo you were until I remembered my thing about Dr Marten boots and shoes that has gone on for nearly 40 years now.
I buy different things each time I shop. Apart from toothpaste: I like the weird flavour of Aquafresh whereas Claire hates the stuff and only likes Colgate. So I always buy Aquafresh
It is a tad strange, can’t say I’ve come across that behaviour before, certainly not across nigh on everything domestic you buy or will ever buy. I suspect that there is stranger behaviour out there, but fuck it, get profiled
I don’t really buy clothes much. I used to stick to Euthymol toothpaste until I moved to Australia and couldn’t get it. Shower gel and deodorant must match but I don’t give much of a fuck about brands these days. I guess it was something I did more in the past.
My guess would be sheltered upbringing, lack of self confidence, social awkwardness, lack of empathy, hi-fi (worse, AV !) reviewery, fuck, likely full on ASPD.
I kinda get that.
I wear R M Williams boots, jeans, moleskins, and shirts. They are my “go to” brand since 1976. I do wear other stuff but generally RMs it is.
Other stuff less so. I tend to avoid brand loyalty. But we buy the same toothpaste, deodorant, because we like them.
White goods are always “what’s on special”.
Oddly, my first trainers for 15/20 years are the same brand as the last pair.
I’m pretty sure that there’s less of a conscious decision involved. Maybe it’s muscle memory?
I reckon it’s very sound behaviour. I drank instant coffee until a few years ago. Then I got a cafetiere and worked my way through every type of Sainsbury’s ground, judging each new one against ‘my favourite so far’. I’ve drunk nothing but my final favourite since. Likewise with their cheap-as-chips box wine. Mrs VB does the same with the wine, though her favourite is different from mine.
I’m not consistent about it though. I’ve got quite a few different single malts and, depending on my mood, I fancy one or another.
Unfortunately all this now seems to be collapsing. Like quite a few people over the last couple of years we set aside a small stash of necessities which we kept topped up - when you finished one you took the next from the stash and bought another to keep it stocked. Until, one by one, things began to disappear from the supermarket shelves. Yesterday I drank my last cup of this
Sometime this weekend I will drink the last glass of this
I also liked these, back when you could get them
This is also just a memory
It would be funny if it weren’t so creepily like The End Times …
Where your lifestyle choices depart from your standard “I have used this brand for years” and becomes full on “Wapner at 11”, I will leave to the professionals.
Unless it’s having adverse effects on your relationships with others, there isn’t really a right or wrong way to approach it is there?
The one thing I would note is that is that all(?) the examples you mentioned are particularly utilitarian, so my general comment would be you’re not exactly denying yourself life-changing experiences by not branching out.
I would have @Valvebloke locked up for crimes against coffee though.
