Man Selling His Life On eBay 343
A number of readers have sent in the story of the guy in Perth, Australia who is selling his life on eBay. 100 days before the auction opened, he put up a site detailing all that was on offer: house, car, jet ski, friends, job, and so forth. (No wife.) The auction has five days to run and the bidding is up over $300K, supposedly from qualified bidders. The seller says: "Upon completion and settlement I will walk out of my home for the last time in just the clothes I am wearing, and carrying only my wallet and passport."
Well, two things come to mind (Score:4, Interesting)
Is his identity for sale? Otherwise all he is selling is a bunch of stuff. Not "His Life". It would be more interesting if you could actually buy his identity and completely assume his life. Of course, you couldn't do that completely. His friends probably aren't going to buy into it. And also, what of the government?
If he can't tell everyone the reason why his wife left him, then he is obviously not ready to give his life away. He is still holding on to the idea of privacy, when in fact he is giving that away. Could you imagine selling all the pictures, memorabilia, etc. that you have.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
The modern man is what he owns. He who dies with the most toys wins.
Re:Well, two things come to mind (Score:5, Insightful)
I'm concerned that this was rated insightful, rather than funny.
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Myself, I'd rather keep living.
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"The modern man is what he owns. He who dies with the most toys wins."
Or at least that is how modern man has been brainwashed by all the corporations that want him to buy their crap, car companies in particular. They've also conditioned modern man to get 10-20 credit cards and a subprime ARM mortgage, so he can get massively in debt to pay for their crap and pay userous interest rates to them until he is wiped out.
Re:Well, two things come to mind (Score:4, Funny)
They've also conditioned modern man to get 10-20 credit cards and a subprime ARM mortgage
You know what they say about ARM mortgages? too much risc!
Sorry.
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I don't hold a particular grudge against or envy for the toy collectors. Especially if they have the disposable income to pay for them. I mostly just feel sorry for the people who don't have the money and have borrowed themselves in to a hole to buy crap they can't afford and often don't really need. Me I would rather have a nice nest egg stashed away instead of an overpriced car that will be worthless in a few years.
Out of control borrowing, and shipping wealth to other countries in trade deficit has u
Re:Well, two things come to mind (Score:5, Insightful)
Maybe he's just planning on moving somewhere else.
Option #1
. Advertise and Sell House
. Advertise and Sell Car
. Advertise and Sell Jetski
. Advertise and Sell misc other crap, pack it in boxes, give it to charity, take it down to the dump, etc
. Make all of the above events line up with each other so he isn't left with no house or no car etc
Option #2
. Sell it all on eBay as a job lot
. Offer to introduce you to friends and cow-orkers to sweeten the deal (no obligation to actually like the person or employ them if they're a dick)
. Invent a bit of a sob story to go with it
. Profit!
Which one sounds easier? Selling stuff is a pain. Trying to make sure you get rid of your house, car, and other crap which costs money to move all at the same time is even more of a pain. The last thing you'd want is to sell the house and then not be able to find a buyer for your car and jet-ski. Or sell your car but then have to wait 6 months for your house to sell (and have to hire or buy another in the meantime)
Nothing to see here - move along.
Re:Well, two things come to mind (Score:5, Insightful)
Modern life has reached an annoying level of materialism. Lately I've been thinking about how each possession requires time and effort to own (to maintain and repair it, supply fuel/electricity for it, shop for a replacement when it wears out, etc). In fact I've reached the point where I literally don't have time to own anything else, unless I start paying others to maintain it. It's too much.
And yet... I have stuff that I really like. I've devoted a lot of time to crafting a PVR from scratch, and having it loaded with thousands of mp3's and hooked up to a nice stereo is something I really enjoy. I have a couple motorcycles that I enjoy riding, planning and taking trips on, and repairing (usually). I have a house. I have a fully stocked tool chest (that I use to fix everything else) that's taken years of gradual additions to accrue.
So the idea of discarding all the "stuff" is and starting fresh is enticing... yet I couldn't do it. Guess I'm "owned."
Re:Well, two things come to mind (Score:4, Insightful)
> Modern life has reached an annoying level of materialism. ...
> And yet... I have stuff that I really like. I've devoted a lot of time to crafting a PVR from scratch, and having it loaded with thousands of mp3's and hooked up to a nice stereo is something I really enjoy.
No need to blame it on materialism. Meaning is often carrier, transported or represented by material objects. The bible is one example (the physical book), your PVR is another or a marriage picture. This is not necessarily a sign of extreme materialism, it is just the way things work.
