+1 That sounds like a very relaxed and sound way to tackle the situation.
People prioritize their money differently, and that's only fair ... a question on hat-prices is a great example. Quite understandable lots of the people around us will find it close to insane to pay $300-1.000 for a headcover, made from dead rodent-shavings. All my life I have lived and worked in Copenhagen, and I have never owned a car or a driver's license for that matter. I walk and ride bycicle, trains, buses and subway - which leaves me money for other stuff ... ie. buying hats. A friendly debate on prioritizing usually leaves all participants a little wiser
Nearly all my hats are vintage. They have been worn by an unknown number of people with unknown standards on hygiene. I trust most people around me have pretty okay standards in that area, so a head more or less doesn't make me shiver. Doorknobs, PC-keyboards and cellphones are serious germ-bombs in comparison - but still it's more likely that choking on a piece of candy will kill me.
I love hats, and I'd like to be a good ambassador for hat-wearing. It's hard to see how I could be that, if I took the hostile position I see some would take. If I allowed myself to escalate a question on the price of my hat - or a wish to feel it or try it on - to be seriously problematic to me, my life would be completely unbearable.
Sorry, but I prefer to concentrate on real problems in life
Well said.