The Complicated Life

AS Socrates undoubtedly would have said, the complicated life is not worth living, but then Americans have never been known for paying much attention to Socrates.

Last week after buying a new laptop, I ran into a man who had been in the store at the same time and overheard me grousing about the rebate system. Catching up with me in the parking lot, he launched into what he thought was a helpful story about how to handle rebates and warranties. He and his wife were a high-tech couple with four high-tech children, he explained. They usually had a dozen or more purchases going at once, but his wife had devised a foolproof system to keep track of everything.

About the Author

Florence King

Florence King was a contributing editor of National Review.

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AS Socrates undoubtedly would have said, the complicated life is not worth living, but then Americans have never been known for paying much attention to Socrates.

Last week after buying a new laptop, I ran into a man who had been in the store at the same time and overheard me grousing about the rebate system. Catching up with me in the parking lot, he launched into what he thought was a helpful story about how to handle rebates and warranties. He and his wife were a high-tech couple with four high-tech children, he explained. They usually had a dozen or more purchases going at once, but his wife had devised a foolproof system to keep track of everything.