As long as meaning cannot stand on its own ("purely spiritual beings"), it must have some manifestation in the real world. Nothing wrong with that, unless you have to move :-)
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
customizing lifestyle (Score:4, Insightful)
not owning a car would release the person from many obligations.
same goes for furniture, other house belongings. we should minimize our belongings to the things we really need to have and like to have, but, we should try that what we have in that style are the best that we can have according to our needs or enjoyment.
this should maximize our benefit from possessions whereas minimizing our overhead.
re: I don't find it "annoying" in the least .... (Score:5, Interesting)
I often hear people complain about how "materialistic" we've all become, and how much happier we're supposed to be if we learn to reject some of this.
Isn't that the same promise the Catholic religion has been hawking for the last 2,000 years or so?
No, your possessions don't literally equate to your "life" ... but at the same time, I think they can (even SHOULD) help define a person. Looking at myself, I realize that my purchases directly reflect the things I enjoy doing in life. For example, I own several computer systems. Well, that's been my main "hobby interest" for close to 20 years now, and it led me to my career choice. Computers are the key to what makes me a "productive citizen", earning a regular paycheck. I also have a decent-sized music collection, and even some musical instruments (electric guitar, synthesizer, etc.). Sure, they're not necessities in life, but they're enjoyable distractions for me, and reflect on my interest in music in general.
The people who worry me the MOST are the ones who don't seem to have any clear "hobbies" or interests that involve ownership of property! I've had friends like this, who seem like they're wandering aimlessly through life - spending their money on "intangible entertainment" like movie tickets, amusement park passes or sporting events. Ultimately, they have little to show for the work they do.
Re: I don't find it "annoying" in the least .... (Score:5, Insightful)
What I observe in many people I know is a trend towards accumulation of possessions that don't necessarily make them happy, but that they feel that they deserve because they work at unsatisfying and time-consuming jobs. They feel that they should have something to show for all of their effort, and so they buy themselves things. I myself have fallen into this trap, but have since returned to graduate school. I'm now much poorer and can afford much less, but on the whole, I feel that I need less because I enjoy the work itself and thus don't need to justify it through material means.
What I found most interesting was this comment you made:
The people who worry me the MOST are the ones who don't seem to have any clear "hobbies" or interests that involve ownership of property! I've had friends like this, who seem like they're wandering aimlessly through life - spending their money on "intangible entertainment" like movie tickets, amusement park passes or sporting events. Ultimately, they have little to show for the work they do.
Frankly, I can relate much better to your friends. I would far prefer to have interesting experiences and the resultant memories they bring tucked under my belt, such as travel or outings to concerts, amusement parks, etc. than to have a stockpile of possessions that may have resale value but rapidly depreciate and incur maintenance costs in many cases. Experiences are far more formative to me as a person than, say, car or personal entertainment system ownership.
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Well, see... the first paragraph of your reply is pretty much in agreement with what I was saying. People aquiring random possessions that don't even wind up getting much use or making them happy is just "hoarding", and taken to extremes, we classify it as a mental disorder. My point was simply that having material things is not inherently "bad", "wrong", or undesireable.
As for the last part of what you wrote, I ageee it is interesting how people can come away with two completely different interpretations
It's hard to walk away. (Score:3, Insightful)
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You do not sound materialistic to me, at all. What I read from your short comment is that you have some stuff, but you like mostly what you do with it.
Putting together a PVR: it doesn't sound like you went out to buy the latest and greatest hardware for that, more like cobbled together a system from the old collection. And the load it with mp3 files: the joy of listening to music!
You own a few motorcycles (that is getting quite materialistic) but the main thing you seem to want to do is the trips, and the
Now for what is really cool... (Score:5, Funny)
(Trying to figure out why I think it is so funny but it just cracks me up...)
Re:Now for what is really cool... (Score:5, Funny)
(Trying to figure out why I think it is so funny but it just cracks me up...)
Re:Now for what is really cool... (Score:5, Funny)
What if he is also selling his debt? (Score:4, Insightful)
What if the guy has a bunch of sub prime loans, and is under water on them. People can legally buy debt, so will they incur this as well? I've had my student loans sold to several different banks without my knowing, so why not sell your debt?
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Re:Well, two things come to mind (Score:5, Insightful)
Er, I'll take option C please.
