Warning: A local in Chiang Mai called my work setup 'tourist theater'

He said my giant portable monitor and noise-canceling headphones at a cafe were just for show, and that real work gets done with less. I sold the monitor and now just use my laptop, which has honestly been fine for 8 months. Anyone else get called out for overcomplicating their gear?

2 comments

2 Comments

cameron_webb7d ago

Honestly, that "tourist theater" thing hits on something bigger. We see it everywhere now, like people buying giant water bottles to walk half a mile or having a special outfit just for the gym. It's like the gear becomes the main point instead of the actual doing of the thing. I used to have a whole fancy coffee setup before I realized my old drip machine made coffee just fine. The stuff just becomes a show for yourself and everyone else.

anderson.jason7d ago

Nah, I get what you're saying but I see it the opposite way. That gear isn't a show, it's what gets me to actually do the thing. If buying a nice water bottle makes me drink more water, that's a win. The fancy coffee setup made me slow down and enjoy the morning instead of just gulping it down. Sometimes the right stuff is just a tool that helps you care more about the activity.