Let Them Eat Trash
August 23rd, 2011
by Richard Mann
ABC News recently aired a program on Freeganism , among the practices of which the movement promotes finding edibles out of your own or someone else’s garbage. ( It’s street name is ‘dumpster-diving’). ABC presents Freeganism with straight face as a viable way for families to “cut spending” on food and shelter. This is offered soberly by ABC writer Reshma Karpalni in a time panic in the financial markets, the S&P downgrade and long-term unemployment. And yes, I checked that this is neither April 1, and nor was the item planted by the satirical Onion.
This is ABC’s compassionate solution to the problem of poverty in America. Freeganism, an anti-consumerist movement begun in the 1990′s,
“…rejects the idea of overspending as a “national addiction,” according to Freeganist Madeline Nelson. The movement goes beyond veganism’s rejection of animal products and bucks consumerism for sustainability. It has spread worldwide, with Freeganist websites in French, Norwegian and Portuguese.
Freeganists practice dumpster diving for food, composting and recycling, biking and walking instead of driving, squatting in abandoned buildings, and generally promote the concept of “working less.”
‘’Low-rent freeloaders” would be another term for its acolytes.
That ABC proposes Feeganism as a solution to poverty for people who have lost homes and work and healthcare demonstrates only the callousness and cluelessness of those sitting in the plush seats at glass desks, staring at the appropriate marks for the cameras, to say nothing of those who write their material.
How helpful it is for ABC to tell the world that when the social safety net is cut, and the best job market is in Brazil, you can rely on good ‘ol Yankee ingenuity to “put food on the family.” Just make sure you wash off the Draino, the Liquid Plumber, and the rat droppings before you sit down to a nice family meal.
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Where did this happen? Richard, I love reading your articles. Are you saying that ABC really had some kind of documentary saying we should eat out of bins? Can you provide a link back to this news site?
Sure. Here’s the ABC news story (link below). Not a documentary. It places freeganism in context with the mortgage crisis, the S&P downgrade, and general economic woes, thereby suggesting it as a solution for the newly downtrodden. The article is an absurd and callous offering for those who are experiencing genuinely hard times. Freeganism is a moral choice. It should never have been suggested as a technique for weathering hard times. Richard
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/freeganism-dumpster-diving-buck-spending-trend/story?id=14242371
Is this what the greatest nation in the country is comming to? We are to find food and clothing by dumpster diving? Drag our children around in wagons and stroller’s to watch us do this and I guess to learn how to fend for themselves when they get older? I guess we could live like gypsy’s and form a caravan for a little security and family unit. Those of us that have lost our homes and jobs, is this what our futures hold? Oh wait let me check with the fortune teller!!
Very nice site!
Recently I watched a somewhat old movie titled Wall Street, which wasn’t the typical Wall Street movie I’ve seen with similar titles in the past. The financialization of our markets were addressed, credit default swaps, derivatives etc. Whereas the markets were driven in large part by production in the past, trade, and so forth, there come a point where banks- government ensured banks- decided to becomes investors. That of course wasn’t good enough. Why not dabble in insurance? Hedge yourself? Because we all know with the Fed slashing interest rates and current trends the housing markets are just gonna up upupupup with no end in site. Obviously recessions don’t happen. Obviously speculation on oil and gas as a commodity is a good thing. (The last two statements are said with sarcasm of course).
A slightly less dramatic “modernization” of Glass Steagall act (FDT era policy updated under Clinton and pushed for since the early 80s) would have sufficed. We would have had no where the financial meltdown we had. That and not relying on low interests rates to create jobs to the extent we did. There comes a point where, between both government and fiscal policy, you’re creating a bubble.
Ps somehow my last comment went thru before I finished so if it could not be accepted that would be great. Thanks.
I can’t believe that ABC is promoting this as a way of living. Do they think that the best solution for poverty is to hit the dumpster? Wow! If they are saying that this is an alternative, then they should do it themselves. Let’s see if they will be able to say, “This is just great! This is a very good way of living.”