Blind hope is warm and fuzzy for some, sure, but if you live your life 'hoping' for eternal life after death, you're likely to miss out on a good chunk of your actual life.
Living life in fear of death, makes it kind of hard to get the most out of life.
I personally advocate living life to the fullest, every day. You know for a fact that you will die, so the sooner you accept it, the sooner you can get on with living the life you have. Should there happen to be a life after death, then that will just be a bonus in the end. But don't count on it. I have no intention of lying on my death bed wishing I'd lived more while I could and tortured about whether there was more or not. If you can't be satisfied with how you have lived your life up to that point, there is nothing that is going to help you once you pass, eternal life or no eternal life. A need to put all your eggs in the 'I'm not really going to die' basket indicates regret at how one has lived the life they actually had.
Don't stress the unknown, there's nothing you can do about it. Enjoy what you have now and you won't be disappointed in the end no matter what happens.
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I prefer:
"He who dies pennyless has impeccable timing."
Re:Well, two things come to mind (Score:5, Informative)
Oh, he will tell you why his wife left--for a price. According to CNN, you have to subscribe to his website. [cnn.com] It's apparently called "alifeforsale.com".
Re:Well, two things come to mind (Score:5, Funny)
I can tell you why his wife left for free right now...
"hey honey, I decided to sell my life on ebay!"
slam pitpatpitpat screeech vrooom! and there she goes.
Can I buy the wife's car? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Can I buy the wife's car? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Well, two things come to mind (Score:5, Insightful)
I was blindsided at about 11pm on a Wednesday evening by a shocking and awful discovery.
Not too hard to guess what that might have been.
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Re:Well, two things come to mind (Score:5, Funny)
> Not too hard to guess what that might have been.
I wonder which would be more ironic:
1) If his ex-wife marry the guy that buy "his life", so she get back the whole lot ("Oh, that is soo sweet, I recovered my friends, my house and my jetski" )
2) If the guy his wife left with win the auction to buy "his life" ("Your taste in women was pretty good, what else do you have?")
Re:Well, two things come to mind (Score:4, Funny)
I was blindsided at about 11pm on a Wednesday evening by a shocking and awful discovery.
She was a Collingwood fan?
yeah but it wasn't just an affair (Score:3, Funny)
Which is bad news for the person buying his life. Guess who's going to be your new best friend?!
Re:Well, two things come to mind (Score:5, Insightful)
Is his identity for sale? Otherwise all he is selling is a bunch of stuff. Not "His Life". It would be more interesting if you could actually buy his identity and completely assume his life. Of course, you couldn't do that completely. His friends probably aren't going to buy into it. And also, what of the government?
If you RTFA you'll see that the sale includes introductions to his friends, and a trial in his job, which is supported by his employer. In addition to all the physical stuff. If a purchaser played it right, he could indeed have the guy's house, friends, job, and possesions. This is about as much as he could reasonably and legally do, and IMHO just barely about enough to justify his description that he's selling his "life".
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Presumably subject to being able to get the appropriate visa should the winning bidder not have one or be an Australian citizen.
Re:Well, two things come to mind (Score:5, Insightful)
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Fight Club (Score:2, Insightful)
You are not your job.
You are not how much you have in the bank.
You are not the contents of your wallet.
You are not your fucking Khakis.
You're not your family, and you're not who you tell yourself.... You're not your name.... You're not your problems.... You're not your age.... You are not your hopes.
You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake.
You are the all-singing, all-dancing crap of
the world.
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Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Or is he really starting a reality TV show with all the hidden cameras in his house and belongings that will begin the week after he moves out?
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First, he's selling his "stuff" and his "life" is just a catchy way of marketing it, as you said. Not particularly newsworthy, but interesting enough in any case, simply because it is a catchy marketing gimmick.
Second, what he will be as a person after selling his "life" will be a whole new thing. He will be able to start from scratch, essentially anywhere he wants, for at least a year or two. During that time he may learn a new language, meet a new wife, whatever.
Reinventing yourself is easy but it take
There is no wife (Score:5, Informative)
because he got divorced, and "everything" reminds him of her and hes just so miserable. The divorce was the catalyst for the whole thing.
Re:There is no wife (Score:5, Funny)
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I hope he has success in selling his problems away, but I do wonder if he is actually solving anything and growing in terms of life experience. But it's hard (and possibly wrong) to judge these things.
Here's your chance guys (Score:5, Funny)
Here's your chance to finally get a life! Gentlemen, place your bids!
