Little Lies to ourselves

[Chuasam]

What are the little lies we tell ourselves to justify a new pen?

Mine for example:
1. It would improve my handwriting and stave off dementia.
2. I would be inspired to write more.
3. I need to get a pen emblematic of the aesthetic I hold dear.
4. It's a pain to have to flush a pen thoroughly when I switch inks; easier to get a new pen. (maybe this isn't a lie)

[mhosea]

That's a level of rationality that I don't often employ when it comes to buying pens. I think along this line I'm most guilty of exaggerating to myself. Exaggerating:

1. How much I will enjoy having this other pen as compared to not having it.
2. How important it is to have "back-up(s)" of pens that I have a special affinity for.

I have some duplicates because of #2, perhaps instigated by some deal presenting itself, but if I like a pen well enough, redundancy seems to follow to some extent, if not an actual duplicate, something very close. It gives me peace of mind when carrying my favorite pens. Peace of mind is valuable, indeed, but I think it's an excessive behavior. Accidents happen, and availability changes over time, so it's not because having a duplicate doesn't make sense, rather because the assumption is that I will want exactly this pen and won't be able to replace it in a satisfactory way when the need presents. It's true that I might not be able to replace, say, my Bexley Owner's club 2012, but is it really that important that I have exactly that pen model that I should need three of them (two blues and one green)??? The rational answer is simply no.

[gbryal]

What are the little lies we tell ourselves to justify a new pen?

1. I have never tried a ____ nib, it will be totally different from all of my other nibs.
2. I am supporting _______ and the lost art of pencrafting.
3. If there is a perfect pen, how will I know what it is if I don't try all of them?
4. ____ says this pen is better than my other pens. Probably not, but what if they are right?
5. I am a pen collector.

[pajaro]

That's a level of rationality that I don't often employ when it comes to buying pens. I think along this line I'm most guilty of exaggerating to myself. Exaggerating:

1. How much I will enjoy having this other pen as compared to not having it.
2. How important it is to have "back-up(s)" of pens that I have a special affinity for.

I have some duplicates because of #2, perhaps instigated by some deal presenting itself, but if I like a pen well enough, redundancy seems to follow to some extent, if not an actual duplicate, something very close. It gives me peace of mind when carrying my favorite pens. Peace of mind is valuable, indeed, but I think it's an excessive behavior. Accidents happen, and availability changes over time, so it's not because having a duplicate doesn't make sense, rather because the assumption is that I will want exactly this pen and won't be able to replace it in a satisfactory way when the need presents. It's true that I might not be able to replace, say, my Bexley Owner's club 2012, but is it really that important that I have exactly that pen model that I should need three of them (two blues and one green)??? The rational answer is simply no.

I am certain that your thinking in #2 is about what I felt when I kept buying Parker 51s at garage sales, etc., even though I had bought an excellent one as my first pen after college. And the MB 144s. Later the Pelikans, Phileases, Laureats, Carenes . . . until I realized I didn't need pens any more and made myself stop.

The low end pens I used in school didn't last, so I thought I needed backups. After about 200 Parker 51s, including several NOS in their boxes, there seemed something wrong in my assumptions about the life of a 51, so that stopped. With other pens I just seemed to get one and want more, and buy the same pen, same color, same nib size. Pen gluttony. It is kind of funny to look back at it. Never take yourself too seriously.

[Wahl]

I don´t have this color in that model.

[Sandy Fry]

I NEVER have to justify buying a new pen. If I want one I buy one. Why would I have to justify buying something I want??

David

[bluesea]

I NEVER have to justify buying a new pen. If I want one I buy one. Why would I have to justify buying something I want??

David

Agree, although I do have my own personal limitations as to category and inventory etc. Its a very limited free for all, if that's at all possible, ha-ha-ha. And for sure not one new pen has caused me to work on my penmanship any less.

[Chrissy]

"I have to have this pen because it's such a bargain"
"One day I will sell it on to someone else"
"I don't have one exactly like it"

[carlos.q]

I... will... not... buy... more... pens... this... year...

[amk]

I don't tell myself lies about my pen habit.

Well.... not much. The big one is "another ten [twenty, hundred...] euros and it will still be a bargain" (on ebay), andthe little one is "of course I've got somewhere to put it."

And then there's that underlying little fib that at some point in the future, I'll have got all the pens I want...

[inklord]

My Lamy 2000's are all in constant rotation; since the finish slowly ages and becomes polished (first visible after about a year of use) I figure I need another one, perhaps to have the nib Masuyama'd, every year or so...
This way I end up with a nice progression of increasingly polished L2k's...
I guess the same argument could be made for other wabi-sabi pens, such as Nakayas, other ebonite or urushi pens...

[penwash]

What are the little lies we tell ourselves to justify a new pen?

Mine for example:
1. It would improve my handwriting and stave off dementia.

Why is no.1 a lie?
I don't know for sure, but I won't be surprised if it's true.

[Chuasam]

What are the little lies we tell ourselves to justify a new pen?

Mine for example:
1. It would improve my handwriting and stave off dementia.

Why is no.1 a lie?
I don't know for sure, but I won't be surprised if it's true.

It's not untrue but one could do the very same with one's existing pens

[Sammyo]

"... of course my wife won't be upset, it's very important that I have this pen, I'm sure she will understand..."

[Chuasam]

Not a lie but : she won't notice a new pen

[DASEFnib]

"If I'm spending $$$ on PENS....I'm NOT spending it on booze, drugs, porn, computers, cameras, stereo equipment, etc., etc., etc."
As long as the bills get paid.....it's not a big issue in our house.....
Up to a point, of course.....!!

Always try to get the dibs...on fountain pens with EF nibs!!

[Kaputnik]

It's interesting that I haven't been embarrassed enough to lie to myself about pens, and yet still they accumulate. Maybe I need to lie to myself in a way that will inhibit more purchases. "Fountain pens have been linked to respiratory failure", something like that.

[penwash]

It's interesting that I haven't been embarrassed enough to lie to myself about pens, and yet still they accumulate. Maybe I need to lie to myself in a way that will inhibit more purchases. "Fountain pens have been linked to respiratory failure", something like that.

Compared to my other "hobby" which involves film developer, fixer, and different chemicals for toning (including Tea), messing with fountain pen (nice smelling shellac and talc) is a bit more relaxing and benign

[rpsyed]

Not sure these are all "lies" but this is how I usually justify buying a new pen.

1. It's worth it because I'm in my 20's and I will keep it and use it for the rest of my life.
2. I'm not buying on credit - I make sure I have the cash to pay off any pen I buy in full.
3. It's a new nib point/type/shape/feel and so I must need it.
4. I can splurge on pens since I'm limiting myself to roughly 15 pens total (I'm at about 10 pens right now. Soon to be 12, though, since I have a Romillo coming on Monday and a Scriptorium in the next month or so.)
5. The extra writing I do improves my handwriting.
6. At least I'm not into watches.