My friend Lauren sent me this link a little while ago for food for thought... and wow! It really got my brain working. I decided that more people had to see it... so I am posting it here. Enjoy!
The Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard
I hate computer stuff. Blech......
How long is that going to go on? Before we have to keep up with stuff, just because they are necessary to life? Because right now, we have the bottom of the line computer. We are moving up to a newerish computer because ours isn't really doing what we want it to anymore. And so I am down with getting that. I am. But when will we choose what we have and what will become obsolete? How long will this computer last? 1 year? 5 years? 10 years? And when we get rid of it, what will we be upgrading to? BETA to VHS to DVD and now what? And these things are necessary for "life" in our country.
Now, I am not talking about the things that are extra.... the Barbie clothes and the newest toys or the newest skinny heal shoes. I am talking about things used to communicate... and if you don't have them you don't communicate with everyone because their mode of communication has already past you and you are no longer 'convenient' to communicate with... so you drop off their radar. Not on purpose... but just because you haven't evolved.
Omg... what a terrifying prospect... and so now I am getting the new computer.
I don't care about shoes, or anything... those cycles I can stop. I can stop buying my kids thousands of $$ worth of Christmas crap from stores like Walmart. I can stop buying at the dollar store and keep buying at Goodwill. (But hell, even that is being exploited now.) But what about that other stuff? What is going to be done about that? And what else are they going to introduce that we have to maintain like the computers that are obsolete within two years of spending WAY too much money on them. What else are they going to invent that is going to change the way we live so drastically that if you don't have one you are "left behind".
Where is this all leading? (When will my husband think about this?!!?)
3 comments
Thanks for the link. I will pass that one on.
I think about things like this all the time and often find conflicts like the ones you are speaking about. We are so good at keeping all of our life very simple - except when it comes to computers. Our lives are so entwined with them that I cannot fathom what it would be like without them. I just can't. But then I think about people like my aunt who lives in the mountains of New Mexico. She has a phone, an answering machine ( a real **machine**) and a Box in the tiny local PO. She runs a business from her home making dog biscuits selling them at fairs,dog shows,wholesale to shops, and old fashioned mail order. She's happy as a clam. When I visited her I realized that her phone rings all the time. They have conversations with laughter and tears and voices. I got a note in the mail from her and her husband the other day. Just a couple paragraphs but I felt such warmth and love.
You just don't get that on a computer. Yet here we are - connected and wired in, hanging on for our dear lives.
It's amazing isn't it? Sometimes I am really humbled by the planning of it all. What's next? I mean really... what media are we going to switch to next?
Love you!
Val
Hi Val,
I'm really not doing a promo for my husband's business, but sharing a thought.
My husband owns a computer company and does hardware, software, networking for people. A big part of his business is also refurbishing computers for people, buying ones that are "used" (like a year or so) updating, cleaning, etc. Folks get a kick butt computer at a mucho discounted price.
We also barter with people too. For example, my transmission was only half price (and discounted) to rebuild for my car as we traded a computer with the company. You could always scope around, post on Craigslist, etc. and try to barter or find one discounted.
If you go beyond the Best Buy mentality you'll find lots of local people like that. Granted, you are getting "stuff," but the less that's purchased from the Wal-Boxes of the world the better.
I have a basement of a warehouse....but it's worth it as he runs his own business, recycles, and contributes to the local economy. There are probably lots of people like that around you. Shannon
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