Get a life...in Perth? (Score:4, Funny)
Oh come on people, the guy lives in PERTH. Surely nobody is bidding on that.
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Here's your chance to finally get a life! Gentlemen, place your bids!
I rented a Life [wikipedia.org] one time. It was OK, if a bit on the small side. I'd say it's worth maybe $7000.
idiot (Score:2, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
Insightful? Really? Do the Slashdot fan boys really believe that without a contract that is properly written having a mans possessions make you responsible for what he does or he responsible for what you do? I know the laws are sometimes messed up but come on don't be a herd of idiots.
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For only $50k down... (Score:2)
I can take out a $400k mortgage, and finally have a life like they all tell me to!
Aw man (Score:5, Funny)
Fake bids. (Score:4, Informative)
Link to the story here = http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,23908397-948,00.html [news.com.au]
...and all that money! (Score:2)
Still, it's quite a courageous move - he had no guarantee of a good price. Was there a reserve price in this auction?
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PSone? (Score:4, Funny)
Man, he could have at least thrown in a PS2...what a cheap bastard.
If I were selling my life (Score:4, Funny)
I'd probably wind up having to pay the auction winner to take it off my hands.
My first post in a long time. (Score:5, Interesting)
I've always dreamed of doing something like this. Starting over, giving everything up. And I'm right positive that I'm not the only one on Slashdot to have those dreams.
This guy has balls of steel. And I wish him the best.
Re:My first post in a long time. (Score:4, Interesting)
I wish I had the guts to do this.
Re:My first post in a long time. (Score:4, Funny)
I am happy, but I feel encumbered.
Ahh, another case of life imitating nethack.
Perhaps you are stuck with cursed armor or a loadstone.
Or maybe you should "D" some of those items
and do a polypile later.
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TZ
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I've always dreamed of doing something like this. Starting over, giving everything up. And I'm right positive that I'm not the only one on Slashdot to have those dreams.
Is there a place on Earth where anyone can go and live to get out of the "rat race"? Modern society sucks in many ways and I'd be happy to try something else. I'd guess, though, that human nature is the real limiting factor. Greed, corruption, crime, profiteering - it'll follow you everywhere.
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I actually did this, I guess.
Quit my job as a programmer. Sold my car and house. Gave up my dogs. Gave away all my possessions (Well, what wouldn't fit into a backpack, anyway -- kept a laptop of course!) Hmm... kept the money -- handy stuff, money. Then I moved to Japan to teach English.
Honestly, I did this because over the years I've found that when I had more stuff, it was just a burden. I realized I was actually happier with less stuff. I'm living on very little money now (about $1200 a month, to
Re:My first post in a long time. (Score:4, Insightful)
Yes suicide is more selfish than brave, but that's not what this guy is doing. Reinvention of yourself does take courage, but not a lot when you have $300K plus in the bank (or even half that) to survive off of while you're figuring it all out.
I posted elsewhere than it's good for him, but he's hardly letting anyone down that depends on him. He's quitting a job and leaving where he lives to "start fresh". He has no kids, apparently no longer has a wife, and quitting a job isn't really the end of the world, so the only thing he's really done is sell all his crap and buy new crap as he sees fit. We all do that, we just don't necessarily do it all at once.
Re:My first post in a long time. (Score:5, Insightful)
This guy is a coward who isn't capable of dealing with his problems in a mature manner and so he's concocted this weird scheme to try and finance him running away from his problems.
This is obviously from someone who's not suffered any tragedy in his entire life but feels compelled to offer glib judgment on the sorrows of others. The least you could do is invoke something less cliched than a Readers Digest version of some Dr. Phil episode your mom forced you to watch.
Here's a tip: In the worst of times, even the best of us behave badly. It's to be expected. It's normal. It's what makes us human. If you get that much, ask yourself how very ordinary is your own life and your relationships with others that you're unable to relate to someone who might be enduring really bad times?
Me, I'm laughing (like everyone else), but only because I "get it". Losing your job, developing a incurable disease, getting cheated out of money, having your car stolen, losing big time in Vegas, nothing comes close to the torment of what a woman can put you through.
Somewhere in hell Sam Kinnison is screaming "This ain't hell! I'll tell you what hell is!!!"
All my life for sale (Score:4, Informative)
All my life for sale [minlib.net] is a book by John Freyer who managed to list most of his worldly possessions (even his Christmas presents) on eBay.
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He started putting his possessions up for sale at work. It went on for a while and got a bit silly when it became clear that literally everything was for sale.
