Values are different for everyone, no matter what.
I don’t strongly deny or affirm anything (*’ω’*) — it’s more like, if it were me, I’d choose this.
I feel that very few people, myself included, hold their values strongly.
There are surprisingly many people for whom important values equal money.
Is that really the case? I don’t think so….
I want to reexamine my own values.
Anything works. Let’s use a simple example: dining at a restaurant.
① Kind, attentive service with organic ingredients, flavors and cooking tailored to your taste.
Dishes and drinks are served at the right timing, the dining room and staff are hygienic, and you can enjoy your meal in a calm atmosphere.
② Ordinary service, unclear ingredients — maybe you’ve seen them at the local supermarket. The flavor is bold but not bad. Dishes are served as they’re ready, and the table gets crowded. The first ones out cool down quickly.
Glasses aren’t swapped even when you order different drinks.
The shop looks a bit dingy, and the staff don’t give a hygienic impression.
a. So if ① and ② cost the same, which would you choose?
Most people — or rather, generally speaking — would pick ①, I think.
b. But what if ① is 15,000 yen per person and ② is 8,500 yen per person?
If you chose ① in question a. but ② in question b., that’s not about superiority or quality — you chose based on the lower price.
When I’m unsure, I often make my choice by setting price aside for a moment.
Do you want to be fulfilled by others, or do you want to fulfill yourself?
What do you think about that?
It’s a phrase you hear surprisingly often.
If you think something is good and you’re not bothering anyone else, I figure that’s fine — that’s what I think anyway.
When others
say or think “Yeah, that’s really nice!” it makes me very happy.
On the flip side,
when they say or think “Wow, that’s… not for me,” it gets me down a bit.
I think this is why many of us end up conforming to others’ opinions or settling for a safe, unremarkable result when we wanted to show more personality.
Before you know it, mass production and blandness.
It’s very difficult, but…
In recent years, bolt-on parts are so abundant that they look almost like factory options, and you can customize quickly and easily, for better or worse.
From the perspective of getting performance quickly and cheaply, it’s fantastic.
But you’re just picking from what’s already lined up, so really you can only choose the color. Well, once you’re buying a production bike anyway, there’s not much to say.
One or a thousand.
When you look at the price of off-the-shelf caliper supports, you’re amazed.
Dirt cheap.
That’s because you can divide the cost by the sales volume and production volume.
Mass-produced, utterly stock design, both sides for one bike at 9,800 yen.
One-off with stunning design, both sides for one bike at 90,000 yen.
In this case, which has more value to the owner, and which is actually cheaper?
You hear people say, “Just aluminum machining and it costs as much as an iPhone?”
But
you can’t hold your brakes with an iPhone, and you can’t make calls or browse the internet with a caliper support. The value being compared is different.
Fulfill yourself within your budget.
I’m not saying you should spend money like an idiot.
There’s this value system where “cheap is best!” has become so pervasive — doesn’t it feel a bit off to you?
Price is one factor in the decision, but since it’s a hobby, I think the best approach is to think carefully and make choices that fulfill yourself.
What do you think?
