Well, we voted "can't kick the habit" although just not finding stuff we want to spend money on came in a close second.
Partly, we just have a philosophical bent toward voluntary simplicity. Partly, we have lived a frugal lifestyle for so long that the ordinary American lifestyle seems incredibly wasteful to us.
Ditto for me. Clearly there are many kindred souls on the boards.
When I was younger I was definitely a gadget guy, now by Silicon Valley standards not particularly excessive, and I never paid top dollar for any gadget, but still I was an early adopter. However, now days I find that more often than not a new gadget just isn't worth the hassles of researching it, figuring out how to use, where to store it, and remembering to change the batteries or recharge it.
I just went through a mental list of a several dozen things ranging from cell phones, kitchen stuff: breadmakers, cuisanarts, to entertainment devices like computers, HD TVs, and MP3 players, I have purchased or received as gifts or premiums last 4 or 5 years, and I concluded that in more than 1/2 the cases the hassles associated with the obtaining the device (even if it is free like my iPOD) outweigh the benefits.
It is interesting cause I still get the initial rush, or wow this is so cool it slices, it dices, it juices, and cleans the carpets, but things are never that easy...
On the other hand, I find owning a piece of a company, or making an investment in a local company pretty cool.