If we can buy everything we need so cheaply, we feel we can give 'it' away if we don't like 'it', how will our culture ever change from consumerism to just being normal buy-what-you-need. (or better yet in Laura's Utopia make-what-you-need)
Thrift stores exist for the sole purpose of getting rid of things you no longer need and re-selling them to make money. They make it ok to over buy in the box store to make yourself feel better because you an just make room for that new stuff by getting rid of the old. Hurray.
If we had respect for the things we buy would we be so quick to donate? But what if you have a shirt that isn't worn out yet, is it a rag because you don't like the color? What should you do with it? Well if you had say grown the sheep, sheared it, cleaned it, combed it, spun it, wove it, cut it, sewed it and ironed it you'd probably make it into something you'd wear. It's so easy to ditch something that cost next to nothing.
I am a making it ok for folks to over buy because I buy up their mistakes, their clutter, their crap. And I love it. Am I the ultimate consumerist?
And yes I am always talking about getting rid of crap in my house because the 'clutter' makes me crazy--yes clutter I willing drag home. I am actively doing it right now.
I asked my husband the other day what we(as a people) did before paper towels were invented. He looked at me like I was crazy, thought for a minute and said I suppose they used rags. Same thing for toilet paper but we. are. not. going. there. So I asked what do we do with all of our now unemployed rags? Donate them. SO we can afford to give clothes away and yet we BUY paper towels, isn't there something wrong with that equation?
Raise you hand if you chop up your old clothes for rags, I do. We don't actually use paper towels, we switched to wash clothes and rags made from well used clothes a few years ago, I love it I will never go back.
Do you think thrift store shopping makes consumerism tick?
Peace and Love--
9 comments, thoughts, ideas, random words or haikus:
Life is too short to worry so much.
I no longer use paper towels, just hand towels and rags. Saves money!
Hmmm, interesting way to look at this.
First, I do not think that thrift stores exist solely to promote a disposable lifestyle. I think that thrift stores were born out of an idea to make a disposable lifestyle less wasteful. In the past people had to make anything they used, such as clothing, bedding, rugs, chairs, etc. Once the industrial revolution hit America and it was easy and cheap to mass produce items in factories and transport them on railways I think our mentality changed. Respect for items was lost and probably quality was lost (it definitely is nowadays).
Things were tossed or not cared for. And I think it probably took the Great Depression and major immigration of poverty stricken groups to America to have a need for these "cast offs."
Even still today most thrift stores are for charity purposes. Salvation Army, Goodwill, and some local ones here are for a children's hospital and a women's helpline for abuse. I think it was born from, and still tries to operate as donating what you no longer need to benefit the needy either through direct use of the item or through profit from its sale at the thrift store.
As for clutter, I definitely think those of us that frequent thrift stores walk a thinner line of having our houses full of too much junk and clutter. It needs to constantly be a cycle of purge and acquire (either through donating or selling). You can't just bring in without ever bringing out.
We use paper towels primarily in place of napkins b/c I prefer the single sheet choose-a-size over several 4 ply folded napkins. A single roll lasts us at least a month. I also use it for glass cleaning b/c rags leave too much residue for my taste. Other than that I use rags or sponges. I usually run sponges in the kitchen through the dishwasher cycle to sanitize. Sponges I use for house cleaning I run through the washing machine with bleach. This lets me reuse sponges much longer than the average person.
Interesting post Laura!
I love that you asked this question and my answer is: I hardly think you qualify as the ultimate consumerist! I think that Christina brought some good points as well.
In the end, some of what is found in thrift stores is honest treasure that needs love and wasn't loved by whoever set it there. When I see something gorgeous in a thrift store with the tags still on, it makes me sad, but I am glad to know that someone out there will come along and adore it.
You encourage people to skip the big box store and I think that is really important. Also, we never use paper towels. Scraps of fabric are rags for us too!
Very interesting post!
I recently watched a documentary about a "garbage town" outside Ciro, Egypt that was occupied by a certain tribe that made recycling their primary function. They recycled over 90% of the garbage produced by the city. What we saw as waste, they saw as raw material waiting to be reused. It was pretty amazing!
I don't think thrift stores exist to make consumerism possible. Consumerism would exist whether thrift stores did or not simply because stuff is cheap and it takes a lot less time and effort to buy new stuff than it does to make it or reuse it.
I don't think that the origin of the thrift store was to promote consumerism.
I do think that it's role has become very important to the system though. It is the place where the system's vanguard cherry-pick the next wave. And for those who aren't taste-makers, a way to share in the overconsumption (which I think is the thrust of your post).
One of the main issues I have is, I don't quite know what truly living outside the system would look like. It surrounds us, permeates us, binds us together. (snicker, snicker) Is escape possible or even desirable?
*Raises hand* I don't use paper towels, either. ;)
My 2 Cents: I agree, we don't value our purchases like we used to. I'm working on decluttering because I've bought so much I didn't value in the past and now I have to clear out.
But as a creative person I have to clear out old supplies when a line is up, so donating and a little bit of waste feels inevitable.
Even as thrifters, we should focus on brining home less but only the best.
I echo Christina and Van!!
For me, I think of the thrift store as "stuff rental". When I buy for us its use is frequently temporary. (clothes only fit so long on a single growing child) When we're done - it's redonated, if it isn't used up.
Or - it's a way to upgrade the "stuff" we already have - kitchen goods, etc. The former less used items then donated.
The money stays local. No resources consumed in creating the "stuff". Minimal resources used in obtaining the "stuff" (thinking gas here, tho' the thrifts are close enough to walk or bike to, too)
Sure - there are ample donates on the thrift shelves evident of Box Store overbuying. But there are equally as many estate contents donations. (tell me one person who has had to clear out a deceased relatives estate that doesn't rethink their own possessions and start downsizing!!)
Yet, I agree with you, Laura, that much of we consumers don't truly appreciate the work and effort and time needed to generate the raw materials that go into clothing and other items. We merely look at the price tag.
Interesting post, indeed!
I've been thinking about this post for a while and I'm wondering how far a person would be willing to go to end their "disposable" (lazy?) lifestyle and...what is the "reward" in those choices if it makes you miserable?
People say they have done away with paper towels...how about going a step farther and doing without toilet tissue? How about doing away with energy guzzling convenience machines like dishwashers, washing machines, clothes dryers, cars, vacumm cleaners etc.? Why don't we wash clothes by hand, sweep our rugs, walk to work, wash dishes by hand, heat with wood etc.? How about doing away with the computer and go back to writing letters? How about talking to someone instead of calling them on the phone? Do these things make me lazy? These are all things I, personally, am not willing to go without...so yes, I use paper towels and I shop thrift stores way too much, but those are the little things that make me happy, that MUST be worth something?
You've certainly made me think about things and I thank you for that.
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