On Being a Spoiled and Selfish Brat

If you’re reading this, you’re probably well aware of the fact that Christmas eve is tomorrow. Since Christmas is so soon and I haven’t blogged in a while, I figured I may as well post a little something-something so that whoever reads this sad excuse for a blog would know that, yes, I am still alive and well.

Here in the Tucker household, if it’s not on the calendar it doesn’t exist. Fortunately for us, the calendar people decided to already put Christmas up there for us so we’re not scrambling at the last moment to get presents and a tree up and all that. Actually, we scramble like that anyways. Our 10 foot real tree only has white lights on it. I’m not sure it will even get decorated this year. Heh. However, if there weren’t a ‘Christmas Day, USA’ printed on the calendar, the Tuckers would still know it was Christmas. We know this because there are a few tell-tale signs that begin to show starting around December 15th.

1. At some point, I move home from college because I don’t want to pay rent for the three weeks of break.

2. The Parents tend to raise their voices more. This happens for any reason during the year, but it happens more frequently during this particular holiday season. The voices are raised, a lot of curse words are said, and there’s a general heightened level of stress because of work, present hunting, and an increase of kids being home.

3. Everyone is more on edge. The Sisters and I often butt heads regarding… anything.

4. Everyone gets a little more selfish. Me, especially. Though I try not to show it too much.

 

This battle with selfish desire is actually being fought right now.

Due to a cell phone contract being up, Dad’s bonus from being gone at work in France for so long, and my parents’ generosity, we recently got new phones. Normally this wouldn’t be a big deal, but I’ve been arguing with myself over the kind of phone I would want when the time came to get a new one. Should I get a basic phone, that gets texts messages and calls people, or should I get one of those nifty smart phones that’s really just a computer in my pocket? I was 100% set on a basic phone, though I really wanted a smart phone. Until I walked into the phone store. Then I was 100% set on a smart phone and REALLY wanted one. I played with a few, but nothing really caught my eye. I was sure I was going to get that new iPhone. But my mom had us look at the android and windows phones because, hey, they’re a bit cheaper and would be more compatible with our PC’s, AND LOOK, THIS ONE has a BIG screen. (Mom pointed out the screen size. Please note: she’s old and needs glasses. I love that woman.)

After about two hours spent talking with the guy in the store and roaming phones, I decided on the Galaxy Nexus. It’s cool. It works. It does what it’s supposed to. It gets apps. My Gmail syncs right up with it. It sends texts, gets on Facebook, has tons of space on it. I can play Fruit Ninja, Bubble Blaster,  and all those “[Blank] with Friends” games (which I’m actually sort of already addicted to). It even has a nifty app that counts calories and gives me stars for how well I’m eating. It’s more fun to watch the stars than eat well. But I digress.

My dad got the iPhone 4S. It came in the mail today. I’m suffering from buyer’s remorse.

I am legitimately upset that I didn’t get the iPhone. Legitimately. Like, I’m actually upset about it.

I am considering bargaining with my father to do a tradesies.

I am reminding myself to be thankful for what I have, that my parents didn’t even have to get us new phones this year, that we could be phoneless.

I am reminding myself that I am lucky to have parents willing to buy such expensive and unnecessary things, that we even have the money to spend on such things.

I am reminded of how much of a spoiled brat I am, and how selfish it is to have this new shiny toy and see my father’s newer, shinier toy and lust after it. Because that’s what this is — it’s a lust after a piece of technology.

There are kids dying because they don’t have mosquito nets while they sleep, and I’m worried about what type of smart phone I have.

There are women being forced into prostitution tonight, and I am upset because I don’t have an iPhone in my pocket.

There are men being forced to work in brick kilns 80 hours/week for $1/hour, and I’m angry because I let my mom talk me into a phone with a bigger screen and connects better to my $900 computer.

 

See what I’m getting at?

I am a spoiled, selfish brat. Thinking I deserve something simply because I want it. Lusting after a piece of hardware because it’s cool and popular and what all my friends have.

What all my friends have.

Did you catch that? I’m going to be bold and submit that I might not want that iPhone as much if all my friends didn’t have one. I might not want that iPhone as much if all my friends didn’t urge me to get one instead of just any old smart phone.

I’m not blaming my friends for my phone lust. I’m not. But if I didn’t have friends, I probably wouldn’t want stuff.

 

I don’t know how to cure this technology lust, and I’m not sure if I’ll ever stop wanting that iPhone. But I am looking at my phone right now and, as weird as it sounds, thanking God that I have it. Not so much the phone itself, but everything that phone stands for. Wealth, mainly. I’m thankful for the life I have, the parents that raised me, the country I live in.

 

Whoa. I better stop. Thanksgiving was a month ago.