I was a bit worried because some people who do this are looking forward to a more radical life change than moving to a different country.
So the math is (Score:5, Funny)
This is news? (Score:5, Funny)
Misleading title. (Score:2, Insightful)
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And in that wallet ... (Score:2)
...and that's not all (Score:2)
The value of life (Score:2, Funny)
I haven't bought any recently, but I used to get them three for a quarter.
I hear... (Score:4, Funny)
Defective merchadise Clause (Score:2)
I wonder if there is a defective merchandise clause to the transaction? How are you supposed to know that he didn't treat friends and co-workers miserably before he left? What if his friends suck? And a house in need of disrepair (e.g. a carpenter's dream or a real fixer-upper)? If the ex is still available and hot, can you reconcile the relationship without getting the hook for the alimony? These would certainly add to a defective merchandise argument.
I've taken back bad clothes, stuff that doesn't fit af
What? (Score:2)
Whoa! (Score:5, Funny)
You can buy a house and a jet ski and all the other stuff anywhere, but friends? Whoa!
I can't wait to show them my complete Star Wars Action Figures collection!
-
ooh! This is the plot of a movie, I know it! (Score:5, Funny)
We're going to find out that the Mafia has a hit out on him or he's supposed to be in an arranged marriage to a cannibal princess or something. The lovable everyman who buys this guy's life will now be in a madcap race to escape the consequences, probably falling in love with a girl-next-door Hollywood starlet in the process.
Why he is getting so much (Score:3, Funny)
"...just the clothes I am wearing..." (Score:4, Insightful)
Er...and $300K in cash. There is that.
P.S. Don't get mugged.
What is this Ancient news day? (Score:2)
Not only is this story over 2 months old but it isn't even original! This Guy [pocket-lint.co.uk] did it over a year ago while the current guys story was featured on ABC [go.com] back in March.
Do your DD (Score:3, Funny)
You'd better fly over and check it out. Make sure his friends aren't all loud talkers with BO who like to "get nekkid" at parties.
If it was me... (Score:3, Funny)
It's kinda sad ... (Score:3, Funny)
that his boss and friends support the idea. I imagine him asking, "Is no-one going to say 'please don't go'?"
Re:Presumably... (Score:5, Informative)
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
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Probably very difficult because his employer could pull the rug out from under him at any time...
Re:Net Worth... (Score:5, Interesting)
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I own a house, car, motorbike. No degree (although I have a trade that I don't use anymore).
People in the UK on less than average income can afford all this. Many families are home-owner, two-car families.
Degree? hehehehe.
Re:Net Worth... (Score:5, Interesting)
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Or, you know, have a steady job that pays well early in life. Or just a steady job.
If I could do it all over again I would have gone from HS to some blue collar job.
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There's nothing like a good construction or other basic blue collar job to keep regular pay cheques coming in. I keep telling people I know that are in college this, but they're sure studying computers will get them further.
Re:Net Worth... (Score:4, Insightful)
Yeah, but there's no point in being old and rich.
"We spend our youth trying to accumulate wealth and our wealth trying to accumulate youth" --Someone
Don't fear the now.
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Obviously the buyer is a guy with completely different skillsets. Obviously this guy does some sort of skilled job that requires some sort of degree if he can afford a house, a car, and a jet ski. I mean a construction worker and a cashier is not going to own his own jet ski.
The clue's in the article :
" Joy Jones, who co-owns the rug store in Perth where Mr Usher worked as a shop assistant, said she supported the auction idea.
Her company is offering the successful bidder a two-week trial, which could be extended for three months and then become permanent. "
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You need to let go of your elitist grasp of reality (or lack thereof). Plenty of construction workers and tradesmen can afford any of the things you seem to think require a degree. Jet skis aren't particularly expensive and neither are houses, if you plan your finances in the least bit.
As for everything else, he's not selling his identity, he specifically says he isn't selling his identity. Taxes are easy and everyone expects to pay taxes when they buy large ticket items like he's selling, whether they b
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"I mean a construction worker and a cashier is not going to own his own jet ski."
Joke, right?
The guy works as an assistant in a rug-store, apart from the stint that he had driving trucks at a mine. Sounds like this construction worker / cashier really does have his own jet-ski.
And he's not selling his 'identity', just his stuff.. and... oh for Pasta's sake, RTFA.
er:
job, and so forth.
who is selling his life on eBay.
Are you reading a different article?