Musings Episode 48: Quality vs. Quantity

I remember when I first read a particular quote of Oscar Wilde’s from his “The Picture of Dorian Gray” book…

…and how it felt realizing that this simple quote put everything friends and I have ever spit balled about into perfect explanation.

Often people brag about how much something costs them, or the name brand it is. Yet to question whether or not that said thing is quality or not is rarely ever acted upon.

Would you rather have something that’s “okay” and cost a lot of something else, or would you rather have something that’s well made, of value, without the “big” name brand association and price tag?

Would you rather have a lot of people you know, but not many you trust, or a few people you know, all of whom you can trust?

Would you rather have a lot of acquaintances, or a few genuine friends?

A friend of mine used to love buying Ralph Lauren for women. The cuts were perfect for her, as she was of slender profile, tall. Then something changed. She visited me after shopping one day and plopped down her bags. “Look at this! Tell me if you notice the difference.”

The price was the same but the quality changed significantly. The cuts became short and wide, uneven panels, and while most of the fabric remained the same, something was different that I couldn’t put my finger on.

“Umm,” I hesitated, “well, the cuts look different,” I continued putting one shirt up to her for comparison. “They’re shorter, for one…and wider.”

“That’s what I said!” she said frustrated.

Why was she frustrated? Because here she was, a once dedicated patron of the Ralph Lauren brand, and now she was finding that the brand she put so much trust in was slowly changing.

Keep in mind, in being tall and slender finding clothing that are well fitted is a task for her. She shopped at a few, very select places that accommodated her needs, and while Ralph Lauren had made excellent cuts in trousers and the like, something had changed for their shirts and blouses.

I myself know that Ralph Lauren makes many different excellent lines, from Black Label to Blue Label and more…

…and she could’ve easily tried another line of theirs. But the particular convenience of walking into your regular Ralph Lauren store is something she very much enjoyed.

She could’ve very well shopped online or some other alternative, but what frustrated her the most was the fact that to a degree the brand’s quality factor had dropped, while the quantity factor in price remained the same.

…and this is where people are sometimes forced to choose, quality or quantity? Brand loyalty or going elsewhere to seek better?

This could be looked at in an opposite manner as well. Sometimes buying the cheapest isn’t always the best idea when you’re looking for something to last.

Being rather particular about what kinds of electronics I buy, and the shoes on my feet, the type of threads on my back and whether or not they’re made of natural resources or polyester, I’ve found myself lately getting more and more into organic cotton.

Researching an item before buying it is always a good idea. I remember a huge mistake made a while back. Usually, shopping online for sparring gear in general – isn’t a natural habit of mine. There’s a need to feel the gear, inspect the material, plus many other things.

But this was back when new to MMA and more of an avid fencer.

It occurred to me as a great idea to purchase focus mitts on the internet. Why not with all the positives. Great price – inexpensive. Huge mistake – HUGE. When they arrived, they were horrible. My sparring partner couldn’t use them properly. They were uncomfortable, hard as rocks, no proper wrist support and because of their lack of flexibility almost broke my sparring buddies elbows.

It was a purchase I regretted but had no one to blame but myself. The focus mitts were a “bargain” I thought. Like they say though, you get what you pay for sometimes.

Then there are those other times where like magic you find quality and a decent price. You find VALUE.

This is the middle ground area. This used to be what a lot of companies offered their customers – value. Not “what’s the cheapest manufacturing cost” but “what’s the best value we can give to our customers, at a great price, and superior quality?”

Knowing the value of something is much different than knowing the price – guess that explains why I never was any good at that game “The Price is Right.”

When you start talking value, great value, you start seeing things a bit differently.

This means across the board. Materialistic items, experiences, relationships, and even thoughts.

It’s good to be rather selective of what you buy. Activities you partake in. People you associate with. Thoughts you think.

By taking the time to be selective, you’ll soon start realizing the difference between the amount of things you have, people you know, experiences you engage in, and thoughts you think, and the quality, the VALUE in each one of those things.

You’ll think twice before buying those pair of mass produced shoes – and realize you can contribute back to your community by buying from your local shoe maker for the same price.

You’ll think twice before getting into certain relationships – platonic or romantic – and analyze whether or not that particular person has the same outlook on life (negative/positive) as you or not.

You’ll think twice before engaging in certain activities – and think to yourself how that specific activity has an impact in your life.

Everything you do will become a conscious action, and in turn you’ll genuinely be giving yourself the quality lifestyle you’ve always talked about – instead of just listening to the dictations of society.

You’ll understand that it’s not just quality vs. quantity, but value as well.

As always…

Stay awesome. 😉

– Rego

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