Like looking into a mirror. On the internet.

It's not a perfect metaphor.

Fumbling in the Dark ∞ Get Rich Slowly:

"During the 1990s, I had a spending problem. I was a compulsive spender. It’s not that I just bought books and comics and compact discs. I spent money on everything. I wanted everything. I had a house full of Stuff, most of which sat unused. I was filling some emotional void by buying."