On Growing Old, and Letting Things Too

The hidden cost of shiny toys

We’re losing the beauty of vintage.

We no longer let things lose their shine but keep their purpose.

Consumerism compels us to replace, not repair.

Rather than letting things age with us—their cracks and dents mapping our shared years—we discard them.

We throw away our old toys, and with them, the parts of our lives buried in them.

That worn tee from a concert we can’t recall no longer sits quietly in the corner, waiting to jolt us mid-thought, reminding us of who we used to be, and how far we've come.

We’re losing a precious connection to our present selves by erasing the artifacts that once helped us converse with our past selves.

We’re losing the healing power of vintage.

What would it look like if we let our belongings age gracefully alongside us as quiet companions?

Not for hoarding, but for bearing witness to the unraveling of our wild, wondrous lives.

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This reflection burst out of me yesterday while doing the dishes.

As usual, I was in my head – this time thinking about what to keep or toss as I pack up my dorm room at Stanford to head to Seattle for my summer internship.

As I realized the ‘toss’ pile in my head was growing a bit too high, I stopped for a second.

For the things that are broken, torn, but still hold meaning, how do I justify throwing the baby out with the bath water?

In a world that rewards novelty over history, how do we know when to let go of what we’ve outgrown versus create space for it to age alongside us as memory capsules?

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I’ll be sharing more questions like this as Arinze’s Weekly now becomes Arinze’s Notes—a catalog of my tiny thoughts (and, sometimes, long essays) on adulting in the age of algorithms.

My next story will be on my reflections on my first year at Stanford — at a time when MBA classrooms are undergoing a generational shift, job insecurity is at an all-time high thanks to AI, and the global order is shifting too fast for anyone to not feel dizzy.

I can’t wait to share it with you in the next few weeks (hold me to this!).

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P.S. If you also love to think (or yap about) adulting, algorithms, vintage things, or even just writing on Substack, I’ll be at AFRICON in Atlanta this September.

Would love to connect if you’re around!

AFRICON is the premier gathering for creatives, entrepreneurs, and young professionals of African descent—celebrating the continent’s rising global influence through culture, community, and connection. You can use my affiliate link to get 10% off tickets.