We could step back from having an impressive car or a large house and declare that we were 'retiring from consumer society'. While such a move would typically be seen as a mark of failure, with the word 'retirement' now attached to it we can imply that our interests have been willingly and intelligently redirected towards more aesthetic or spiritual targets.

— Simpler Life by Alain de Botton, The School Life of School The (Page 81)