Analyzing "On Dumpster Diving"
Lars Eighner has to ask himself a lot of questions. After reading "On Dumpster Diving" by Eighner, I had a lot of questions too. Why does he feel sorry for "the rat-race millions" who spend their evenings channel surfing? I can understand his annoyance with waste and people who take what they have for granted, but there is a saying I have heard many times: "Everyone is where they are in life because they choose to be there." It may have been misfortune that brought Eighner to his situation, but he is obviously an intelligent person with many qualities that could potentially put him on a better path, and perhaps he likes where he is, because he states: "Certainly I would be happy to have a sinecure again, but I am no longer heartbroken that I left one."
I don't ever feel good about throwing away food, and I always give my old clothes to charity and recycle everything, but there are people I know who toss everything, and I suppose that is to someone's advantage. Despite his disadvantages Eighner seems to maintain a positive outlook on everything and uses his experiences to teach the reader, although I am not sure exactly who his subjects are supposed to be. He uses language like "recommend", "practice", "avoid" and goes in to some great detail on how to determine if food that has been thrown out is edible or not. It is almost like a guide to survive out on the streets. He claims to "have a healthy state of mind" and it is pretty obvious he enjoys all the treasure hunting. I wonder what was the most interesting thing he ever found?
Eighner gives the reader many helpful hints and tricks on dumpster diving. I just wonder who he thinks will find this information useful. Who would have access to this publication that really needs it? The format of the piece and the way it has been written as a guide is obviously the method Eighner chose to depict and describe what life is like as a dumpster diver. I particularly enjoyed his frustration with "can scroungers" and "winos" and how his work sometimes was almost ruined by the addicts. The "kitty" surprises were entertaining, and it is obvious he knows how lucky he is to have Lisbeth, his canine companion helping him by giving him warning signs when there is a presence of fire ants in a dumpster.
I can relate to Eighner's distaste with drones, people who are slaves to possessions. I like having nice things, new things, pretty things, but I try not to go overboard, and I like to use everything until it has seen its day. There is only one more question I have for Eighner: How do you compare your life as a dumpster diver in the states with someone who was born in to it, like a child of the slums of India? After seeing what that life would be like, would you still not try to live in a regular society, and even if people are slaves to things, why can't we just let them be happy, even if it is a little extreme?
I don't ever feel good about throwing away food, and I always give my old clothes to charity and recycle everything, but there are people I know who toss everything, and I suppose that is to someone's advantage. Despite his disadvantages Eighner seems to maintain a positive outlook on everything and uses his experiences to teach the reader, although I am not sure exactly who his subjects are supposed to be. He uses language like "recommend", "practice", "avoid" and goes in to some great detail on how to determine if food that has been thrown out is edible or not. It is almost like a guide to survive out on the streets. He claims to "have a healthy state of mind" and it is pretty obvious he enjoys all the treasure hunting. I wonder what was the most interesting thing he ever found?
Eighner gives the reader many helpful hints and tricks on dumpster diving. I just wonder who he thinks will find this information useful. Who would have access to this publication that really needs it? The format of the piece and the way it has been written as a guide is obviously the method Eighner chose to depict and describe what life is like as a dumpster diver. I particularly enjoyed his frustration with "can scroungers" and "winos" and how his work sometimes was almost ruined by the addicts. The "kitty" surprises were entertaining, and it is obvious he knows how lucky he is to have Lisbeth, his canine companion helping him by giving him warning signs when there is a presence of fire ants in a dumpster.
I can relate to Eighner's distaste with drones, people who are slaves to possessions. I like having nice things, new things, pretty things, but I try not to go overboard, and I like to use everything until it has seen its day. There is only one more question I have for Eighner: How do you compare your life as a dumpster diver in the states with someone who was born in to it, like a child of the slums of India? After seeing what that life would be like, would you still not try to live in a regular society, and even if people are slaves to things, why can't we just let them be happy, even if it is a little extreme?