I plan to keep my car unattractive enough so that no one will remotely assume that anyone other than I (aside from vandals) did anything (worth paying for) to my car . . .
When it breaks, I can blame the driver. This is not a value statement.
I am cheap (Steel Reserve!) and pathologically unable to pay others to do stuff (including basic plumbing in my house). That's partly a value statement, and partly an admission of psychological disfunction--we like to share that kind of thing here.
Tim's essay made some decent points that many on this site undoubtedly struggle with--many are happy to hear their frustrations voiced through the keyboard of another, echoing the way we appreciate (or dislike) another's music (as indicated quite nicely by the original poster
). That's what forums like this, along with effective communication, are for.
Onward and sideways . . .