I believe J.P. Morgan said something to the effect of "Every thing is either a tool or an idol." I confess to having my share of both. Regarding nice things, I don't mind having something nice/expensive so long as I use it often enough. This applies to items as mundane as measuring cups and towels as well as "gear". On a cost per use basis perhaps the really expensive things are the ones that sit around unused. We all know the pleasure from using a well-made tool, which usually makes it worth it for me, even if I have to save a while for it.

On a different slant...

There appears to be some perverse economic principle that drives upward the price of quality items to the degree that a cheaper substitute exists. What was formerly merely good-quality becomes luxury goods. I'm sure economists have an explanation, but I don't like it. Examples abound, but here are two, both based on wool: The kinds of quality-everyday-wear wool pants that were common when my father was a kid (late 40's early 50's) are pricy and obscure today. And I think you just can't buy the Woolrich shirt today that my uncle wore as a teenager -- I have never seen such detailed weave and luxurious feel in anything contemporary. Not that they were wealthy, quite the opposite in fact. They were "everyday poor" like everyone else, in a small mill town, and raised a cow, chickens, and a few pigs to make ends meet by bartering away the hams and butter for credit at the general store.

So next time you're rationalizing^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H contemplating that next purchase, perhaps you can consider yourself to be "striking a blow" against this downward trend by supporting the remaining people who build things with quality

Steve