Branded Clothing And Accessories Versus Engineering Books & Journals

Dear All,
 
The title of my blog entry may sound quite strange and incomprehensible to many. However strange it may sound, there is a funny and also quite a sad fact about it which I am going to describe in the next few paragraphs.
 
I have a few excel spreadsheets which are available by paying a very nominal amount of money posted on the online store of "Cheresources". Considering the efforts I had to undertake to develop them, sometimes months to fine tune them to bring them to a certain level, the amount spent in buying them is nominal, at least in my opinion. This of course is entirely my opinion and obviously I am entitled to express my opinion on my own blog. Readers of my blog are free to disagree.
 
Now let us come to the real story behind this blog entry.  Not so long back, I had received a couple of emails wherein the writers of these emails wrote that they were young engineers starting out their careers and their pockets were too small to afford buying these spreadsheets and whether I could provide them these spreadsheets free of cost. I had quite a rude shock reading these emails considering the fact that these spreadsheets are quite nominally priced per copy.
 
I had to reply to these mails and this is what I asked them when I replied to them. I asked them whether they were aware of clothing brands like Arrow, Van Heusen and Louis Phillipe. The names I was mentioning are the middle level brands in men's clothing and not the top brands such as Gucci, Armani, Versace etc. I asked them whether any one of them owned a shirt or trouser from these brands and what they had paid for buying them.
 
I had specifically asked this in my reply because I often see amongst the younger bunch of engineers whom I work with, wearing top brands of clothing and carrying top-of-the-line accessories. My own clothing is a ragged mix of unbranded clothing and branded ones. The branded ones are courtesy the lady of my house who happens to be in the field of fashion design and does not see eye-to-eye with me on how men should dress. Well, at least I have no counter for the persuasive charm of my spouse and most of the times I yield to the extravaganza she indulges on my behalf
 
A branded shirt or trouser can easily cost upward of 50 to 60 dollars. The spreadsheets on the online store of "Cheresources" are priced lower.
 
Then how does one explain the email that asks for a free copy of a paid engineering calculation. Well, the answer is quite straightforward. It is not the money but the importance of its utility to the young engineer or engineering student. A branded piece of clothing has far more importance than an engineering calculation or for that matter any engineering literature (books / journals). It is beyond any rational comprehension that something that could enhance one's career can be ignored at the cost of a glitzy piece of clothing. How can anyone forget that any ostentatious lifestyle is just an extension of his or her career? When I say this, I don't mean begetting money by illegal or immoral means.
 
I by no means am implying that young people should shun indulging themselves in good clothes and accessories. What I am trying to convey is that if one can spare money to indulge in these things one can certainly spare something to buy books & literature which can enhance their career. I follow this in my life. If I feel that a particular engineering literature is worth possessing, within my resources and helps me to broaden my engineering knowledge I will not hesitate to buy it.
 
Anyways, to conclude this blog entry, the email I had written to the persons who wanted the engineering calculations for free never replied back to my inquiries. I am still trying to guess whether they felt shamed by my inquiry or thought that what a cranky old geezer I am.
 
I look forward to comments from the readers of my blog.
 
Regards,
Ankur.