I've noticed that there are quite a few guys here who are into consumer goods -- most often nice cars and expensive clothes. I've always been somewhat of an anti-materialist and being excessively materialistic has always seemed to me to be a feminine trait.

However, guys need to be able to successfully navigate and manipulate the world around them. This requires a certain critical mass of useful possessions -- from tools to appropriate clothing.

The question becomes how much materialism is too much? My answer would be the minimum needed to effectively achieve your goals. When I was in college I had a summer job working as a carpenter's helper. The carpenter I worked with was a phenomenal guy who was more than happy to share his knowledge. One of his rules was that you always had to use materials that were up to the task -- if you didn't you were wasting everyone's time and money. Conversely it was also wasteful to use material that was more expensive than necessary. (We framed walls with spruce and saved the Douglas Fir for joists and rafters).

I've tried to apply the old carpenter's rule to life in general. Procure possessions you need to get the job done -- nothing more -- nothing less. My life requires a reliable car so I buy a well cared for used car with a reliable powertrain (I've never paid more than 4K for a car). My job requires that I wear at least a sport coat and tie. I get ties for a buck at thrift stores (petty rebellion -- they may be able to make we wear the god awful things but I won't let them make me spend one penny more than I absolutely have to). I have a couple of basic sport coats that I keep for years. I get khakis at Target or Walmart.

At least for me, being a guy means not wasting money and effort on consumerism. Wondering what other people here think?