Half a Year Since I Switched from a Vintage Clothing Store to an IT (Computer) Guy

Hello, I'm incompetent.

My job has changed significantly from my previous one, and I've become a computer person.
From those memories, I'll write down what I'm thinking now as a rambling recollection.

Working in an Organization

My previous job was at a small, privately owned shop, where I was the de facto manager and there was an owner. Regarding intentions, the owner's mood dictated everything, so it was common for things we discussed yesterday to become completely untrue.
It was free, for better or worse, but as Friedrich Hayek's 'The Constitution of Liberty,' which I'm currently reading, suggests, freedom is freedom within a framework of freedom, and there's a philosophical aspect to 'what freedom is' for each individual.

While the burden on one person was significant, in a sense, it could also be said that all of it was free time. I had a lot of alone time, so no matter how much overtime I worked, no one said anything, nor was it seen as anything special.

I also have proper paid leave and compensatory leave. My days off are properly managed. As for overtime, if I stay more than 30 minutes, I'm told 'don't overdo it,' so ironically, I can't work overtime.
Compared to when I was completely constrained, I now have overwhelmingly more free time.

By the way, I've been working for about half a year now, and so far, I haven't gotten sick, haven't taken any sudden days off, and have had no tardiness or absences. Mentally, I feel that getting sunlight in the morning is the best medicine, so I voluntarily choose to come to the office every day. Though, honestly, it's just an excuse to go outside for a cigarette in the morning.

Anyway, it was great to realize that this is how a social organization works.

Salary Difference

It increased, but my desire to buy things has clearly diminished compared to my previous job.
That's because my entire environment has changed, and my days off are completely different, so that's how it is.

Now, I mostly go to cafes or eat out with friends, and conversely, my desire for computers has grown, so I tinker with computers without drinking alcohol. Before, I used to drink until 6 AM every month, so I think my current situation is better both mentally and physically.

My smoking volume has actually increased since I switched to e-cigarettes recently, but I guess it's better than alcohol...

That said, I love alcohol, so I'll gladly go out for a drink.

Material Desires

As I briefly mentioned earlier, there's clearly nothing I absolutely want, and the only thing I thought of today was that I'd like to buy a Mitsubishi Jeep when I become an old man.

It's incredibly cool. Back then, people would ride in these wearing a 'Jeep coat,' a roughly named multi-purpose jacket.

It's called a 'Jeep coat,' but it's actually a 'Mackinaw coat.' In reality, the US military produced it without finding a specific purpose, so it was just a temporary jacket.

Therefore, it was abolished and not used in the Korean War after WWII. It's quite a regrettable jacket. I owned one too, but it was too bulky and cumbersome, and I could never find an occasion to wear it, which made me understand why the US military didn't adopt it.
I probably kept it as a collection piece, wore it a few times when going out to eat, and then let it go.

Since I bought it for $20 USD, I don't have much attachment to it, but I think it's a pitiful jacket, and for that reason alone, I'll never buy one again.

I've digressed, but it's not like I want a car right now, and while I used to be into earphones and even used high-end ones, I eventually decided that something in a certain price range was fine, and generally, there's nothing better than being able to get by cheaply.

The idea that 'expensive things are good' is clearly wrong; it's just a matter of feeling and a foolish abandonment of thought. Of course, there are good things, but when it comes to judging 'whether you yourself are worthy of that value' more than just buying a good thing, I feel that in my case, I'm not, so it might just feel like a scam.

I understand paying for genuinely good things, but I dislike paying for mysterious things. Buying something just because of its appearance is merely for one's own vanity and pride, which is pointless.
I like brands, but if it's about paying for history and technology rather than just the brand itself, then it's like buying a vintage fiberglass Herman Miller chair instead of a current production one.

Have My Tastes Changed?

It's difficult to say, but of course, I naturally look at fewer things to wear, so that's true. However, fundamentally speaking, even before I ran the vintage clothing store, I liked music, clothes, video works, looking at photos and art, reading books, and manga, so nothing has changed.

Humans don't change easily, for better or worse.