Article: Anti-consumerists are thriving during the pandemic
https://www.huckmag.com/perspectives/reportage-2/freegan-anti-consumerists-coronavirus-pandemic/
Reflection:
A sentence from the reading I really like is “I think it’s a challenge and an accomplishment to live without spending a lot.” said by Janet Kalish, a de-facto voice of the freegan community.
After living for a year in New York City, one thing I found impressing was the relationship between objects or possessions and people. The systematic and mature industry of selling second-hand clothing and furniture has broadened my horizon. However, at the same time, frequently seeing a piece of fresh cake or a well-packed good-looking sandwich abandoned in the trash bin on the streets or on campus frustrated me. What’s worst, as time passing I started getting used to this, and treating food wastefully as well.
After looking back to those days, I feel the mentality of “I still can get it in the future” was a big reason causing that wasteful habit. If buying a new sandwich from store few hours later was so easy, why did I need to keep the one I was having instead of getting rid of it for convenience? But while in the pandemic without a known time when it will end, wistfully using what we have had became a valued ideology in the society. It does’t mean everyone from now on should start dumpster-diving for their needs, but I think now is a timing for people to be used to cherishing products still functioning the same as what are in stores, and keep this value even after the pandemic ends.
