[AddictedToSax]

A well written essay. I'm not sure if anyone will listen but it needed to be said. Good job, Phil.

 

[AddictedToSax]

[
... The desire to buy stuff is not satisfied when you buy stuff. You just want to buy more stuff. It's a problem that transcends the saxophone world.
...

When I'm watchin' my TV
And a man comes on to tell me
How white my shirts can be
But he can't be a man 'cause he doesn't smoke
The same cigarrettes as me
I can't get no satisfaction.

 

[AddictedToSax]

Oh, yes. There's always a better lens, faster, sharper, quicker focus. Then you need a macro for closeup and a 600mm zoom for shooting wildlife. And if you are a serious birder you need some top of the line prime lenses. To be honest though, if you want National Geographic quality wildlife photos there is no substitute for top quality gear. If you are shooting snapshots of the family gathering or just stuff you see when you're out on a walk, it's more about light and composition than it is about gear. You can shoot very nice family shots with a smartphone.

But the same goes for most hobbies. The marketers are busy promoting the NEED to have their gear and people are lining up to pay big bucks for it. It's the American way.